Feb 23, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Shelvin Mack (8) dribbles the ball in front of Houston Rockets guard Jason Terry (31) during overtime at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah won 117-114. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Turnover Concerns
In Mack’s first game in a Jazz uniform, he posted a terrific 6:1 assist to turnover ratio. However, in the second game he went the other direction with a ratio of 2:6. Several articles were quick to criticize Mack’s high number of turnovers as were the Jazz TV and radio announcers.
However, this almost overbearing criticism is quite unwarranted and a bit of an overreaction. First, the high turnover number shouldn’t overshadow the incredible positive impact that Mack has had on the team so far. Against Houston he once again posted a positive plus-minus mark of seven and hit key baskets in critical moments.
Also, not to downplay the severity of such a high turnover night if it were to become recurring, but it’s important to forget that it was only Mack’s second game in a new system with a completely new group of teammates and his first start in front of a brand new home crowd. A few miscues should be expected as he adapts to a different situation. As he gets comfortable with his new personnel and perhaps more importantly, as they get used to him, Mack should have no problem taking care of the ball.
Also, a lot of the turnovers that he committed weren’t necessarily his fault, but rather on a couple of occasions when he would go to make a pass, his teammates were unable to make the catch. It appeared that they were unsure of what Mack was doing and at times he caught them off guard. As familiarity increases, the turnovers will decrease. It’s reassuring to know that Mack has averaged a 2.7:1 assist to turnover ratio for his career which is significantly better than Trey Burke‘s 2:1 ratio this season and Raul Neto‘s which is about 1.8:1.
There’s no need to over exaggerate concerns over Mack’s turnover numbers against the Houston Rockets as he will surely adapt as he and his team become more familiar with one another.
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<p>And with those two performances, Mack has already won over the adoration of thousands of Utah Jazz fans who have been desperate to see a point guard who can make a consistent impact. Yet, while there’s no questioning Mack’s solid start, there are definitely some issues and concerns that have come up concerning his play and its effect on the Jazz.</p>
<p>Here’s some insight on Utah’s newest “star” and his performance so far.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">Turnover Concerns</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_45121" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<a href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"https://thejnotes.com/files/2016/02/shelvin-mack-jason-terry-nba-houston-rockets-utah-jazz.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-45121"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-45121" src=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F02%2Fshelvin-mack-jason-terry-nba-houston-rockets-utah-jazz-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389" /></a><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Feb 23, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Shelvin Mack (8) dribbles the ball in front of Houston Rockets guard Jason Terry (31) during overtime at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah won 117-114. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports</p>
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<h3>Turnover Concerns</h3>
<p>In Mack’s first game in a Jazz uniform, he posted a terrific 6:1 assist to turnover ratio. However, in the second game he went the other direction with a ratio of 2:6. <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765684591/Jazz-need-to-clean-up-their-act-with-Spurs-in-town.html?pg=all%22 target="_blank">Several articles</a> were quick to criticize Mack’s high number of turnovers as were the Jazz TV and radio announcers.</p>
<p>However, this almost overbearing criticism is quite unwarranted and a bit of an overreaction. First, the high turnover number shouldn’t overshadow the incredible positive impact that Mack has had on the team so far. Against Houston he once again posted a positive plus-minus mark of seven and hit key baskets in critical moments.</p>
<p>Also, not to downplay the severity of such a high turnover night if it were to become recurring, but it’s important to forget that it was only Mack’s second game in a new system with a completely new group of teammates and his first start in front of a brand new home crowd. A few miscues should be expected as he adapts to a different situation. As he gets comfortable with his new personnel and perhaps more importantly, as they get used to him, Mack should have no problem taking care of the ball.</p>
<p>Also, a lot of the turnovers that he committed weren’t necessarily his fault, but rather on a couple of occasions when he would go to make a pass, his teammates were unable to make the catch. It appeared that they were unsure of what Mack was doing and at times he caught them off guard. As familiarity increases, the turnovers will decrease. It’s reassuring to know that Mack has averaged a 2.7:1 assist to turnover ratio for his career which is significantly better than <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/burketr01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Trey Burke</a>‘s 2:1 ratio this season and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/netora01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Raul Neto</a>‘s which is about 1.8:1.</p>
<p>There’s no need to over exaggerate concerns over Mack’s turnover numbers against the Houston Rockets as he will surely adapt as he and his team become more familiar with one another.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">The Three-Point Shot</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_45122" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<a href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"https://thejnotes.com/files/2016/02/shelvin-mack-nba-houston-rockets-utah-jazz-1.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-45122"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-45122" src=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_407,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F02%2Fshelvin-mack-nba-houston-rockets-utah-jazz-1-812x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="407" /></a><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Feb 23, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Shelvin Mack (8) warms up prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports</p>
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<h3>The Three-Point Shot</h3>
<p>Now this concern might be a little more legitimate than that of the turnovers. In the game against Houston, Mack went just one of four from deep including missing two pretty open threes from the corner down the stretch. In two games with the Jazz he has shot just 28.6 percent and is only a 31.7 percent three-point shooter for his career.</p>
<p>So this is obviously an area where Mack can and will need to improve, especially when comparing his numbers to Raul Neto’s 40.4 percent three-point percentage and Burke’s 35.2 percent on the season. While Mack is undoubtedly better at creating his own shot and is a better overall scorer than his two competitors on the depth chart, his three-point shooting ability certainly leaves much to be desired.</p>
<p>However, there are a few reassuring aspects of this. First of all, Neto’s three-point numbers are a little skewed as he takes less than one three-point shot per game. Also, while in the starting lineup, Mack is surrounded by two solid three-point shooters in <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/haywago01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Gordon Hayward</a> (36.3 career percentage) and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hoodro01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Rodney Hood</a> (36.9 career percentage).</p>
<p>In other words, with Neto’s minimal impact from deep that the Jazz are already accustomed to, combined with Hood and Hayward’s formidable three-point shooting, the Jazz don’t necessarily need Mack to be a sharpshooter from behind the arc. What they do need him to do is to be himself, finishing the floaters and runners off the glass as well as creating shots for his teammates. As he continues to do that, his offensive strengths will be the greatest benefit for the Jazz.</p>
<p>It’s also interesting to note that one of Mack’s best years from deep came while he was being coached in Atlanta by Quin Snyder. Snyder has long been praised for his skills in player development and could be instrumental in helping Mack improve his three-point shooting and his ability to effectively play to his strengths.</p>
<p>Once again, this is a concern that shouldn’t be over exaggerated.</p>
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<a href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"https://thejnotes.com/files/2016/02/shelvin-mack-mason-plumlee-nba-utah-jazz-portland-trail-blazers-1.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-45123"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-45123" src=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F02%2Fshelvin-mack-mason-plumlee-nba-utah-jazz-portland-trail-blazers-1-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389" /></a><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Feb 21, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee (24) and Utah Jazz guard Shelvin Mack (8) go for a loose ball in the second half at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports</p>
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<h3>Insertion into the Starting Lineup</h3>
<p>To some it came as a pretty big surprise that Mack would be inserted into the starting lineup in just his second game with the Jazz. However, with the up-and-down play at the point guard position that the Jazz have experienced all season, it’s truly no surprise that he would get the nod due to his experience and solid debut performance. There’s no doubt that he feels confident alongside Gordon Hayward and that Coach Snyder has a lot of trust in him.</p>
<p>What will be most interesting will be to see how Mack’s insertion into the starting lineup affects the rotation among his fellow point guard teammates. Neto originally won over the starting position because of his superior defense. Nevertheless, Burke, the better scorer, was often brought in to produce offense and three-point shooting. In the game against Houston, this was largely still the case.</p>
<p>While Neto was the first backup off the bench, Burke ended up posting 28.5 minutes while Neto ended up with just eight. With Mack being plenty capable of playing defense, perhaps more so than Neto, and with Burke still serving as a scoring threat off the bench, it’s very likely that Neto will see a more drastic decrease in minutes than Burke.</p>
<p>And if Burke can maintain the production that he exhibited against Houston – 15 points on 6 of 11 shooting, three of six from deep, in just three minutes less than Mack – he will likely still earn the backup point guard spot. Interestingly enough, even while serving as backup for much of the season, Burke still averages over three minutes more per game than Neto.</p>
<p>Coach Snyder will likely decide the point guard rotation based on who is performing best on any given night. However, Mack definitely deserves to start due to his abilities on both ends of the court and don’t be surprised to see Burke gobble up the remaining backup minutes to provide on offensive spark off the bench.</p>
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<a href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"https://thejnotes.com/files/2016/02/shelvin-mack-nba-atlanta-hawks-media-day.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-45124"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-45124" src=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F02%2Fshelvin-mack-nba-atlanta-hawks-media-day-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389" /></a><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Sep 28, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Shelvin Mack (8) poses for a photo during media day at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports</p>
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<h3>Long-Term Fit</h3>
<p>While all of this is fine and good for the remainder of the 2015-16 season, the unavoidable question has to be regarding Mack’s fit with the team once <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2016/02/25/thoughts-on-utah-jazz-newcomer-shelvin-mack/2/"http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/exumda01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dante Exum</a> returns healthy. First off, Mack is fortunately on a very reasonable $2.4 million contract that actually has a team option for next year. So if something unforeseen comes up that makes the Jazz feel like Mack is no longer a fit at the end of this season, then they won’t have any obligation to keep him around. Essentially it was a very low-risk acquisition.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>With that being said, unless some major chemistry issue arises or Utah includes Mack in some beneficial trade, it’s hard to see them wanting to part with a player who thus far has appeared to be an ideal fit for them. The most likely outcome is that the Jazz keep Mack around to either help stretch and compete with Dante Exum for the starter role, or if Exum appears ready to take over the team, to allow Mack to become a spark off the bench who can be an effective ball handler and scoring guard for the second unit.</p>
<p>Coach Snyder surely hasn’t shown any hesitancy to switch up his starting lineup, so expect an Exum vs. Mack duel for the starting position to ultimately go to the deserving candidate. The other long-term question that arrives with Mack on the team is what will the Jazz do with four point guards on the roster? There have already been talks that Burke could be the odd man out that the Jazz look to move, but Neto hasn’t proven himself indispensable either. Whatever the case is, if Mack continues to play at a high level, it isn’t likely that Utah would keep the other two point guards and moving either Neto or Burke would become almost a guarantee.</p>
<p>While a lot of this insight is definitely premature seeing that Mack has only played in two games for the Jazz, early indications are that it will be a beneficial move for Utah. Although it’s definitely too early to give a realistic verdict on Mack’s impact on the team, so far he appears to be a solid move both short-term and long-term despite a few potential concerns.</p>
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