SALT LAKE CITY, UT – DECEMBER 4: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz shoots the ball against the San Antonio Spurs on December 4, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz will be facing off against the San Antonio Spurs again on Sunday night. Can anything from the 34-point beatdown earlier in the week be replicated?
Is it just me, or have the Utah Jazz played 26 games this season and somehow only faced off against five different teams? After playing the San Antonio Spurs in Salt Lake City just a few night ago, the Jazz will once again be pitted against the Spurs, this time in San Antonio.
If this game goes anything like the last matchup, we should be in for a treat, as the Jazz went off for a franchise record 20 3-pointers. That helped lead them to a 137-105 shellacking of the Spurs.
Now, facing off against the Spurs just five days later, the big question is whether or not they can replicate their dominant performance from just nights ago.
I don’t think it’s fair to expect another record shooting night for the team, but there are definitely some components of that game that they’ll need to replicate if they are going to earn a tough win on the road.
Let’s look at what the Jazz will need to do to officially get back above .500 for the season.
137-105 shellacking of the Spurs</a>.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Watch all 2️⃣0️⃣ of last night's franchise record 3-pointers ⤵️ <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"https://t.co/iZg3Hul7UH">pic.twitter.com/iZg3Hul7UH
<p>— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"https://twitter.com/utahjazz/status/1070335738141646848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>December 5, 2018</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Now, facing off against the Spurs just five days later, the big question is whether or not they can replicate their dominant performance from just nights ago.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s fair to expect another record shooting night for the team, but there are definitely some components of that game that they’ll need to replicate if they are going to earn a tough win on the road.</p>
<p>Let’s look at what the Jazz will need to do to officially get back above .500 for the season.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Pace of Play </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">CHARLOTTE, NC – JANUARY 12: Ricky Rubio #3 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball against Kemba Walker #15 of the Charlotte Hornets on January 12, 2018 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Push the Pace, and play with a Purpose</h3>
<p>First, look for the Jazz to push the pace in San Antonio. Whenever the Jazz have played fast and with a sense of urgency this season, good things have happened. When the Jazz win, they have a pace of nearly 102, and an Offensive Rating of 114 points per 100 possessions.</p>
<p>When they lose, the pace slows down to 99, and the offensive rating drops to 99.5. When the Jazz dominated the Spurs earlier in the week, they had a pace of play at 104 possessions.</p>
<p>Pace of play does not necessarily guarantee good offensive nights. Heck, the Jazz were one of the slowest teams in the league last season, and they obviously won a lot of games. This season, though, the faster pace has led to more wins. So maybe the faster pace is just an indication that they are playing with a higher sense of urgency and engagement, and that is what leads to wins.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> DeMar DeRozan </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">SAN ANTONIO, TX – DECEMBER 2: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots a free throw during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on December 2, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Contain DeMar DeRozan</h3>
<p>The next focus is going to be keeping DeMar DeRozan in check. In my opinion, the Spurs did the best they could have done with the Kahwi Leonard trade. DeRozan has been fantastic for them, averaging 24.7 points, to go along with six assists, and nearly six rebounds. Those are fantastic numbers, and he has also been terrific in the clutch for them.</p>
<p>Against the Lakers just a few nights ago, he helped lead a come from behind win, dropping 36 points.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">DeMar DeRozan tallies a game-high 36 PTS, to go with 9 AST, 8 REB in the <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"https://twitter.com/spurs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@spurs victory! <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoSpursGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#GoSpursGo</a> <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"https://t.co/rlzZW65Ird">pic.twitter.com/rlzZW65Ird
<p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1071275902028386304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>December 8, 2018</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Against the Jazz last Tuesday, DeRozan finished with just 16 points. That 16-point game is sandwiched by 36-point, 32-point and 36-point outings.</p>
<p>If the Jazz are going to get another win against the Spurs, they need to keep DeRozan in check. That means playing sound fundamental defense; don’t leave your feet on his many pump fakes, and force him into tough, contested jumpers.</p>
<p>Speaking of tough, contested jumpers…</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Contest the Mid-range </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">SALT LAKE CITY, UT – DECEMBER 04: Bryn Forbes #11 of the San Antonio Spurs shots past Raul Neto #25 of the Utah Jazz in the second half of a NBA game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on December 4, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Allow the mid-range, but contest the mid-range</h3>
<p>The final focus for the Jazz is going to be to force the mid-range shot, while also contesting it. I know that sounds strange, but the Spurs are one of the few teams left in the NBA who are happy to take the mid-range shot, and that is because they have a couple of stars who can make them.</p>
<p>As a team, the Spurs connect on about 36 percent of their shot attempts from 15-19 ft. From 20 ft. to the 3-point line, that number actually jumps up to 40 percent. Those are respectable numbers compared to many teams. That said, it is still the right shot to give up. The Spurs shoot 38 percent from three, so by the math, giving up the mid-range is the right move.</p>
<p>The issue with the Spurs is that you can’t just give them open looks from the mid-range, because as noted above, they are capable of hitting those shots.</p>
<p>From 10-16 ft., the Spurs have five rotational players who shoot better than 40 percent, led by Rudy Gay, who is shooting an absurd 63 percent in that range. From 16 ft. to the 3-point line, they still have three players consistently hitting above 40 percent.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Six straight points for <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"https://twitter.com/RudyGay?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@RudyGay early in LA! <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"https://t.co/FvMmwND5aW">pic.twitter.com/FvMmwND5aW
<p>— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"https://twitter.com/spurs/status/1070528819256160256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>December 6, 2018</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>So while it is the right shot to force them into taking, you still have to find a way to contest those attempts so they aren’t just practice shots. If the Jazz can make the Spurs struggle from that area of the floor, their offense should struggle.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2018/12/09/utah-jazz-spurs-can-top-34-point-beatdown/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Prediction </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">SALT LAKE CITY, UT – DECEMBER 4: Rudy Gobert #27 and Royce O’Neale #23 of the Utah Jazz hi-five during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on December 4, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Jazz win 102-95</h3>
<p>As fun as it was to see the Jazz drop 139 points while connecting on a franchise record 20 three-pointers, I don’t expect that to happen again. For one, Gregg Popovich and the Spurs have way to much pride for that. I think this will be a slug fest between two well-coached, physical teams.</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>At the end of the day though, I believe the Jazz are the better team, and as winners of five of their last seven, they are starting to hit their groove.</p>
<p>It’s going to be close, and it could be ugly at times, but I expect the Jazz to pull this one out.</p>
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