Utah Jazz-NOLA opponent perspective: Give back the Jazz name!
By Ryan Aston
DeMarcus Cousins, Jrue Holiday and rights to the Jazz name — Pelican Debriefs’ Chris Conner gives us the opponents’ view on Utah Jazz-NOLA.
After a big win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to end 2017, the Utah Jazz look to make it two in a row against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. It’ll be a tough task for the team as they look to contain twin towers Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins without Rudy Gobert.
For the 411 on NOLA, I tapped the Pelican Debrief’s Chris Conner for his take on the team.
Right off the bat, we’re getting real controversial —
Ryan Aston, The J-Notes: Let’s settle this once and for all — should Utah surrender the ‘Jazz’ name?
Chris Conner, Pelican Debrief: Hell yeah, they should. I’ve never liked the ‘Pelicans’ name. Charlotte was able to get the ‘Hornets’ back, New Orleans should get their name back as well. You’ll have to explain their new alternate uniforms to me one day as well.
Aston: Jrue Holiday has made a major impact on the floor for the Pelicans this season; they’re more than 18 points per 100 possessions better when he’s been on the court, which is a bigger spread than AD’s. Is he the perfect No. 3 in NOLA?
Conner: I go back and forth with this. I worried that Jrue was too unselfish to be a part of a big three. Since moving to shooting guard, however, he’s made it work.
He’s showed scoring attributes I wasn’t sure he had. From a temperamental standpoint, he works as well. He’ll never really piss off Boogie and nobody knows what makes AD angry other than referees. Jrue has his nights where he looks disengaged or tentative.
Overall, the big three is working, they just need other guys to continue to step up.
Aston: Rajon Rondo: assist-hunting wackadoodle or visionary passer?
Conner: Probably a mix of both. I would lean more towards the visionary passer. The 25-assist game against BK was just a little weird. He got into a rare passing “zone” and the game wasn’t really close when the starters were in. I think the coaches and his teammates wanted him to get the record more than he did.
Rondo iss a very passionate player who really wants to win. He’s learned in Chicago and NOLA that equation doesn’t always involve him in the game. I can’t see a guy like that assist-hunting very often.
Aston: With the Pels sitting at .500, would you say they’ve met expectations this season or are they under-performing? Will they be in the West’s top eight at season’s end?
Conner: I think they will. They’re going to need to figure some things out defensively. In addition, they have to learn how to win at home again and beat bad teams. Coming into the season I thought .500 for this point was about right considering the climate of the Western conference. They had some injuries and I still wasn’t sure who all would perform.
What’s been disappointing is the games they’ve failed to close. For a team that was supposed to fail because of talent or fit, they haven’t. Their problem has been focus and effort sometimes.
The supporting cast has been there most nights. They should easily be at LEAST five games over .500. That’s really the only thing that’s disappointing is the inconsistency.
Many thought shooting would be a problem, and they’ve become one of the league’s elite. As a roster, they’ve passed my expectations. Now they just have to continue to grow and learn how to win various situational circumstances.
The confidence I have in them relies on guys who have won in previous places. Jameer Nelson, Tony Allen, Rondo. Those guys will be crucial down the stretch from a leadership standpoint. The players haven’t panicked or shown much frustration just yet, that’s a good sign. They feel confident that they’ll make a run. So if they’re confident, writers and fans should be too.
Aston: DeMarcus Cousins is set to be a free agent at the end of the season. Would you say NOLA’s experiment with the twin towers is worth the long-term play? What do you think Cousins’ mindset is re: his future with the Pels?
Conner: Boogie is a competitor, a loyal one. He’s for sure worth the long-term engagement. Superstars like him don’t grow on trees, flaws and all. He likes NOLA, it’s close to home and the city loves him.
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More importantly, Anthony Davis loves him. And every move the Pelicans make is about keeping AD just as much as it’s about making Boogie want to stay. Even if the duo wasn’t working, NOLA couldn’t dare let Cousins walk.
The Jazz and the Pels square off on Wednesday at Vivint SmartHome Arena. Tip-off is at 7:00 pm MT.
For more on the Pelicans, follow Chris @Impatientbull on Twitter and catch his work on the Pelican Debrief.