3 things the Utah Jazz have to do to turn things around

Let Lauri Markkanen cook

It seems odd that Lauri Markkanen is only shooting the ball about 17 times a game, considering how effective he’s been. Of everyone who’s played more than 30 cumulative minutes on the Utah Jazz, Markkanen is second in true shooting percentage and first in player efficiency rating. He’s good, is what we’re saying.  He’s 17th in the league in PER, and second among all power forwards with at least seven three-pointers taken a game-in three-point percentage.

He’s well on his way toward a second All-Star game selection, averaging 23.5 points and 9.5 rebounds a game. Both are currently team highs.

So it doesn’t make any sense why the Utah Jazz and head coach Will Hardy aren’t scheming more opportunities for the man dubbed the Finnisher (because he’s good at scoring and from Finland; get it?)

He’s clearly talented enough but for some reason the Jazz aren’t letting him off the leash, so to speak. He’s a better scorer than anyone on the team but just about every night he’s been second or so in shots attempted. Imagine telling Reggie Miller in his prime that someone else would be taking more shots than him.

Or Steph Curry, now. The Jazz’s big man may not be a Hall of Famer, at least not yet, so comparing him to Curry and Miller is a reach, but he’s clearly the best shooter on the team and isn’t being given the opportunity to really embrace his All-NBA level scoring.