Torched in Atlanta
A few thoughts after Atlanta made the Jazz resemble a lottery team with a 116-111 win Monday night:
-- The Hawks shot 57.6 percent and didn't look like they ranked 27th in the league in scoring, did they? On the other hand, the Jazz's defense can make any team's offense look capable these days. Atlanta. New York, Miami, Indiana, Sacramento. In the last month, they have averaged 114.4 points against Utah. And only Indiana ranks in the top 13 in the NBA in scoring.
-- Going back to March 12, the Jazz's record is now 31-32. That includes an 8-12 finish last season, a 9-8 record in the playoffs and this season's 14-12 start. During that stretch, the Jazz are a Knicks-like 9-26 on the road.
Of course, one of those road wins was Game 7 in last spring's playoff series against Houston. If the Jazz had lost that one and been eliminated in the first round instead of reaching the conference finals, their sub-.500 record since late last season would be look even worse, wouldn't it?
-- Deron Williams looks tired. His body language screams that he is fatigued. Perhaps his summer-long involvement with Team USA is having an impact on the Jazz point guard, especially during this brutal stretch when Utah plays 12 of 16 on the road and six sets of back-to-back games.
In his last five games, Williams is 26-for-71 from the field. That's 36 percent. He was 3-for-12 against the Hawks and was outplayed by journeyman Anthony Johnson, who finished with 17 points and 14 assists. Williams has made only two of his last 12 three-point shots. Perhaps more telling, he hasn't even attempted one in the last two games.
-- Since the Jazz began taking their annual pre-Christmas trip in 1985-86, they have lost Game 1 eight times. Their record in 37 games after a Game 1 loss is only 14-23. Utah finishes this season's holiday journey at Charlotte, Orlando and Miami.
-- Steve Luhm
-- The Hawks shot 57.6 percent and didn't look like they ranked 27th in the league in scoring, did they? On the other hand, the Jazz's defense can make any team's offense look capable these days. Atlanta. New York, Miami, Indiana, Sacramento. In the last month, they have averaged 114.4 points against Utah. And only Indiana ranks in the top 13 in the NBA in scoring.
-- Going back to March 12, the Jazz's record is now 31-32. That includes an 8-12 finish last season, a 9-8 record in the playoffs and this season's 14-12 start. During that stretch, the Jazz are a Knicks-like 9-26 on the road.
Of course, one of those road wins was Game 7 in last spring's playoff series against Houston. If the Jazz had lost that one and been eliminated in the first round instead of reaching the conference finals, their sub-.500 record since late last season would be look even worse, wouldn't it?
-- Deron Williams looks tired. His body language screams that he is fatigued. Perhaps his summer-long involvement with Team USA is having an impact on the Jazz point guard, especially during this brutal stretch when Utah plays 12 of 16 on the road and six sets of back-to-back games.
In his last five games, Williams is 26-for-71 from the field. That's 36 percent. He was 3-for-12 against the Hawks and was outplayed by journeyman Anthony Johnson, who finished with 17 points and 14 assists. Williams has made only two of his last 12 three-point shots. Perhaps more telling, he hasn't even attempted one in the last two games.
-- Since the Jazz began taking their annual pre-Christmas trip in 1985-86, they have lost Game 1 eight times. Their record in 37 games after a Game 1 loss is only 14-23. Utah finishes this season's holiday journey at Charlotte, Orlando and Miami.
-- Steve Luhm
8:58 PM
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1 Comments:
I've tried and tried to understand how Collins still has a job. I am fully aware that he works hard in practice and that he's "smart." But if that doesn't translate into performance on the court, what good is it? He has more fouls than points this year and his only defensive move is to fall over and hope he gets a charge call. Sloan's stubborn insistence that Collins play is as bad as Miller's insistence that Sloan coach this team as long as he wants. Sloan is not the right coach for this team.
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