2012 CB Draft Western Conference Playoffs: (3) Lakers vs. (6) Jazz

[Roy H.]

[Who]

Utah Jazz

Link to Press Conference

PG: Deron Williams, Rodney Stuckey
SG: Gordon Hayward, JJ Redick
SF: Danilo Gallinari, Ronnie Brewer
PF: Zach Randolph, Andrei Kirilenko
C:  Omer Asik, Boris Diaw

Extras: Will Bynum, Anthony Morrow, Kosta Koufos + draft rights to Nikola Mirotic

Head Coach: Stan Van Gundy

Notes

I don't have a lot to add ... just a a few notes:

• We don't have a good matchup against LaMarcus Aldridge so we will be asking Omer Asik to play extended minutes in this series. Probably 33-37mpg with Z-Randolph likely getting a few minutes against Aldridge when Asik rests. I think Asik can neutralize Aldridge's post game but will concede long two point jump-shots which I am willing to live with.
• Doubtful that Kirilenko can defend Al Horford in the low post. Too physically powerfully for AK-47. So I will limit AK-47's minutes at the big man positions to whenever Nick Collison is on the floor. Boris Diaw (more girth) will be asked for playing time against Horford when Asik or Z-Randolph are resting. Kirilenko will also get some playing time at SF against Rudy Gay backing up Gallinari.
• Gordon Hayward will be asked to help off of Tony Allen. We want to force TA to shoot jump-shots as much as possible.
• When Delfino is in alongside TA, I'd lean more towards an offensive configuration of JJ Redick and G.Hayward. I don't like Hayward's defense at SF but Delfino isn't enough of an offensive threat to punish Hayward's dodgy defense there. Likewise with TA and Redick.
• Brewer will compete with Kirilenko for minutes against Gay. Leaning towards using Ronnie Brewer only against Rudy Gay. I think a more offensive orientated option (Stuckey, Redick, Hayward) offers more against LA's non-Rudy Gay options on the wing.
• I am intrigued by the idea of sticking Kirilenko on Tony Allen and asking to play aggressive help defense off of TA. I think Kirilenko could be very disruptive defensively as a help defender on a non-shooter like TA. It's hard to say how much we'd use that. Not sure how well it'd work. One of those things you experiment with in the regular season matchups to figure out whether it has value or not for you. Maybe.
• We'll be looking to help off TA when possible but aside from that we'll be playing one-on-one defense. Not double teaming.

Minutes

Starters
PG: Deron Williams (40mpg) vs Kyle Lowry
SG: Gordon Hayward (32-37mpg) vs Tony Allen / Carlos Delfino
SF: Danilo Gallinari (34-38mpg) vs Rudy Gay maybe Delfino
PF: Zach Randolph (37-38mpg vs long minutes against Al Horford, short minutes Aldridge
C:  Omer Asik (33-37mpg) vs LaMarcus Aldridge

Bench
PG/OG: Rodney Stuckey vs Devin Harris maybe TA / Delfino
SG: JJ Redick vs Carlos Delfino / Tony Allen
SF: Ronnie Brewer vs maybe Rudy Gay
PF/SF: Andrei Kirilenko vs Nick Collison / Rudy Gay
PF/C:  Boris Diaw vs Al Horford

That is the rough guideline. The rest is up to the coaching staff (SVG).

[ronaldo943]

This looks like it will be a close series.

[KCattheStripe]

Mod. Bias.

[StartOrien]

All American Nice Guyz

Al Horford, LaMarcus Alridge, Rudy Gay, Tony Allen, Kyle Lowry

Marshon Brooks, Nick Collison, Carlos Delfino, Devin Harris

Dionne Waitors, Dahntay Jones, Chris Wilcox, Al Farouq Aminu

Hopefully I can find time to answer any questions but I'm beyond swamped this week and on top of that will be in and out of a few meetings/trainings today. Not sure about KC, but I know he was working a decent amount.

I bolded the main points for the skimmers out there. SHOUT OUT TO ALL MY SKIMMAZ!

----------------

Quite simply, I don't think Who can take the two bigs. They'll both be playing 40 minutes and I don't believe he has the personnel.

Asik is allegedly a strong defender, but he's yet to play consistent minutes.  He's averaged 12 and 14 minutes a game in his NBA career (5 fouls per 36). Realistically, you're hoping to get thirty minutes out of him. So in addition to the fact that even if Asik does a great job defensively he'll still end up being outscored by about 10 points by his matchup, for ten minutes a game you'll be asking either Fat Boris Diaw or an undersized AK47 to defend either Al Horford or LMA. That's a task they can not execute.

While both KC and I are full time members of the Zach Randolph fan club, his foot speed will be an enormous issue against the much quicker Horford and LMA - he can't afford to sag, because they're both excellent mid range shooters, but he can't stay too close because he can't keep up.  So, on his best day - you're really hoping that he scores as much as he gives up.

-----

On the other side of things, Who's superstar, Deron Williams will be presented with a lot of troubles - Kyle Lowry and Tony Allen are elite defenders that'll be more than happy to continuously frustrate D-Will. Pressure, and quick hands that can be afforded with two athletic trees to get in his way on drives.

I'm not sure that in the NBA you can silence a superstar, he's going to get his. But I think Lowry and TA are more than capable of holding D-Will to his scoring averages, while increasing his turnovers.

And while D-Will is a good point guard, he's displayed that he's not capable of doing it by himself over the past two seasons.

----

On the wings, I fully expect Rudy Gay to continuously annihilate Gallinari on both ends of the court. I like Hayward as a role player, especially on this team but it's not like he's a game breaker

----

I got this series 4-1, All American Nice Guyz

[Kane3387]

Lakers.

Who is Tony Allen defending?

Jazz.

How will you defend Rudy Gay?

Man to Man?

Also what is the pace both teams want to play at?

[KCattheStripe]

Lakers.

Who is Tony Allen defending?

Jazz.

Depends on match-ups. But if you're asking if he'll see time against Deron, we'd be crazy not to have the best perimeter defender in the NBA not see time against their best perimeter player.

[Who]

Jazz.

How will you defend Rudy Gay?

Man to Man?

Also what is the pace both teams want to play at?

Yep, straight up.

Pace = no extremes. Middle of the pack. Slower than average when Asik is on the court. Quicker than average when Asik is on the bench. Never at an extreme level (quick or slow) though.

[Donoghus]

Utah:

With LA's frontcourt, can Asik stay on the court and out of foul trouble?  I have serious doubts.

[StartOrien]

Also what is the pace both teams want to play at?

While we won't be running the 7 seconds of less offense by any means, we'll certainly look to push the ball a lot. I think the speed advantages in the front court will lead to A LOT of easy transition hoops. Z Bo and Asik just won't be able to keep up with LMA and Horford, and we have the perimeter defense to be able to capitalize.

Half court, we'll be pretty heavy on the pick and roll. Probably looking to target Z-Bo

[Who]

Utah:

With LA's frontcourt, can Asik stay on the court and out of foul trouble?  I have serious doubts.

I don't see why not. Aldridge doesn't draw many fouls. Randolph will be defending Horford. I don't think there is much of a threat there.

Main threat will be on team defense. Picking up fouls while protecting the paint. I'm sure there will be 1-2 games where Asik does get into foul trouble but on the whole I think he'll be fine.

Edit: Plus, it's worth noting that SVG's defensive philosophies revolve heavily around not fouling. About playing position defense, forcing misses and getting rebounds. Rather than making higher-risk defensive plays and trying to force turnovers like Scott Skiles. Or a Jerry Sloan does who believes in fouling hard and often to send a message.

[Kane3387]

Jazz.

How will you defend Rudy Gay?

Man to Man?

Also what is the pace both teams want to play at?

Yep, straight up.

Pace = no extremes. Middle of the pack. Slower than average when Asik is on the court. Quicker than average when Asik is on the bench. Never at an extreme level (quick or slow) though.

Ok. Now why is that? I believe Deron Williams controls the pace of this series. But why is the pace you described above advantageous enough to your team that you pull the upset and win the series?

[Kane3387]

Also what is the pace both teams want to play at?

While we won't be running the 7 seconds of less offense by any means, we'll certainly look to push the ball a lot. I think the speed advantages in the front court will lead to A LOT of easy transition hoops. Z Bo and Asik just won't be able to keep up with LMA and Horford, and we have the perimeter defense to be able to capitalize.

Half court, we'll be pretty heavy on the pick and roll. Probably looking to target Z-Bo

What is your strategy for accomplishing playing a fast paced game when Deron Williams is on the opposite side of the court?

[Kane3387]

Lakers.

Who is Tony Allen defending?

Jazz.

Depends on match-ups. But if you're asking if he'll see time against Deron, we'd be crazy not to have the best perimeter defender in the NBA not see time against their best perimeter player.

That is what I was asking.

For both teams. What is the expected impact you see TA's defense having on D-Will and why?

[StartOrien]

Also what is the pace both teams want to play at?

While we won't be running the 7 seconds of less offense by any means, we'll certainly look to push the ball a lot. I think the speed advantages in the front court will lead to A LOT of easy transition hoops. Z Bo and Asik just won't be able to keep up with LMA and Horford, and we have the perimeter defense to be able to capitalize.

Half court, we'll be pretty heavy on the pick and roll. Probably looking to target Z-Bo

What is your strategy for accomplishing playing a fast paced game when Deron Williams is on the opposite side of the court?

Elite perimeter defense.

Whoever ends up covering Deron Williams will give him trouble from the start. Then there's two super athletes on the wings to make passing lanes a nightmare and to keep their hands active for strips and tips.