2012 has come to an end and the Jazz are at 15-17, good for 11th in the West. Although the record is disappointing there are a few bright spots in the season so far. The Jazz have played 19 games on the road already, compared to 13 at home, being just less than .500 might be acceptable to some. If they finish the season out this way they will finish at just above .500 at 42-40 which will not be good enough for 8th. Things need to change quickly if the Jazz want to make any noise in the Playoffs. As I stated previously, the Jazz need to trade for a pg if Mo is going be out for a while or the making the playoffs will not happen this year.
With that being said let’s take a look back at the past 32 games from all the players and see where the Jazz can improve:
Al Jefferson- Al is an interesting one to grade because we know what type of player he is and he does just that, all offense no defense. This year has been especially bad on defense although and it looks like he’s not even trying most games. However, he also saves the Jazz on offense on many games averaging 17 points and 10 boards a game. Overall he has room to improve on his passing and a lot of room to improve on his defense. C+
Paul Millsap- Paul came into training camp looking like the only guy that didn’t improve in any area. He looked out of shape, his jumper has been off most of the year and his defense or lack thereof has really put the Jazz in a hole almost every game. He has brought the energy and hustle in a few games but from the Sap we know he just hasn’t been the same. The Jazz either need to trade him or bring him off the bench but playing significant minute’s needs to be evaluated. D
Marvin Williams- Marvin came to the Jazz this year from the Hawks and has always been considered a bust as a number 2 pick. However, in the preseason he was on fire and fans in Utah were excited for him to play here. Then the season started and that faded. He has career lows in almost every statistical category, yet the Jazz are yet to win a game without him playing (0-4). His 1-on-1 defense has been stellar, although he has been very quiet in most games. In fact, most games he disappears and I don’t even realize he is on the court. C
Randy Foye- Randy has been one of the biggest surprises the Jazz have had this season. After being one of the worst three point shooting teams in the NBA the Jazz now have a couple legitimate threats behind the arc. His assists have been a career low but the Jazz need him to score. B
Mo Williams- Mo is who Mo has always been, a shoot first point guard. His ability to score the ball is needed in almost every game. His passing still needs work although he is averaging 7 apg. He is a better defender than Devin Harris but still lacks the ability to stay in front of his man. Without Mo the Jazz are 4-4 and in desperate need of another point guard. B
Derrick Favors- Favors is ready for 30+ minutes a night. The fans know it, the players know it, the coach has no clue. His defensive presence alone does what Sap and Al cannot together and that is disrupt the flow of the opponent. His offensive game has shown progress but still needs a lot of work and his free throw shooting has gotten much better. B+
Gordon Hayward- G Hay has been inconsistent but he has also impressed with his aggressiveness. His defense and playmaking ability has really helped the Jazz in many games. His shot selection needs to be addressed as well as his higher turnovers since he started coming off the bench. He runs the pick and roll with Favors beautifully and that needs to be used more. B+
DeMarre Carroll- What a pick up by Kevin O’Connor! This is how Sap used to play before he lost his passion. Carroll is everywhere and plays at 150% speed on every play. His defense and ability to stay in front of his man are impeccable. His hustle is zero to none and his shooting has improved quite a bit. He is second on the team in the +- stat behind Jamal and the team plays better when he is on the court. A-
Enes Kanter- Enes has improved the most from year one to year two in my opinion. He has learned post moves and his jumper is good looking. His rebounding isn’t as good as last year but his defense has gotten better. The one thing he really needs to improve is his ability to know when to pass out of the post or just go up with a shot before a charge or travel happens. Plus he loves showing his abs whenever he gets the chance. B
Jamal Tinsley and Earl Watson have been up and down but they lack the ability needed to be a starting point. Jamal has played better than Earl and his passing for the most part has been great. They both need help shooting and they both are too slow and make dumb decisions. The rest of the bench hasn’t played enough to give them a grade.
The starters don’t play well enough to have anyone deserve a higher grade. If Al played Defense he would probably merit close to an “A” but without his desire to put forth any effort he doesn’t even deserve a “B”. Coach Corbin needs to learn to stop bringing the starters in to take over for the bench when the bench is playing better. The other night against the Clippers at home is a prime example of that. Overall Corbin gets a “C” grade and the Jazz get a “C” as well.