Deseret News | Utah Jazz: Almond must show he can do much more in Revue

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Utah Jazz: Almond must show he can do much more in Revue

Jazz, jazz, jazz | 4:03 a.m. July 17, 2008

Jerry is a no bull kind of guy, we all know that. With C.J.'s future in question with Sloan, Almond is in a key position to move up in the roster this year. He can shoot the ball, and is more athletic than Korver, but he does seem a bit lazy. In D-league games he never seemd to be giving it his all. If he can step up his defense, there will be a lot more minutes for him this season.

Re: Jazz, jazz, jazz | 7:41 a.m. July 17, 2008

Almond lazy? You're right scoring 50+ points in a game is "lazy". No, "lazy" is Booooooo-zer. I would take Almond as a starter any day with your idiotic analogy of his "all". Go back to burying your head in the sand where it belongs.

Re: R: Jazz, jazz, jazz | 8:09 a.m. July 17, 2008

Lazy is what you call a ball player who doesn't run the floor and just stays on his end to get the ball and add to his 50+. Have you ever played with anyone like that. It is not fun. They don't help on defense cause they're all about the offense.

Comments continue below

ZEKE | 8:23 a.m. July 17, 2008

I thought the reason the Jazz picked Almond was because he was a shooter and scorer. It seems to me he has shown that. I don`t think he has played enough on the Jazz to be critisized to much.

Anonymous | 8:27 a.m. July 17, 2008

Aaaaaaaand Morris Almond is reading the paper this morning!

Lazy? | 8:50 a.m. July 17, 2008

Lazy? Doesn't run floor? Doesn't defend? Sounds like Boozer and Memo described in one quote by Jerry Sloan. If Sloan has issues with Almond then he needs to chat with Boozer this summer as well. All Boozer does is score. His defense consists of falling away from a defender or swiping at the ball trying for a steal. We need another scoring two guard not Rudy Rueddeger!

Anonymous | 8:57 a.m. July 17, 2008

Almond is gonna be so great for us. He's young and has a lot to develop, but if the Jazz will be patient with him he can be the all around scorer/defender the Jazz need, and since I doubt we'll be seeing Miles in a Jazz jersey this year, this is his chance to prove he can be that player. Go Almond!

BP | 9:11 a.m. July 17, 2008

Are we sure he was ONLY talking about Almond? Boozer has been in the league HOW long and he still can't defend a pick and roll? He extends his arm while somebody nails his feet to the ground and both players blow right by him. Anybody remember how often Giricek was called for traveling with his patented jump stop? What about AK's defense? I don't think his 2.1 blocks per game are worth the 5 layups we give up when he cheats from the weak side EVERY TIME to get a block and they find the guy he was defending under the hoop. One thing is sure, Brewer has significantly improved since he first joined the Jazz, so there is still a glimmer of hope with Almond.

wella | 9:33 a.m. July 17, 2008

Almond can't defend and doesnt defend. Until he improves in defense he'll be a huge liability in the NBA. Sloan and the jazz need defense more than scoring...thats why Brewer is the starter and will stay the starter. If Brewer can work on a 15 ft. jumpshot and make it consistently...the jazz will be unstoppable. Thats the solution--

Moto X | 9:50 a.m. July 17, 2008

Some fans have no clue!! YES!! Scoring 50 points in a game can be lazy. If you watched Flash games you would know Almond was the CENTER of the offense AND often got torched on defense. Did you hear that? He is getting beat defensively in the D-League. He has alot to prove.

During Almonds limited minutes in a Jazz uniform last season, he was burned immediately and his man was repeatedly on the foul line--meanwhile at the other end Almond was basically stopped.
D-League vs. NBA.

He better learn how to defend or he will not be able to stay on the floor long enough in the NBA to score ANY points.

Like the Jazz need more offense. PEOPLE!!! We are already in the TOP 5 SCORING offenses in the NBA. This team needs defenders. The last thing we need is another guy who needs the ball to score but is absent on the other end ie. Boozer. We could not stop the Lakers--that's the problem.

Almond vs Fess? The good news is that Almond's smart and I think he'll figure out. Fess=goof-off

I sure hope Almond gets it because Brewer can't score from outside--not a legit 2 guard.

Sokol | 10:47 a.m. July 17, 2008

Give the guy a break, look how much Brewer improved.
Almond has his chance now, so he needs to take it.
If he does not work on the defensive end, he will
be on the deep bench or in Orem. Simple as that.
My question is with Deshawn Stevenson, Greg Ostertag,
C.J. Miles and now Almond, why aren't the Jazz more
in tune with the work ethic and desire of these guys.
They lucked out with Millsap, Williams, and Brewer..
Wouldn't they need to do a 'Danny Ainge' like study
to figure that out?

Re:BP | 12:19 p.m. July 17, 2008

Learn the game of basketball before you make comments please. AK and Millsap are the only help defenders that the Jazz have. When AK rotates to help and get a block is when the Jazz get easy baskets on the other end and it ignites their energy. If his guy is getting a layup it's because the defense has failed to rotate correctly or at all. That's where Boozer is worthless. Learn the fundamentals of the game before you open your pie hole. Lose AK and we have NO defense.

tommy k | 2:00 p.m. July 17, 2008

Everybody hold there judgement until Almond play in the league, it can't get no worst then a center like Tag who ca't play D, plus i'm not worry about his defense because Sloan preach so much about Team help defense it really doesn't matter. matt harping always leave his man to help out and always get burn in the process. So go Jazz!!!!

Lotta Bull | 2:10 p.m. July 17, 2008

As I recall Kobe Bryant could not defend worth a darn the first few years he was there. Now he has aged and he is unstoppable on the offensive end and pretty good on the defensive end.

Let Almond play and learn from his mistakes if he cannot or will not learn from his mistakes then move on but test him some and let him play, I think he is smarter than you think. If Almond were with Portland or one of the other teams they would let him play and improve.

Sloan would have kept Williams on the bench longer had he had anyone ahead of him that could play. But given a chance he has done ok, why not others.

STEVE-O | 2:28 p.m. July 17, 2008

Many here are complaining that the Jazz have no defense! Well when they're drafting why the Hellen Keller aren't they drafting defesive players? We draft Almond for his shooting and this year we draft Koufous for a big body. Then the Jazz personel readily admit that Koufous plays an outside Okur style basketball! We shouldn't be surprised when these guys struggle defensivly!
We can't keep drafting a Honda Accord and complain when it doesn't perform like a BENZ!

Anonymous | 4:33 p.m. July 17, 2008

Honda Accord is better than half of the Benz.

Re: Steve-O | 7:55 p.m. July 17, 2008

You take what you can get late in the draft. If there's an all-world defensive stopper on board, you can bet he's going earlier than the Jazz have been drafting.

Rich | 12:05 a.m. July 18, 2008

Except for the first half dozen picks, the draft is based on potential. The Jazz took Almond because he has all the offensive tools, and he is athletic enough to become a good defender if he tries hard enough. I'm one of those who was hard on Boozer all year because of his defensive liabilities, especially his reluctance to help out a team mate in need. I truly believe that if Boozer could play acceptable defense, the Jazz could be a perennial favorite to win the West. The last thing the Jazz need is another non-defender, even at the shooting guard position. In fact, the shooting guard must be a much better than average defender because he is often going up against a great scorer. If Almond learns to defend and is willing to put out the effort to defend, he'll be a starter. Otherwise, he'll be playing in Italy or Russia.

Fact | 9:03 a.m. July 18, 2008

If your talented enough to be a good offensive player then there is NO reason you can't play defense. Defense requires the same talents-quickness, hand eye coordination, good foot movement, position and a desire to work hard and be good. Laziness will not get it, it is nothing more than willingness to work and think. These players that excell and the offensive end and don't compete at the other end just kill me. Get rid of them, they are paid too much not to compete until they need a replacement, that is why we have a bench.

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