Utah Jazz: Midseason report card for Joe Ingles

When Joe Ingles joined the Utah Jazz in 2014, he quickly became a fan favorite. After beginning the season on the bench, Ingles regained starter status after Mike Conley’s early injury, leading the Jazz to multiple victories along the way.

To assess Joe Ingles‘ play through the first half of the season, I’ve created a simple four-part scoring system where each section hands out a value out of 25 points, totaling 100 and providing a final grade. The four sections are Offense, Defense, Has he improved since last season? and Is the team better with him on the floor?

Offense

Ingles’ most consistent role for the Jazz during the first 41 games this season was as a creator for the offense. He led the team in assists per game, posting 4.7, which was ninth in the league for all players 6-foot-7 and taller. He had 21 games with at least five assists, including some early-season games when he was coming off the bench.

Along with his passing, Ingles’ three-point shooting continued to be elite. He shot 42.5 percent from deep, which was good for third-best on the team behind Royce O’Neale and Georges Niang. His ability to efficiently head pick-and-rolls with Rudy Gobert and others, and hit his signature threes made Ingles one of Utah’s most important offensive pieces through the first half of the year. (23/25)

Defense

Joe will be the first to admit he’s not the fastest man on the court (or he’ll try to convince that he is, which is why we love him) so although Ingles lacks natural speed, he excels in defensive awareness. He led the team in steals per game (1.1) and deflections per game (2.5) in the first half of the season.

Ingles regularly benefits from a height advantage at 6-foot-7 when covering shorter guards and he can hang with threes and stretch-fours if needed. Ingles’ craftiness makes him a solid and reliable defender. (22/25)

Has Ingles improved since last season?

Joe’s biggest improvement this year has been how he gets his three-point shots off. In his first five seasons in Utah, 85 percent of his threes were assisted: Ingles would be somewhere along the three-point arc and a driving cutter or fellow-wing would whip him the ball, giving Joe an open shot from deep.

However, this year, Ingles has started to dribble into three-point attempts, coming down the court in transition or around a screen. Only 62.1 percent of his threes through 41 games were off assists. This added element has expanded Ingles’ offensive skill set, making him a more lethal shooter from outside (for reference, check out highlights from the Jazz’s win against Brooklyn on January 14). (22/25)

Is the team better with Ingles on the floor?

With Mike Conley’s addition to the team, Coach Snyder decided that Joe Ingles would move to the bench. The team went through growing pains to start the season, with Conley struggling early on and Ingles learning his new role. The Jazz went 12-13 with Ingles coming off the bench, but things changed after Conley’s lengthy injury-induced absence.

Joe was put back into the starting lineup and Utah went 16-5. No, these win-loss records don’t suggest the Jazz were better without Mike Conley, but, rather, that the Jazz benefited having Ingles in the starting lineup with him having the chance to initiate the offense early and often. Joe Ingles had a 4.0 plus/minus the first half of the season. (24/25)

Final grade

Ingles’ first-half to the season was spectacular. I think he should stay in the starting lineup, even as Mike Conley gets reintroduced into Utah’s rotation and eventually becomes a starter again. His ability to create scores on offense (whether by passing or shooting the three) and his talent to be a pest on defense are more than good enough to earn a starting–and finishing–spot on the floor.

Grade: (91/100) A-