Nice Win Streak eh, but why?

[nghedman]

Have the Jazz turned the corner? I think they have. They seem to have figured it out to the next level of play. Their defense and rotation to me seems to be wonderful. Each player covering for the other so they can rotate off their man to the stop the open shot. I love the anticipation they are having working together.

The other thing I think they are doing...well maybe just this Denver game and I hope in the future is the killer instinct from the Stockon/Malone days are back. What is that? When the team gets up by 15 points they don't relax and say to themselve we got this game... but instead say to themselfs, lets smash these guys confindence and end this tough compitetion and go up by 25- 30. 25 points kills the other teams play every time in the 3rd or 4th quarter. Then they get the rest they need and let the bench players develop and can do the same thing next game.

Can they continue this win streak, what do you think?

[outerspacefella]

Jazz are winning just because player's are actually making plays. That's kind of a rarity in a "system-oriented" franchise. It seems Utah has turned the corner and understand that sometimes, ultimately, players have to do his own **** out there. Man on man defense and a mix of execution, poise and dudes being able to take and make shots in the clutch are the main factos. Props to Tinsley and Burks for being aggressive and somehow show the way to take a leap as a team.

[Xsy]

They've said it in pretty much every interview that asks this question-- defense.

They've stepped it up on the other side of the floor, and its been amazing.

[retiredcoach]

While all of the things mentioned are better to some extent, I see two bigger issues.

1. The internal clicks seemed to have lessened. Early in the season, the vets seemed really reluctant to allow the young guys to play as equals. Millsap wouldn't pass the ball to Hayward. Harris was looking away open young players and making less effective passes to vets. Bell seemed only interested in his numbers. Al never passed the ball to anyone, and Corbin seemed okay with that, at least initially. I think he moved Hayward to the second team to make the vets pay more attention to need for the young guys to get their numbers and diversify the offense and not to merely be supporting characters while the vets rested. Now that Hayward is back on the first team, the vets are playing a different game. They are fully involving the younger guys and letting them get their numbers.

2. The offense has shifted away from feed the post with either Al or Millsap using most of the possessions. That change was forced on Corbin when Millsap wasn't playing well, Al left for a couple of games, Bell was causing problems and Howard got hurt. Now the offense has opened up, and it is making a big difference. I had posted about this earlier in the season, and I wasn't sure how long Corbin would keep the feed the post offense. In the last few minutes of a couple of games just before Al left, Corbin went back to forcing it inside and the Jazz nearly blew those games.

If Corbin keeps the offense open and the vets have finally stopped worrying about their numbers so the young guys can get their piece of the win, the team should continue to play well. In fact they might even get out of the first round of the playoffs.

[Jazzfan12]

Raja Bell and Josh Howard are no longer playing, Millsap looks a lot healthier and more energetic, Favors has improved his effort level dramatically on defense, Harris is no longer playing like a corpse, Tinsley has played better than Earl did when Earl was injured during the losing streak, Hayward has played well.

[StocktonShorts]

While all of the things mentioned are better to some extent, I see two bigger issues.

1. The internal clicks seemed to have lessened. Early in the season, the vets seemed really reluctant to allow the young guys to play as equals. Millsap wouldn't pass the ball to Hayward. Harris was looking away open young players and making less effective passes to vets. Bell seemed only interested in his numbers. Al never passed the ball to anyone, and Corbin seemed okay with that, at least initially. I think he moved Hayward to the second team to make the vets pay more attention to need for the young guys to get their numbers and diversify the offense and not to merely be supporting characters while the vets rested. Now that Hayward is back on the first team, the vets are playing a different game. They are fully involving the younger guys and letting them get their numbers.

2. The offense has shifted away from feed the post with either Al or Millsap using most of the possessions. That change was forced on Corbin when Millsap wasn't playing well, Al left for a couple of games, Bell was causing problems and Howard got hurt. Now the offense has opened up, and it is making a big difference. I had posted about this earlier in the season, and I wasn't sure how long Corbin would keep the feed the post offense. In the last few minutes of a couple of games just before Al left, Corbin went back to forcing it inside and the Jazz nearly blew those games.

If Corbin keeps the offense open and the vets have finally stopped worrying about their numbers so the young guys can get their piece of the win, the team should continue to play well. In fact they might even get out of the first round of the playoffs.

Agree with all of this. Though I think Millsap still isn't passing to a lot of guys. Seems intent on getting his.

[jazzfan1971]

Raja Bell and Josh Howard are no longer playing, Millsap looks a lot healthier and more energetic, Favors has improved his effort level dramatically on defense, Harris is no longer playing like a corpse, Tinsley has played better than Earl did when Earl was injured during the losing streak, Hayward has played well.

A good summary there.