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The Utah Jazz: A run-and-gun team ?
Posted by: Henri on March 1st, 2012
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.It’s easy to be enthusiastic after a win. I am not. Of course I am glad the Jazz won a game against a hot team, a possible rival in the playoff race, assuming we are still able to speak playoff openly and not about ping pong balls. For me this victory is “the tree that hides the forest”, as we say in a french proverb.
The structural problem is still there: right now, the jazz are only efficient in up-tempo mode, in which players like Devin Harris will certainly shine … so if playing up-tempo allows the Jazz to have a 15 point margin security come crunch time, they eventually end up winning … but they still have to play up-tempo. In Wolvesland, the case occured recently: the team blown out a 18 pts lead when they stop running. But if it’s a tied game, the Jazz does not seem able to install its old half-court offense and be efficient at a slower pace.
Which drives me to the following thought:
Is “Jazz basketball” still possible … or are we entering a “run-and-gun” era for the Jazz ??
Personnaly, I am not sure I want the Jazz to be a Mike D’Antoni type of team. And you ?
Replies: 7
Views: 397
7 Responses
We have been a run and gun team for a bit now dwill pushed that ball as well. If you want harris to shine and do well for you though we have to push it. I believe that goes for watson as well he does better in transition. It hurts are main players on the team because al paul and faovors wont see the ball as much but, for the most part are team is designed to push the ball. Harris, miles hayward, howard, bell, watson carol, and, I would even include evans and favors they will get up and run as well. So we need to push that ball alot more then what we have been. Pushing the ball equals easy shots and, flow for are team.
I’ll take run-and-gun over sit-and-wait. We have been unsuccessful for the most part when we play at a slower pace. I like Big Al but our half-court offense consists of giving the ball to Al and then watching him either shoot a push shot or kick it back out to one of our shooters who then bricks a 3. We are a young team that has proven to be better when playing at faster pace.
Young athletic teams should run first, run sets second. In my humble opinion.
If run-n-gun means 21 point wins, then I’ll take it.
Run-n-gun can win a lot of regular season games. Looking to the future, though, we DO need to improve our half-court offense and our defense. That’s what playoff wins are made of.
You have got to run the offense that your personnel can play. It doesn’t do us any good to pretend that Harris is Stockton and run plays that Stockton could easily score on, we have got to run plays that Harris can score on. If we want the Jazz to be more of a slow it down half court offense team, we need a different player at the PG. While we have Devin Harris, we should be pleased when the Jazz can be effective doing what he can do.
Yes, but … can we assume such a change of identity ? Can the Utah Jazz transform into a northwest version of the GS Warriors and stay within the 9th-12th spot forever in the western conference ? I am not sure we are prepared to such a change in identity. Personaly, I want a floor general, not a floor captain.
Our half court offense was better last night without millsap on the floor with Jefferson. They are not working well together and something need to change
If the Jazz play great TEAM Defense, then run-and-gun can fit in the flow reasonably well. That being said, the Jazz PGs need to push the ball up the court to see if we can get an “early offense” basket. If not, then run the offensive sets which is hopefully more than just tossing the ball down low to Jefferson or Millsap. Favors needs to work with the PGs on “Pick and Roll” plays.