Utah Jazz rotation proposal: Give all Georges Niang time to Jordan Clarkson
If it’s true that numbers talk, well, then it’s worth pointing out that Georges Niang hasn’t contributed anything meaningful to a box score since the Utah Jazz advanced past the No. 8 seed Memphis Grizzlies, 4-1, in the first round.
Across his 54 minutes in this series versus the Los Angeles Clippers, the 6-foot-7 forward is shooting 2-for-13 from the field, including 1-for-10 from downtown, with a foul total (11) equaling his combined number of rebounds (six) and assists (five).
Yikes.
Altogether, Niang’s relative deficiencies in the strength and speed departments are hindering the Jazzmen during his 10 or so minutes on the floor each outing, especially when considering the chiseled athletes he is going up against from the Clippers.
Simply put, Niang’s play just isn’t living up to his “Minivan” moniker right now. Instead, as of late, his slow-motion movements and unintimidating presence bring to mind a 28-year-old moped — one that looks to be on the verge of running out of gas.
On that note, Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson never appears even remotely gassed. Nevertheless, the 6-foot-4 go-getter playmaker is averaging under 30 minutes per game against Los Angeles despite arguably being Utah’s second most reliable offensive weapon these days.
Given those simple observations, in addition to the fact that neither he nor Niang offers much on the defensive end, why shouldn’t Quin Snyder have the 29-year-old Clarkson on the floor for 35-40 minutes per game and hide the keys to the “Minivan”?