Key Match-up – Derrick Favors and Blake Griffin
In the latest edition of “Which Jazz Player is Currently Struggling?” (award winning game show idea, anyone?) Derrick Favors is back in the lead.
After apparently turning the corner in the game against Atlanta with his best performance of the season of 20 points on 10-of-12 shooting and 10 rebounds, then following it up with a modest but solid 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting night against New Orleans, the once daunting Jazz big man went MIA in both of Utah’s latest losses as he has done for much of the season.
Favors scored just six points in each of those two defeats on a combined 5-of-14 shooting. One of Utah’s problems all season long has been their inability to get more than a few guys at a time to have a big night, and Favors has more often than not been one of the underperforming culprits.
Derrick Favors on his 20-point, 10-rebound performance: "It just felt good to finally feel like myself for once this season." pic.twitter.com/DJF4hDcnbr
— Aaron Falk (@aaronfalk) February 7, 2017
Nevertheless, if the Jazz are to have any hope of winning whatsoever, he will need to show up big time against Blake Griffin and the Clippers. With Paul sidelined, the lion’s share of the offensive responsibilities has fallen on Blake Griffin and he has come through exceptionally well.
Although he’s averaging a solid 21.9 points on the year, in his last six games he has put up an even more impressive 26.8 points per contest.
So not only will Favors have to come in and be strong defensively, but Utah will need some offensive production out of him to help wear Griffin down and balance out the scoring he’ll most certainly put up. Griffin is the kind of guy who can be slowed but not easily stopped so while outdueling him might be too much to ask, Favors should at least try to match wits with LA’s prolific big man.
Otherwise, the Jazz could be in for yet another long night against the Los Angeles Clippers, much like they were in the teams’ first meeting back in October.