“AYYY!”
I’d imagine the Black Friday lines in Salt Lake City’s retail establishments are more cordial, serene, and sensible than any place you’d find in the ATL. After a Thanksgiving Day gathering that was probably highly sober and decaffeinated, the Atlanta Hawks won’t be leaving Utah with any crazy deals on flatscreens. But before hitting the road for Hollywood, the Hawks would like to come away with a W over Quin Snyder’s Utah Jazz (8:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, ROOT Sports Utah in SLC) at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
The Jazz (8-8) have had several critical players on the shelf since the start of preseason games. George Hill (20.4 PPG, 5.0 APG, 1.1 TOs per game) was looking like the star of this summer’s three-team deal between Atlanta and Indiana before spraining a thumb several weeks ago. Before returning on Wednesday to drop 22 in a solid home win over the rival Nuggets, Hill was joined by Atlanta-raised big man Derrick Favors (bruised knee) on the IR, a list which already included guard Alec Burks (ankle, knee).
Even with wing scorer Gordon Hayward (19.7 PPG, 40.5 FG%) having returned after missing the start of the season, that’s a lot of offensive punch for a team (96.8 team PPG, 27th in NBA) often lacking in that area. 11 different Jazzmen have been featured in Snyder’s starting units this season.
Fortunately for the Jazz, Snyder keeps a slow and steady pace (93.4 possessions per-48, lowest in NBA), allowing players on the floor to stay fresh and put the screws to opponents defensively (league-low 94.4 PPG allowed) behind center Rudy Gobert (top-ten in NBA with 10.6 RPG and 2.3 BPG) and reserve Jeff Withey. Denver could only shoot 33.3% from three-point range, 31.1% from even closer, and 58.1% on free throws on Wednesday, as the Jazz skated to a 108-83 rout at The Viv. Utah is also fortunate to have three former Hawks on the roster.
Many Hawks, past and present, have made their poor mothers weep by announcing their next career destination. Joe Johnson has been the best of the ex-Hawks bunch currently in the Beehive State, matching Hill with 44.2% on three-pointers while continuing to exploit post-up matchups wherever they arise.
Shelvin Mack earned his stripes with the Jazz during last season’s run that fell just short of the playoffs. While he has struggled lately (20.0 FG% last four games), he has served as a utilitarian option while Dante Exum continues to learn the ropes. Boris Diaw is being brought along slowly after missing time with a leg contusion, but is more of a veteran locker-room leader at this stage of his career. (We won’t count lightly-used guard Raul Neto, who the Hawks traded away on Draft Day in 2013).
Such that there is one, the Jazz offensive gameplan does not include many fastbreaks (9.0 PPG per-100 possessions, 28th in NBA) or rushing to score off opponent’s turnovers (13.5 PPG per-100 possessions, 29th in NBA), the latter probably good news for Atlanta (17.4 TOs per 100 possessions, tied with Philly for most in NBA; 17 assists, 21 TOs during 96-85 win @ IND on Wednesday). Instead, Utah’s goal is to set up the halfcourt play and use continual player movement until they find the ideal mismatch.
It could be Hayward finding avenues to the hoop off cuts, or Johnson backing down a lighter opponent, or Gobert with deep post position, or youngsters taking advantage of their relative athleticism, be it forward Trey Lyles (49 FG% last five games), Exum, or the continuously emerging third-year guard Rodney Hood (16.9 PPG, 45.1 FG%, 37.8 3FG%).
If no advantages are discovered then, late in the shot clock, the ball works it way back to Hayward, Hood, or Hill, something Kent Bazemore (4 steals @ IND) and the Hawks will need to anticipate and disrupt. Gobert will set screens (6.1 screen assists per game, 2nd in NBA), and Diaw will dish from the paint, to allow their top scoring trio more daylight.
The Jazz rely on ballhandlers not feeling pressured to do something outside of their comfort zones. Unlike four of Atlanta’s five starters (excepting Kyle Korver’s 1.8), just one Jazz player (Hayward, 2.3) averages two or more turnovers per game. Much like league-leading Charlotte, Utah (13.5 TOs per 100 possessions, 10th in NBA), will dare teams to play them “straight up”, entrusting their senior players to make fewer crucial mistakes in the clutch than their adversaries.
The Hawks (10-5) will want to find opportunities to beat the Jazz down the floor in transition, and to get shots early in the clock with sound ball movement, particularly when Jazz defenders are double-teaming and failing to close out on individual shooters quickly.
Controlling the pace from the jump will involve better planning and preparation from Dennis Schröder, swifter mechanics from Kyle Korver, and enough post touches for Dwight Howard (23 points on 10-for-12 FGs, 20 rebounds, 9 offensive @ IND) and Paul Millsap (8-for-14 2FGs, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks @ IND) to force Gobert and Withey into foul trouble. With Korver (DNP-CD @ IND) returning, Atlanta’s starters must do better than the 1-for-12 shooting display they turned in from three-point range on Wednesday.
Atlanta’s reserves will need to box out for defensive rebounds and, keyed by Malcolm Delaney (6-for-6 FTs, 1 assist, 1 TO in 22 minutes @ IND), push the ball down court to wing scoring options like Thabo Sefolosha, Tim Hardaway and Taurean Prince (8 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes @ IND). The Hawks should avoid wasting precious seconds gathering, pump-faking, and pounding the ball through the hardwood floor – that is, if they intend to have parents with dry eyes by game’s end.
Let’s Go Hawks!
~lw3
