Key No. 1: Win the first quarter
The Utah Jazz have been slumping and it starts in quarter number one. In 20 losses this season, the Jazz average 21.1 points while allowing opponents to score 27.5 in the opening carom. Since math is hard, my calculator tells me this is bad.
@tjcranman Jazz opponent first quarter stats in Jazz losses https://t.co/MeE7SIX0Un via @nbastats
— tyler cran (@tjcranman) December 27, 2017
The Jazz also average over four turnovers in first quarters when they lose.
There’s clearly an issue of focus to start games. We used to all point at “lineups” with Ricky Rubio, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert sharing the floor and the stats associated with those lineups.
Something tells me Quin Snyder may have been onto something when he showed he believed the lineup wasn’t the issue by not changing things around.
The Jazz are now using the lineup that was used during that really unbelievable two-week stretch where the Jazz won 9-of-11 and they’ve now lost 9-of-11. Again, schedule is key here. IF the Jazz had played well, they’d be looking at maybe two more wins than they have now.
Bottom line: regardless of who starts the game for Sndyer, they need to execute and bring intensity to both sides of the ball or it’s not going to go well.