Five issues from Utah Jazz loss to Grizzlies perfectly encapsulate season’s woes
Jazz missing Ed Davis, terrible with Gobert off floor
The Utah Jazz have been very patient with Tony Bradley, as have the fans. But thrust in his first opportunity with meaningful minutes, it’s hard not to wonder if he’s truly cut out to be a meaningful contributor in the NBA.
Bradley showed some flashes early, and I even found myself caught up in some minor excitement about his rebounding and finishing prowess. However, not only has he regressed in that area, but his defense and overall impact have been horrific across the board. Against Memphis, Bradley was a team-worst minus-11. Put another way, the Jazz were minus-11 during the 11 minutes that Rudy Gobert wasn’t on the floor. That hurts.
Anyone who follows the Jazz knows just how impactful Rudy Gobert is for this Jazz squad. Their entire scheme on defense essentially revolves around him and he is a key cog that makes their offense work as well. With that being the case, it’s essentially a given that when the Stifle Tower is on the bench, the Utah Jazz will be less daunting.
But in the past, the Jazz have had Derrick Favors to serve as a stopgap for them. And while he wasn’t Rudy Gobert, he was arguably the next best thing as a solid rim protector and a potent pick-and-roll offensive force. After losing Favors this offseason, the Jazz brought in Ed Davis to hopefully fill some of that void. And while he looked shaky in preseason, his initial regular season games with the Jazz were encouraging.
Unfortunately, he’s out for an indefinite amount of time with a leg fracture and the Jazz are forced to lean on Bradley. As he showed in Memphis and on other occasions this year, that could lead to strenuous circumstances. Utah’s bench has been horrible and Bradley has been among the worst culprits. Ed Davis’ return could not come soon enough.