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What We Learned from Utah Jazz Early-Season Road Trip Woes

November 6, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

Utah Jazz road trips are never easy to stomach these days. But while it’s never fun to see the Jazz in the losing column, the season is young. There’s lots to be learned from these slip-ups. Unfortunately, there will also probably be some more slip-ups as the team figures out exactly who they are.

Let’s take a look at the positive and negative takeaways from the past week of Utah Jazz NBA basketball.

Utah Jazz Early-Season Road Trip Positives

Donovan Mitchell – The Boy Wonder

If you’ve watched ANY Utah Jazz basketball in the past two years, you know the kid can hoop. Plain and simple. The question Jazz fans have been asking since seeing the put-back dunk off the Alec Burks miss is just how good can he be?

After six games, Spida is averaging 25.7 points per game on 52% shooting. I know it’s early, but it this is where he starts the year off, imagine where he’ll be come the All Star break!

What we learned from Utah Jazz early-season road trip woes

I fully expect Donovan to be an All Star this year. And while his team dropped two on the road in early November, Donovan was the only reason the game was close at all.

But most importantly, when the ball is in his hands, I feel optimistic something good will happen. When he pulls up for the mid range jumper, I feel as confident as I would be if he were going in for an uncontested layup.

I haven’t felt that way in a long, LONG time.

Bojan Bogdanovic – Feed The Beast

We knew the Utah Jazz front office was going to get some talent to help their stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. What it seems like we didn’t know was ANYTHING about Bojan Bogdanovic.

Bojan is averaging better than 2o points per game six games into the season. Plus, the Croation looks like he’s the bonafide scoring threat the team needs to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Whether he’s taking it to the hole for the tough finish through contact, or hitting the deep elbow 3-pointer without even grazing the rim, Bojan can score.

Utah Jazz – Rule #1: Defense First

Utah currently sits second in the league in terms of team defensive rating.

This defense is elite. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been enough for the Jazz to remain in first place. To understate it, the offense is still a work in progress.

Nobody Important is Worried About Mike Conley

Utah Jazz Early-Season Road Trip Negatives

Back-to-Basics: Rebounding Needs Work

The Utah Jazz were visibly out rebounded by the Clippers Sunday night in Los Angeles. In fact, the final rebounding totals were LAC 54 rebounds to Utah’s 37…

With Derrick Favors playing in New Orleans this year (RIP), Utah has been transitioning to more of a “small ball” lineup. This places the bulk of the rebounding duties squarely on Rudy Gobert’s shoulders.

Now we know Rudy can hold his own when it comes to rebounds, but can he make up for an entire team who has seemingly forgotten how to box out?

Not to mention the fact that Ed Davis is now out at least a month with a leg injury. Look for rebounding to improve under the fine tutelage of Quin Snyder.

Offense of Everyone Not Named Bojan or Donovan

I’m just going to leave this here…

NBA Referee Patterns

The Utah Jazz, especially now that Ed Davis is out for extended time, need to learn how to manipulate NBA Referees.

I know that sounds like I just said they need to learn how to cheat (maybe they do need to learn how to cheat…), but that’s not what I mean.

It just seems like the refs call a million fouls either on the Jazz or the opposing team at a certain time, and have to make up for it later on.

For example, against Phoenix, refs called a ridiculous amount of fouls against Utah in the 3rd quarter. During that time, the Suns were able to get out to a decent lead.

However, the 4th quarter was the opposite story, with most of the fouls being called against Phoenix. Simply put, the refs want to call an even game, and know when they need to favor a team to make it happen.

The Jazz need to come out physical from the start of the game, which will ultimately lead to refs calling less fouls for more physical defense later in the game. #Solved

In Conclusion…

We learned a lot about the Utah Jazz during one of their first mini road trips of the season. Hopefully we right the ship and get back to the winning ways we’re used to!

Game #01 Overreactions – Utah Jazz vs Oklahoma City Thunder

October 24, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

We weren’t entirely sure what to expect from the first game of the season – Utah Jazz vs Oklahoma City Thunder. The hype was real, and the questions were plentiful.

How would Mike Conley do in his debut with the Utah Jazz?

Would Donovan Mitchell show us the typical third-year jump in production and efficiency?

How would Bojan Bogdanovic’s fitness and defense hold up after a less-than-stellar preseason?

The Quick Answers from Utah Jazz vs Oklahoma City Thunder

Luckily for Jazz fans, Donovan showed us he’s even more special and Bojan played through an ankle injury that looked pretty painful.

More importantly, the Utah Jazz picked up the win.

MOST importantly, the Utah Jazz Fan Show was there to witness it in person.

Overreaction #1 – Donovan Mitchell’s Hot Start

Donovan Mitchell started the season off by solidifying his role as a leader on this team, scoring 32 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Not to mention shooting a red-hot 63% from the field.

📹| @spidadmitchell ⤵️

32p | 12r | 3a | 1s | #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/wimwIZ4WFI
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 24, 2019

Fun Fact: Karl Malone wore number 32 and John Stockton wore number 12. Surprised you didn’t know that.

What’s most impressive is the fact that he didn’t even attempt a shot in the first quarter. He got his team involved and gave everyone a chance to eat.

Plus, when things got close in the end, everyone knew which Utah Jazz player would be handling the rock: Donovan Mitchell.

He did not disappoint.

Overreaction #2 – Conley Struggles, Mudiay Shines

Mike Conley shot just 1/16 from the field in his regular season Utah Jazz debut (headband curse??). That might seem concerning for most players, but after hitting a free throw late in the game, Mike Conley acknowledged the crowd and let everyone know he was fine.

The crowd showed their support in return.

I love Mike Conley pic.twitter.com/lnM7Udl2kY
— Adam (@prodigyJF) October 24, 2019

“I was a little bit confused. I was like, ‘I don’t know what else to do. I got to get a layup or something,’ because it’s just, in and out, and in and out,” he said. “Even a lot of shots in the paint. They all felt good but they were short.”

“I might have been too excited for the first game or something, but if I’m a betting man, I probably won’t do that again,” he said.

While Conley may have struggled, Emmanuel Mudiay more than made up the slack.

It seemed his play got even better as the team began to falter in the fourth quarter. At one point, with his team down eight, Mudiay continuously went to the hole and finished through severe contact.

The scoring got the Jazz back in the game and on the path to an eventual win.

More importantly, it solidified the backup point guard role on this team for the foreseen future.

Overreaction #3 – Royce O’Neale is a Starter

I’ve always said Royce O’Neale shows up a lot more when he starts. Game one backed up my theory in a big way.

Royce went 6/6 from the field, including 2/2 from 3-point range, and finished the game with 14 points. Hard to ask for anything more from the guy.

I genuinely can’t wait to see how well he does as a starter this season. I also can’t wait to see if he out-earns what the Jazz can give him following the season…

Honorable Mention – Joe Ingles and Jeff Green Bromance

When Jeff Green came in off the bench and hit his first three in a Jazz uniform, nobody was happier for him than Joe Ingles. Additionally, the pair laughed and gave each other grief throughout the game, showing how comfortable the team is already becoming with each other.

Honorable Mention – Chris Paul is Still Good

Chris Paul played really well in this game. This could only be because he wants to get traded.

Nonetheless, the dude can still ball it up.

Honorable Mention – Double Chicken Myth BUSTED

Steven Adams missed four straight free throws in the fourth quarter. With the crowd going crazy from confusion surrounding how many free chicken sandwiches were in play, the arena announcer let everyone know they only get one.

While the news was disappointing, at least now we know.

Interested in More from the Utah Jazz Fan Show?

The Utah Jazz Fan Show was created by Ryan Van Dorn and Kelby Jones in September of 2018. You can listen each and every Saturday at noon on 97.5 FM and 1280 AM, The Zone Sports Network.

You can also listen to the Utah Jazz Fan Show on-demand by downloading The Zone Sports Network App.

Don’t have the app? Listen wherever you listen to podcasts, including iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and more!

10 Utah Jazz Predictions for the 2019/2020 Season

October 22, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

For Utah Jazz predictions to be credible, they have to be recorded BEFORE the season starts…

Our beloved Utah Jazz open up their schedule for the upcoming NBA season on Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Utah Jazz Predictions for the upcoming NBA Season.

Before the season kicks off, we made sure to create our own Utah Jazz predictions for the team and league as a whole. Predictions include…

Total Utah Jazz Regular Season Wins?
Final Utah Jazz seed in the West?
How far will the Utah Jazz get in the NBA Playoffs?
Which teams will make the NBA Finals and which will win it all?
Will Jazz make a trade during the season and if so, who is involved?
Will Jazz have any NBA All Stars?
How many games into the season before Rudy Gobert shoots a 3-pointer?
How many points will Donovan Mitchell average per game?
Most surprising player for the Utah Jazz?
NBA MVP winner and leading scorer?

Watch Kelby Jones, Ryan Van Dorn and Bruce Pitcher (on the phone) make their season predictions below:

Interested in More from the Utah Jazz Fan Show?

The Utah Jazz Fan Show was created by Ryan Van Dorn and Kelby Jones in September of 2018. You can listen each and every Saturday at noon on 97.5 FM and 1280 AM, The Zone Sports Network.

You can also listen to the Utah Jazz Fan Show on-demand by downloading The Zone Sports Network App.

Don’t have the app? Listen wherever you listen to podcasts, including iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and more!

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.

Utah Jazz Fans and the Jimmer Fredette Civil War

March 27, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

Jimmer Fredette and the Phoenix Suns came to town and everyone’s REAL UPSET.

The Utah Jazz are winding down the 2018 – 2019 season with a schedule equivalent to a nice downhill coast on your favorite bike. Part of that schedule included a game against the tanking Phoenix Suns and their newest signee, former BYU star Jimmer Fredette.

Fredette recently returned to the NBA after two years playing professionally in China for the Yao Ming-owned Shanghai Sharks. In just his second game with the Phoenix Suns, the former international star found himself near his old stomping grounds in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Jimmer finally entered the game to start the second quarter. The crowd, obviously filled with BYU fans who made the 35 minute drive to the arena, gave the former local a standing ovation. The crowd would go on to cheer each and every time he touched the basketball.

Jimmer’s Time in Utah

In case any of you have forgotten, these were the guy’s numbers/highlights while he was a senior at Brigham Young University:

Now, while I know many of you were on the red side of things during this time, you still have to admit this is some exciting stuff. If the dude had come from your school, you’d still be cheering for him too.

Or not. I guess we’ll find out Wednesday when former University of Utah star Kyle Kuzma returns…

Mannnnnn I better get the same reception Ute fans this is amazing 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
— kuz (@kylekuzma) March 26, 2019

Utah Jazz Fans at Vivint Smart Home Arena React Live to Jimmer Fredette

Like I said before, if you were alive and in Utah in 2010 or 2011, you had to give the guy some respect. Apparently this respect has lasted, however, as the crowd reacted like this basically any time Fredette touched the ball:

Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns Players React to Jimmer Fredette’s Warm Welcome

Here’s what the guys on the floor had to say:

Donovan on the Jimmer-loving crowd: "I was so confused today. … It just shows the passion of the fans in Utah. I told Ricky, 'This man played college basketball. He didn't do anything else but play college basketball and they love him.' That’s awesome."
— Ryan Miller (@millerjryan) March 26, 2019

Three Jazz players react to Jimmermania. pic.twitter.com/rPa5fB0Vjv
— David James (@DavidDJJames) March 26, 2019

Kyle Korver, on Jimmer: "Good for him. He’s got such a story. His basketball story is filled with ups and downs, some good and some tough. I just really respect that he keeps on battling. It’s good to see him back out there again. … He's gonna have fans here for generations." pic.twitter.com/xiB6S8mWCo
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) March 26, 2019

Devin Booker on Jimmer pic.twitter.com/8ISVvWAI5f
— JP Chunga (@JP_Chunga) March 26, 2019

Utah Jazz Fans React to Jimmer Fredette on Twitter

People weren’t happy and also feeling themselves PRETTY hard…

Just tell me – would you honestly not have cheered your heart out for rudy the football player – if you knew his story – but he played against you in a game that was out of reach?
— Jazz Jams & Jammies (@Bud66498179) March 26, 2019

Best part of Jimmer being back in the NBA is how salty it makes some people 😂😂
— Jazzy Keegs (@Kwjazzman) March 25, 2019

You don't seem to get the point. No one is arguing about him getting cheered. It's just he was cheered excessively. It was pathetic. BYU fans seem to have this whole "Glory days" type of mentality that is just embarrassing. The fact that Jimmer was cheered that much is annoying.
— A. cavaleiro (@aknight292) March 27, 2019

Why do Utah Jazz Fans love Jimmer Fredette so much?

I’ll do my best to explain it below…

Jimmer Fredette poses zero threat to the Utah Jazz

Everyone’s getting all mad that we cheered so loud for the guy. The team was up by 30 and the game was getting unwatchable. If it’s a two-point game, I’ll make sure you feel my support, Jazz players. But when you’re already planning your postgame meal in the third quarter, let me cheer for my guy.

Jimmer is All of Us

Jimmer is a six-foot unathletic white guy who absolutely and unequivocally dominated college basketball while playing for a disadvantaged Brigham Young University team. The things he was able to do while going up against the likes of Kawhi Leonard and other future NBA stars is almost unbelievable.

Jazz Nation Identifies with Perpetual Underdogs

The Utah Jazz are perpetual underdogs. Nobody around the leagues cares if we succeed. We’re just a small market nobody who always has to fight for the attention we so rightly deserve. Jimmer Fredette is the same.

What did this whole thing tell us about the Utah Jazz?

In conclusion, I believe our biggest takeaway from this entire experience is that the game of basketball can kind of get away from us at time.

Do we really need to look THIS deeply into every aspect of a player we used to love getting another shot in the NBA? And where does this kind of stuff end?

WE ARE LITERALLY FIGHTING OTHER JAZZ FANS OVER JIMMER FREDETTE.

And frankly, it’s pretty damn weak.

Always try to remember the wise words of Abraham Lincoln:

A house divided against itself, cannot stand.

What are we going to do if Russell Westbrook comes back to town? How will we react if Donovan misses a game-winner in round one?

Will it be with hatred and cowardly online harassment toward those who generally share our same beliefs and values?

As a lifelong Utah Jazz fan, I hope we’re better than this. If something as minuscule as JIMMER FREDETTE RETURNING TO THE NBA is causing this kind of backbiting, do we even deserve any kind of success?

If it continues at the rate it’s at, we might as well pack up the whole team.

Game 17 Takeaways – Utah Jazz at Indiana Pacers

November 20, 2018 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

Takeaways – Utah Jazz at Indiana Pacers

Road-weary Jazz can’t find the energy to oust Oladipo-less Pacers.

The Utah Jazz played their final game of a tough road trip Monday night, facing off against the Indiana Pacers. This was the first game for the Jazz since they beat Boston for the second time this season.

Prior to the game, it was made known that Indiana star Victor Oladipo would not be playing due to a sore right knee. Tyreke Evans was given the start in his place, and the fresh/energetic Pacers never looked back.

Utah’s dismal, uninspired performance was obvious from the beginning. Utah leaves Indiana with another loss, 121 – 94.

Watch the full game highlights below:

Quick Notes – Utah Jazz at Indiana Pacers

Earth’s Gravity Must Be… Different… This Year

You know how the movie Interstellar explains how gravity affects the speed of time (or something like that… truth is I’m still a little confused)?

That’s what’s happening to the Jazz, right?

Utah got off to yet another slow start Monday night in Indiana. Remember when Utah was obliterated in the first quarter against Philadelphia and Dallas?

This looked a whole lot like that.

Why is it so hard to start for this team? Why is there such a serious lack of urgency on both sides of the ball?

My theory is that this team had too much hype going into the season. While there’s nothing wrong with believing in yourself and having confidence in your team’s abilities, there’s something about having that chip on your shoulder that makes you hustle.

I think that’s part of what Quin and Dennis are trying to build in Utah, a group of underdogs with a chip on their shoulder. Take that culture away and what are you left with?

Underdogs who don’t feel like underdogs.

What is an underdog who doesn’t play like an underdog?

Bad at basketball.

Wearing The Opponents Colors

Who is in charge of deciding when and where the Utah Jazz will be wearing what jersey and how far in advance is that planned?

I just can’t, for the life of me, understand why we were wearing what looked like the INDIANA PACERS WARMUP JERSEYS when playing the Pacers in Indianapolis.

It looked like Indiana was playing itself. While this may not be the entire reason Utah lost, it couldn’t have HELPED.

Seriously, though. Let’s think ahead.

Who’s Night Is It To Play Well?

We’ve seen how the Jazz can play when everyone is doing what they are supposed to. The first matchup against Boston was a good example, with five players scoring over 20 points on the night for the Jazz.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t been a common theme this season.

Right now, it seems as though Utah can only get one of it’s players to play well each night. Tonight, it was Ricky Rubio. Unfortunately, Ricky doesn’t play this well like 85% of the time.

When are we going to start to see Utah put together complete nights from multiple players on a consistent basis?

The real question is, will that be something we see at all this year?

Prop Results – Utah Jazz at Indiana Pacers

Winner:

Kelby Jones (5.5)

About The Utah Jazz Fan Show

The Jazz Fan Show is a podcast and blog focusing on all things Utah Jazz. Founded by Ryan Van Dorn and Kelby Jones in September of 2018.

You can hear the show Sunday mornings from 9:00 – 10:00 AM MST on 1280 AM and 97.5 FM The Zone.

The Jazz Fan Show is also now available in podcast format! Click the links below and subscribe today!

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Why Subscribe to The Utah Jazz Fan Show?

The show began in an attempt to create more content around the Utah Jazz for the fans to enjoy.

Our goal has been to contact and bring together as many die-hard Utah Jazz fans as we can, and we’re having a great time doing it!

If you or someone you know love the Utah Jazz, contact us today for a chance to come on the show and discuss what it means to you to be a Utah Jazz fan!

PLUS, listening to The Jazz Fan Show is your best way to get information on upcoming giveaways!

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Where Everything’s Made Up and the Stats Don’t Matter

GAME 16 Takeaways – Utah Jazz at Boston Celtics

November 18, 2018 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

GAME 16 Takeaways – Utah Jazz at Boston Celtics

Jazz beat Celtics for second time this week (or so it seems), but this time in Boston.

The Utah Jazz went into Boston Saturday night to face the Celtics for the second time in eight days. The Jazz were looking to pull to .500 on their most recent road trip after falling to Dallas and Philadelphia earlier in the week.

However, Kyrie Irving was playing for Boston this time around, which made it an entirely different ball game.

The game went a lot like the first matchup in Salt Lake City, with the Jazz building a lead and then, perhaps more surprisingly, being able to hold onto it as the game moved on. Irving found himself in foul trouble early, and the Jazz were able to remain undefeated against Boston this year, escaping with the 98 – 86 victory.

Watch full game highlights below:

GAME 16 Takeaways – Utah Jazz at Boston Celtics

Quick Notes

#1 | Four Quarters of Solid Basketball

The Utah Jazz seem to have this issue where they can’t put an entirely solid game of basketball together.

For one reason or another, it seems like the team can play three quarters as well as any team in the league, but the remaining quarter is what ends up blowing up in their face.

Things were different in Boston, however, as the Jazz were able to maintain consistency throughout the duration and retain a lead throughout the game.

What changed? Not sure, but the following points couldn’t have hurt…

#2 | Donovan Remains Hot

As often happens with the Utah Jazz, when the team has a good game overall, usually their best player has a good game as well.

Donovan Mitchell finally got things rolling towards the end of Friday’s game in Philadelphia. That continued into Boston, as the sophomore tallied 28 points and 6 assists, which is a little bit better than shooting 35 times with 0 assists…

Has Donovan finally found the happy medium between keeping the ball in his hands as often as possible and getting teammates involved?

For the season’s sake, I hope so.

#3 | Speaking of Donovan

#4 | A Good Fit?

As I’ve been watching the Jazz play this season, it seems to me they may still be one piece away from taking things to the next level.

As I’ve thought about the league, I’ve determined the Jazz need a more solid stretch big man. Right now, Derrick is doing a great job, but the fact of the matter is that he’s a five, not a four. He’s playing out of position, and sometimes it just looks awkward.

I’m wondering how many of you believe Al Horford may be a good fit with the Jazz? Big guy who can shoot. We could bring him in as the starting four with Derrick coming in off the bench to give Rudy breathers.

Thoughts?

GAME 16 Takeaways – Utah Jazz at Boston Celtics

Prop Results

Winner:

Tie – Ryan Van Dorn (4.5) and Andy Allred (3)