Aaron Ostler

Defense and Donovan Mitchell

October 27, 2019 by Aaron Ostler Leave a Comment

As a family of Jazz fans put it on social media, “Our 182-day wait is over.” The NBA season finally descended on Salt Lake City last night, and it came with a bang. Not only was everyone excited about seeing this new-look Jazz team play in its first meaningful game but also Adam Silver was in the house that Larry built after announcing that the 2023 All-Star Game would be coming to Utah. The scene was set for an epic opener to the 2019-2020 season, and the Jazz did not disappoint.

There are multiple story lines that could be written about the game: Bojan Bogdanovic spraining his ankle, only to come back to hit a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter; Mike Conley going 1 for 16; or Emmanuel Mudiay looking more and more like a viable rotation piece. However, the two biggest story lines from this game, and the biggest reasons why I think the Jazz won the game, have got to be the team defense and Donovan Mitchell’s start to what I believe will be an all-star season.

The Defense

Just last week, I noted how lethargic the Jazz’s defense was during the preseason. Not only did the Jazz finish dead last in defensive rating among all NBA teams but their defensive rating was also worse than some of the international teams that participated in the preseason. The Jazz’s defense (or lack thereof) was a big reason why they went 0 for against NBA teams during that stretch. There was a lot of discussion in the media about whether this Jazz team was even capable of being a top-10 defensive team with their new additions.

True to form, Rudy Gobert’s words of assurance came to fruition last night. The defense started out with a bang, only allowing the Thunder to score 12 points in the first quarter. While the Thunder did go off for 34 points in the second quarter, the Jazz held them to just 95 points for the game. If the Jazz hold teams to an average of 95 points per contest this season, they are going to win a lot of games. Some of the other impressive stats include holding the Thunder to 38.6% shooting percentage, only allowing 34 points in the paint, and having a defensive rating of 94.1. I am almost convinced that any team with Rudy Gobert in the middle coupled with Coach Q’s defensive scheme is automatically going to be a top-10 defensive squad. They are both that good.

Donovan Mitchell

If you are one of the few who hasn’t already bought a ticket for the Donovan Mitchell train, you better buy now before prices go up even higher. This kid never ceases to amaze. Let’s go over some of the things he wanted to work on in the offseason to see how he did in game one.

Be more efficient: he went 14 for 22 – Check!
Make better decisions with the ball: only one turnover while being the primary ball handler in large stretches of the game – Check!
Be in better shape: while this one is difficult to tell since it was the first game of the season when everyone seems to have a bounce in his step, Donovan seemed to get stronger as the game went on, so I’m going to go – Check!

And for good measure, Donovan scored 32 points, got a career high 12 rebounds, and got his first career double-double. I’d say that’s not too shabby for one night’s work.

In Conclusion

While there are still a lot of questions to be answered on how this team is going to gel as the players get more familiar with one another, there are two things that look like they’ll be a constant on this team: Rudy anchoring a solid defense and Donovan continuing to amaze us with highlight plays and scoring.

Utah Jazz Preseason Wrap Up

October 18, 2019 by Aaron Ostler Leave a Comment

Now that the preseason is in the rearview mirror, we have a little better perspective on what this Jazz team is and what it can become. Let’s look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of this Utah Jazz preseason.

Since I like to end on a good note, we’ll go in reverse order.

The Ugly

The big white guy defending Georges Niang (see below):

The Bad

Today, the team is not looking like it’s ready to contend for a title, or even a western conference championship. There is a lot to get done in order for this team to gel and come together before talk of contention can commence. The defense struggled mightily, giving up an average of 128.75 points per contest against NBA competition, which ranked 33rd in efficiency. Given that there are only 30 teams in the NBA, that means they finished behind some of the international teams who participated in the preseason.

Can you say struggles?

What makes matters worse is that we didn’t even see the high-octane offense that many thought we would see given the offseason acquisitions.

Fortunately, we did see flashes of it, particularly against the younger teams, New Orleans and Sacramento. Overall, though, it was difficult to watch guys turning the ball over, look discombobulated, and clank threes off the rim.

The Good

Aside from some nice individual performances (here’s looking at you, Donovan), most of what was good about the preseason was the opportunity for time on the floor together. There are so many new pieces to the team this year that it was inevitable not everything was going to be peachy king from the jump. Having time on the court against other teams was valuable to help the players start to mesh and have the coaches experiment with rotations. It’s worth noting that Quin Snyder is one of the best in the business at having his teams improve throughout the season.

I don’t expect to see all of the Jazz’s ills cured by the time they tip off against the Thunder next week. However, I do suspect that there will be significant improvement from month to month. This team is chalked with more veteran leadership than it has been in many years. That bodes well for keeping the whole team towing the line and staying on task.

The Irony from Utah Jazz Preseason?

Ironically, I believe that some of the bad we saw during the preseason was due to these veterans, especially those who are 30+, saving what’s in the tank for games that matter. We saw improvements of some of the Jazz’s younger players, including: Donovan Mitchell, Royce O’Neale, and Tony Bradley.

While Tony Bradley’s talents may not be needed extensively this season, Donovan’s and Royce’s most certainly will. Donovan looked more decisive with the ball in his hands, and he was a more efficient player. Royce not only looked like he belonged but he also looked like a sharpshooter from distance. If he can become a reliable 3 and D guy this season, he may end up being a regular in the starting lineup.

Initial Thoughts on Utah Jazz Preseason After Two Games

October 12, 2019 by Aaron Ostler Leave a Comment

To those of you who are reading this, please understand that I am not an analyst, a professional commentator, or any other full-time employee who gets paid for writing. I am, like you, a fan. The following are a few of my initial reactions to the first games of the new-look Jazz.

Utah Jazz Preseason Mike Conley, Ed Davis, Bojan Bogdanovic, Donovan Mitchell, Jeff Green

My very first thought as I settled in to watch the very first game of the 2019-2020 season was that of disappointment. We all had been waiting for some time to watch how the new pieces of this Jazz team would mesh and come together on the court, only to find out that five rotation players would not be playing, including our two big guns, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Nonetheless, it was the kickoff of basketball season, and I was still excited to see the likes of Bojan Bogdanovic, Jeff Green, and Ed Davis in a Jazz uniform. Instead of boring you with long, drawn-out commentary, I’ll share with you some snippets from my knee-jerk reactions.

Pleasant Surprises: Jeff Green and William Howard

I have watched Jeff Green over the years, so I knew that he was a solid basketball player. I also felt that he was the sneakiest, best pick-up of possibly the entire NBA offseason, especially considering his salary. What I didn’t know is that he may be our answer to how we consistently get points from the bench, assuming he doesn’t start at the power forward spot. He impressed in both games with his leadership on the court and his consistency.

Utah Jazz Preseason - Jeff Green, Rudy Gobert, Zion Williamson

Juxtaposed to Jeff Green’s veteran savvy was William Howard, who was more of a revelation. Even though he went 0 for from three the second game, he hit 100% of his threes the first game. That’s impressive no matter how you spin it. While he didn’t have the hot hand in game two, he did show off some of his other skills, such as court vision and driving ability. I think he’s shown enough in two games to have the Jazz give him a long, hard look. I’ll be highly disappointed if he doesn’t get one of the last spots on the roster, especially since the Jazz have already bought out his contract from his team in France.

Biggest Disappointments: Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic

There is no way to put lipstick on these two players’ performances and make it look pretty. These two are the acquisitions that have gotten people’s attention, both locally and nationally. They are the ones who are supposed to bring the moxie, the leadership, and most of all, the shooting that is supposed to take the Jazz from pretender to contender. What we have seen from them so far is the exact opposite. Granted, Conley has only played one game, so maybe it was just a fluke. Bogdanovic, on the other hand, has looked less than stellar in both of his games as a Jazz man.

I get it, it’s the preseason. Their performances still make me nervous, though. Maybe it’s due to the fact that I’m not as high on these two as most seem to be. In my limited time watching them play for their previous teams, both have come across as very average. Mike Conley had one notable game against the Jazz over the years. Who doesn’t, though? Even the Sundiata Gaines’s of the world have their day in the sun. Don’t get me wrong, I hope I’m way off on my assessment of these players. I keep telling myself that I can’t be right if all of the experts have a divergent opinion from mine. Fingers (and toes) crossed!

Steady Eddies: Ed Davis, Joe Ingles, and Donovan Mitchell

These three looked to be exactly what we are expecting from them. Once Donovan shook off the dust, he was wheeling and dealing as usual. While Joey wasn’t himself from the three-point line, everything seemed to run smoother when he was on the court. He has become the steady hand of this Jazz team. Ed Davis has performed to expectation, in my opinion. His rebounding and play around the basket will be a solid addition to the bench. While he showed against Antetokounmpo that he’s no Rudy Gobert (or even Derrick Favors), he will be able to hold his own against bench players of opposing teams.

Greatest Misses: Derrick Favors

I don’t know if it’s because he was the longest tenured Jazz player, if it’s because he’s such a solid teammate/person, or if it’s because he’s so good (underrated in my opinion), but Derrick Favors has left a hole in my Jazz fan heart. While I already missed seeing his presence on the court, watching Milwaukee’s size eat us up in the paint made me miss Favors even more. I wish him the best in New Orleans, but I also hope that there’s a chance he comes back to us. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think that a lot of Jazz fans took what Favors did for granted. He was the consummate team player, and was so good defensively and offensively in the pick-and-roll. There is no doubt he will be missed this season.

Utah Jazz Preseason Mike Conley, Derrick Favors

In Conclusion….

By the time this article is posted, the third preseason game will likely be upon us. Like all of you, I will watch to see if the chemistry will build between Donovan and Mike, if Bogdanovic can hit the threes like we’ve been told he can, and if the defense of the Jazz can hold strong without the likes of Favors and Crowder. If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that Coach Q will get the most out of this squad. While I’m hesitant to crown the Jazz with anything, I do believe that this team has great leadership, character, experience, and coaching. Those qualities count for a lot. I, for one, am excited to see how far it will take them. Go Jazz!