Three ideas on the Utah Jazz’s 119-103 loss to the New York Knicks from the Salt Lake Tribune Jazz Beat Author Andy Larsen.
1. How frightened are we about Lauri Markkanen’s effectiveness?
Lauri Markkanen struggled tonight. He shot simply 6-22 from the sector, together with 1-10 from the 3-point line. Granted, he competed in different methods, getting 10 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals – however we all know Markkanen might be higher than that.
Any participant can have a nasty recreation, however it’s true that he has performed extra of those video games this season than in his first two with the Jazz. After just a few straight years with a area objective share of round 58% – concerning the seventy fifth percentile within the league – it is all the way down to 54% this yr. That is additionally the 54th percentile within the NBA.
Markkanen’s calling card is his high-volume effectivity. If he’s solely reasonably efficient, he stays a helpful participant, however not a star. The Jazz simply locked him into star cash for the subsequent 5 years. So how involved are we about this slippage?
In my view? Not very frightened. Like, two or three individuals out of 10 affected.
Visually, Markkanen is making a lot tougher pictures this yr. He makes a variety of three-way strikes off screens, and they’re continuously contested. It is nonetheless catch and shoot, however tougher. Statistically, 23% of his pictures had been large open final yr, and that quantity dropped to 19% this yr. He is additionally on tempo to make extra pictures that the NBA describes as a “turnaround,” “fade” or “run” in comparison with final yr.
It isn’t solely his 3-point share that is down (from 40% to 36%) but additionally his 2-point share that is down (from 56% to 52%). This is sensible to me too, contemplating he is taking part in extra minutes alongside Walker Kessler than final season. With Kessler close to the rim, it is extra probably Markkanen has defenders round him.
Groups are “locking down” him greater than ever – basically, they’re stopping him from getting the ball on the perimeter. However Kessler’s presence means the backdoors and cuts he was relying on to counter which can be simpler to defend.
Mainly, I feel it is extra probably than not that Markkanen’s slowdown is because of the atmosphere he is taking part in in, reasonably than his personal flaws. The reality is, you may all the time make excuses like this for any participant’s downfall – however these make sense to me. Markkanen is 27 years outdated and downturns do not often occur at 27 years outdated.
2. What about Keyonte George’s protection?
The Jazz have the worst protection within the NBA, with a defensive ranking of 120.7. Nevertheless it’s 10.6 factors worse when Keyonte George is on the ground than when he isn’t there, by CleaningTheGlass — a quantity that far exceeds different Jazz gamers.
I feel there was a swell the place, earlier than the sprained ankle, George was placing extra effort into protection. Sadly, when he returned, I do not assume he discovered the identical degree.
There are such a lot of video games by which George looks as if a passenger: a participant who might make a distinction in a scenario however would not wish to. I like him to show round and run again right here, however man, he simply would not compete as soon as the ball is in entrance of him. He ought to transfer his ft and arms to contest this layup.
George expects Sexton to alter right here, however why? There aren’t any screens and no prayers to maintain Cam Payne in entrance. Walker Kessler has to scramble, which results in the layup:
These are the comfortable doubles we talked about within the final Triple Staff match, and sure, I am nonetheless not a fan. However George would not give himself any likelihood to make a distinction: his arms are lowered to his sides, his actions will not be quick and it is a give up.
As Mike Breen says, this can be a higher particular person effort from George. However he simply cannot transfer his ft quick sufficient and will get blasted by Josh Hart, not identified for being a Blow-By sort man, for the simple dunk. Particularly with out rim safety behind him.
The purpose is, George needs to be at the very least a very good defender. He’s listed at 6-4, fairly good dimension for a degree guard. He has a wingspan of 6-7.75, actually fairly lengthy. However he would not use that size correctly, after which has a penchant for giving up on performs too early.
Proper now, he is the worst defender on the worst protection within the NBA. This isn’t a robust place for a participant, and it’s crucial that he improves on that aspect of the pitch.
3. Cody Williams’ nice match at West Valley
Whereas the main league workforce was dropping, there was excellent news in Jazzland on New Yr’s Day: Jazz rookie Cody Williams had the very best recreation of his skilled profession on the Maverik Middle with the Salt Lake Metropolis Stars.
Williams had 36 factors on 13-21 taking pictures (5-8 from three) and added three assists, three steals and two blocks to the combination. Right here is the spotlight video:
Some notable video games, in the event you’re seeking to save time:
• At 0:48, superb particular person protection adopted by a robust counter on the edge.
• At 0:58, only a excellent cross go to discover a nook shooter when the assistant had helped an excessive amount of. Nice imaginative and prescient early within the choose and roll to note how the protection is about up and exploit it.
• At 1:49, a floating, resilient midrange over the smaller defender.
And in the event you watch the entire video, you may additionally discover how straightforward a lot of these baskets had been: The Rio Grande Valley Vipers had been, uh, not precisely stifling defensively this afternoon.
Nonetheless, regardless of the decrease degree of competitors, I will take Williams taking 20 pictures within the G-League whereas he was within the recreation with the Jazz. I hope the Jazz within the second half of the yr give him extra possessions, however provided that they don’t seem to be doing that in the mean time, that G-League expertise can also be acceptable.
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