David Locke Jazz PXP man on tonights Jazz loss

Emptying the Noggin after the Jazz lost to the Hornets


Emptying the Noggin
• The goal is to go through a season without one of these, it might be impossible but you would certainly like to believe it can be done. The loss to Toronto at home wasn’t good but they have some players who can play. Tonight was completely self-inflicted and unacceptable. 
• In the opening moments of the game you knew something was wrong. Devin Harris committed three awful turnovers on soft ill-advised passes and the tone for the night was set.
• The stretch that killed the Jazz was the end of the 2nd quarter into the beginning of third quarter when the Hornets went on a huge run that created a 20 point margin. 20 point margin to a team without Eric Gordon, Carl Landry, Emeka Okafor, Jason Smith and Jarrett Jack. A team that has lost 8 in a row and only won twice in 2012. It just shouldn’t happen. 
• The run happens with the same 5 on the floor to end the 2nd quarter that started the 3rd quarter – Harris,Bell, Hayward, Millsap and Jefferson.
• The bench unit was the answer to the Jazz problems early in the year, but with Josh Howard not playing at the same level the bench is not giving the Jazz any bump. Instead, they are relying on Kanter and Favors in the post and they aren’t completely ready for that responsibility. 
• This is why Tyrone continues to tweak the rotations to find what to do with the bigs. The Jefferson Millsap line-up is the prime combination but Corbin has to find a way to re-engage the bench effectiveness and it probably means moving which bigs play with which bigs
• The Jazz got a burst of energy from Alec Burks and from the youngs. Watson lead Burks, Hayward, Favors and Kanter down the stretch. These guys battled, hit big shots and got to the free throw line. It was almost enough. The grave that was dug was too deep. 
• Burks has earned his time on the floor. Ron Boone made a great comment early in the year that as much as guys earning time some guys may play themselves out of the rotation, that is taking place as well. Josh is not the same as he was earlier this year and CJ just has not done what he had hoped he would do.
• CJ has to stop giving up a straight line drive. It is one thing to force a guy one direction it is another to give him a straight line to the hoop.
• It is really not fair to single out players for tonight’s performance. It was a team fail. You can find items from each player. But it was a collectively disappointing night. No player or no group was able to ignite an acceptable energy level until it was desperation time down 20.
• The Hornets had guys on the floor playing for their NBA lives and they played with more gusto.
• The killer is this was a big game. To go 2-1 on this back to back to back would have propelled this team but to go 1-2 with this stinker changes the entire feel of the back to back to back. 
• Every team loses games that they shouldn’t in the NBA. The Jazz had done a great job of avoiding that this season up until tonight. In an 82 game schedule there are always three or four of these, so the bad news is in a 66 game schedule we probably have to endure this two or three more times this season. 
• Earlier this year we talked about 1 post move a night by Favors then we upped it to two a night and tonight we got three again. He is making a lot of progress. He needs to become a better defensive rebounder, but it coming and he is getting better.
• Kanter 12 rebounds in 22 minutes is amazing. Moreover, he is showing signs of being able to play longer than 7 minute stints on the floor. The dude is going to a 10 rebound a night guy in the NBA and that means he will score at least 15 a night and if he develops an offensive game –look out – He is 19 until May of this year. Watching him I have to wonder if he played a year of college if he wouldn’t have been the #1 pick.
• Chris Kaman was an all-star once in this league and he was terrific tonight. 27 points and 13 rebounds and he hit the big shots late in the game. 
• Back at it tomorrow.