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Utah Jazz: Is selfishness to blame for woes?

DWill knows how to be politically correct and say the right things. He is just fogging up the issues with coach speak nonsense to take the glare off of his twitter comments.

The truth is something has to be done. Mouthing Sloanisms is not going to change the real problems the Jazz face.

They are not getting the defensive effort out of Boozer or Okur. Millsap has disappeared. They do not have the outside shooting they need and part of that is Sloan not recruiting outside shooters or making plays for them.

A lot of it is Sloan not playing the right combinations or match ups.

A big part is DWill is hurt and not at 100% with no viable back up.

The Jazz do need to make some trades and now is as good a time to do it as any, if they can get a decent trade.

The big problem is that Sloan is not likely to trade for what is needed, a shooting wing, a real PF, a real combo guard. What is really needed is a change in game plan that uses the outside shot effectively and great defense.

That means new players and less "continuity".

Interesting theory on DWill's part. Here are the shots per 48 minutes for the Jazz:
This Year Last Year
Deron Williams 20.3 18.9
Kosta Koufos 18.8 15.7
Carlos Boozer 18.9 20.5
Eric Maynor 18.6 ---
Mehmet Okur 18.5 17.7
Kyrylo Fesenko 13.8 11.1
Wes Matthews 13.1 ---
Paul Millsap 13.3 15.7
Andrei Kirilenko 12.7 14.9
Ronnie Brewer 13.6 15.3
Ronnie Price 16.0 13.2

Of the starters, only Okur and DWill himself are shooting more often than last year. Boozer got two more shots per 48 last year. The problem is not what he thinks. The problem is too many shots from the outside--look at the increase for all the outside shooters--and not enough patience in pursuing the inside game: both Millsap and Boozer are getting far fewer shots this year.

There isn't a player on the team that wants to play defense. They are all offense all the time. Not a single big man on this team even attempts to block shots or make people afraid to bring it into the lane. Not to mention that most of the offensive minded players don't shoot very well either.

This needs to be the depth chart in my opinion when everybody is healthy:

PG: Deron Williams, Ronnie Price, Eric Maynor
SG: C.J. Miles, Kyle Korver, Welsey Matthews
SF: Ronnie Brewer, Andrei Kirilenko
PF: Paul Millsap, Carlos Boozer, Kosta Koufos
C: Kyrylo Fesenko, Mehmet Okur, Kosta Koufos

I don't know????? Well then Jerry, if you can't see the writing on the wall it is time to hang it up. Sooner the better. Lets have a big farewell party cause we love you non the less.

Kevin O'Connor needs to earn his keep this year. It was a noble attempt to bring the team back to see if an injury-free season would mean more success, but at this point you've got to see that despite all the supposed focus on defense in the pre-season, this team is just not equipped for it (mental or otherwise). O'Connor needs to move some big pieces in the coming weeks for some defensive bigs. Especially if the Jazz ever want to compete with the Lakers, Gasol and Bynum underneath.

"It's amazing," sloan said. "You see them play so well together for a period of time, then all of a sudden it changes. They lose their focus, or whatever."

This team has chemistry problems that needed to be fixed yesterday. I kind of dont blame them. Boozer pulled a cleveland and went against his word of backing out and opted back in. The Jazz were clearly ready to be done with this guy. Now they are in a position where they needed some time to work something out that will help the team. It is looking like that time might have run out.

So please everyone stop blaming sloan. You would think that if he was so bad and the game plan was so elementary the professionals, you know the guys that actually wear the shorts and the sneakers would revolt or something against him. Funny that has never happened. In fact the total opposite. Nothing but praise for the old man.

He has proven he can change can you??














This team is in need of a shot of something and once that happens we will see it all start to come together.

AK and Fes are showing some defensive presence, but AK isnt blocking half as many shots as he could do if he focuse more and Fes doesnt get much playing time!

Very interesting breakdown. It makes sense what your saying. D Will is in a tough spot right now. The entire load probably feels like it is on his shoulders. He needs somebody he can count on. But at the same time nobody on this team should ever be above constructive criticism.

Thanks for your post. I found it very educational.

a decent pass into Boozer/Millsap, or if he does and it gets blocked or they fumble it, that reduces the interior shooting.

Sloan's system has been negated and stymied, not by selfishness but by other teams packing the paint. The Jazz shoot outside because they can't go inside and the shot clock is running down.

That is not selfishness. That is reality from getting out coached. The Jazz would have a better outside shooting percentage IF they had outside shooters and IF they had plays designed to unpack the paint.

Since they don't that is part of getting out coached.

"Selfishness" is a code word for Sloan's system is broken and we are being out coached and I do not know how to fix it.

"Selfishness" is meant to sound like DWill is taking blame for taking bad shots and maybe blaming others. Well if the extra pass is not there or the paint is packed what are the options?

DWill has shot more because he has had to. Why do you think he hates to send the ball to Boozer? He knows he will traveled, fumble or get blocked far to often.

Trade now, fire Sloan now! Whatever needs to be done, do it!!

I'd rather have my Jazz at the bottom of the rankings rebuilding than go another year with this group of under-achievers!!

The Millers won't do anything about it. They're going to ride this team and Sloan to the very end of the season.

What a waste!!!!

A new coaching staff and GM. End of story!

We need a new G.M. coach and get booozer on the bench.

Maybe the new GM and coaching staff will be better shooters than the old ones.

; -)

This team can't win as consructed... Trade with Golden State they have a bunch of guys we can use and they are looking to blow up their team. Jackson, Maggette, Ellis, Turiaf, Beidkins and some expiring contracts. Package Kirlinko and Boozer and get something done.

Everyone knows deep down Andrei is a selfish player and wants all the glory.

Boozer plays basketball for the money not because he likes playing.

Trade them both before their contracts end and you can't get anything for them. Bring big Mark Eaton!

This is really confusing. All of you posters know more about basketball than me, so I have to ask--the very first post says we need to take more outside shots. The very next post says we can't make outside shots. Which is it? I also always see people say to fire Sloan. Then the Jazz win and those people go away, or they are reminded that Sloan is doing ok despite some injuries and did really good a couple years ago with major players like Boozer et al missing so many games. So, is it Sloan or Boozer the problem?

Keep him. End of story.

That is interesting that he says that everyone needs to be unselfish, interesting view. Sort of a freudian slip by a normally PC guy. But that is Derons biggest problem, he doesnt want to hurt his boys feelings, so he doesn chew them out.

D-will out tonight's game with personal reason.