We know this. Sometimes the ball goes in. Sometimes it doesn’t.
The ball went in for the Jazz last night. Not enough for the Knicks.
Not that the Jazz didn’t, once again, give their opponent plenty of chances to score. The Jazz gave up the ball 18 times to the Knicks (that’s about their average) conceding 36 points off those turnovers. Thirty-six points! That’s two points per turnover for the love! Compare that to the Jazz only getting 11 points off nine Knick turnovers and you would think this game would be another loss toward the tank project.
Not so.
Although the Knicks had 10 more attempts at the hoop than the Jazz, they shot a miserable 39% for the night from the field and only 33% from three. Very rare for the Knicks as they currently rank among the best in the league in numerous offensive categories.
Some part of their bad night was a result of good Jazz defense. Yes, we were all shocked.
Credit in large part for the Utah’s rare defensive slap down goes to the returning Walker Kessler. Kessler had missed 6 games with a sore hip—the Jazz without Kessler for those games compared to last night looked like Spam next to prime rib.
Kessler showed no ill effect from the time off, getting up and down the court with customary speed and raising, with his two-handed rim defense, for three blocks and numerous intimidations… even rejecting KAT a couple of times at the rim (see below clip).
Kessler has become a good screener, roller, and passer from down low… all things the Jazz have missed without The Sheriff in the game. With Walker back on the court, the Jazz offensive action produced more open shots than we’ve seen in a while—he was a +34 for the night, that’s massive.
Many others shined. Markkanen looked like his old self, bombing from three, and powering to the basket (and actually finishing). John Collins continued his run of good games. Sexton continued to hit from deep as did Juzang.
There were some clunkers, however. Keyonte George, after and excellent first half crumbled once again late against defensive pressure amassing 5 turnovers in the second half after committing none in the first (see clip below if you dare).
I feel for the kid. Coach Hardy seems content to let George battle his way up the court and into the offense while being dogged by a defender without providing any help for him. The Jazz pressed the Knicks in the back court a bit last night with the New York quickly responding by sending a third man back to the half court line and then advancing the ball with the pass—pressure broken, easy-peazy. No such help was provided to George. No screen was set. No one came to the ball. Maybe it’s a refiner’s fire sort of training for the lad. If so, he’s still getting burned. Unless it really is an attempt to lose games, give the kid a break and leave the inbounder down there to run interference.
Cody Williams also had a terrible game… again. We suggest the G-League please. Cody does not seem to be improving in his dwindling time on the court. Hardy says “you don’t just get to play”, but Cody is not doing anything well nor displaying much energy, yet, he is still playing. Sensabaugh, on the other hand, does do a few things, yet, he’s on the bench. Maybe it’s time to swap.
It might do Williams well to try and find his game and some confidence playing with the G-League Stars for a time. Hendrick profited from G-league play last year… why not Williams?
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Last night’s win drops the Jazz to fourth in draft lottery position. Here’s how it stands right now.
For fun we made two Tankathon draft lottery simulations using the Jazz current draft position. We hit gold in our second simulation with the Jazz getting the first pick and the Jazz pick from Minnesota jumping from 13th to the third slot. That’s Nirvana!
But these will never happen, this is the Jazz we’re talking about. It’s not a lucky team. Next time we push the button the Jazz will drop to seventh.