Tomahawk Tuesday: Are the Utah Jazz really for real this year?

                                             (Credit: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) 

The Utah Jazz are currently 15-5, just half a game back of the 16-5 Los Angeles Clippers for best record in the NBA. They are also tied with the 16-6 Los Angeles Lakers, currently ahead of them in the standings via winning percentage. Before Sunday's 117-128 loss at Denver, the Jazz had won 11 straight games and were absolutely on fire. This isn't the first time this current Jazz squad has put together a hot run and it won't be the last. However, come playoff time, they historically have been unable to put it together. The question that I am going to address is whether or not we can realistically expect this year to be any different than what we've seen in the past. 

On the positive side, everyone on this Jazz team seems to be getting better. Donovan Mitchell (22.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists) is getting more comfortable in his role as the alpha dog on this Jazz team and the pieces around him likewise have improved. Jordan Clarkson (17.7 points) has become the #2 scoring option on this team, Mike Conley (16.6 points and 6.2 assists) is averaging more points and assists per game than he did last season with the Jazz, Bojan Bogdanovic (14.7 points) is healthy, and while his scoring is a little bit down from years past, Rudy Gobert (13.5 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks) is averaging career highs in both rebounds and blocks per game. So long as they continue to get better, it stands to reason that they in turn should do better in the playoffs. 

To be skeptical, it's still really early in the season. The Western Conference is stacked and while everyone on this Jazz team is getting better, it's hard to pick the Jazz to do better than the Lakers, Clippers, and even Nuggets, who are all further down the road in their development while also possessing more talent at the top. Odds say that when we look at the final standings, the Jazz will probably be a top four team, but unlikely to be the top team in the Western Conference. And even if they do finish at the top of the standings, if push comes to shove, I'd still likely pick the Lakers to beat them in a seven game series. 

That all said, if the Jazz can secure home court advantage through the Western Conference Finals or better yet, NBA Finals, the only team out West who I think would be slightly favored over them is the Lakers. I do think that the Jazz would be favored to beat the Clippers and Nuggets should they finish with a better record. The Nuggets are in a similar boat as the Jazz, eager to take that next step, but yet to do so. The Clippers, for all their talent are still the Clippers and unproven as a squad in terms of their championship resolve. The Lakers on the other hand are the defending champions and LeBron James has shown he knows what it takes to win a championship. 

Ultimately, are the Jazz really for real this year? I think it's still too early to say. There's obviously a lot of reasons for optimism, but given where we are at in the season, there's still a lot of basketball to be played and we are far from seeing how the final standings will shake out. 

Note: This blog post also appears on my Utah Jazz blog. Click here to check it out. 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: The Utah Jazz are on fire

                                          (Credit: Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune) 

The two hottest teams in the NBA right now are the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz, who have both won nine games in a row. I've blogged a lot about the Lakers this season, so it's time for me to focus on the Jazz. At the moment, the Jazz are 27-12, putting them at third place in the Western Conference standings.

During this nine game winning streak, the Jazz have posted the following results (home in bold; road in italics): Jazz 121 Trail Blazers 115. Jazz 120 Clippers 107. Jazz 104 Pistons 81. Jazz 102 Bulls 98. Jazz 109 Magic 96. Jazz 128 Pelicans 126. Jazz 128 Knicks 104. Jazz 109 Hornets 92. Jazz 127 Wizards 116.

As you can see, the Jazz have won most of these games away from Salt Lake City, which is scary considering the fact that they are historically not a very good road team. On that note, the Jazz are now 15-3 at home on the season and 12-9 on the road. If they can keep up their success on the road and continue to dominate at home, they'll be serious contenders come April, May, and possibly June.

What's made this streak all the more impressive is the fact that the Jazz are doing this without their big offseason acquisition Mike Conley (13.6 points and 4.6 assists), who is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury. This is truly a testament to their depth and versatility. Donovan Mitchell (24.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.1 steals), Bojan Bogdanovic (21.0 points and 4.3 rebounds), Rudy Gobert (14.8 points, 14.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks), and Joe Ingles (10.8 points) have done a great job at picking up the slack.

Ultimately, how far this Jazz team goes will come down to whether or not Conley and Bogdanovic make the impact in the playoffs that everyone thinks they will and whether or not Mitchell and Gobert can raise their level of play. If this team stays healthy and continues to ball out like they have been, there's no reason to doubt their ability to make some serious noise in the playoffs. I'm not ready to deem them the favorites to come out of the Western Conference, but I could absolutely see them reach the conference finals. Pending on who they face, it's conceivable they play their way into June.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Can the Utah Jazz come out of the West?

One of the Western Conference teams that has gotten more buzz this summer/off-season is the Utah Jazz, who added three key pieces to their team in point guard Mike Conley, stretch forward Bojan Bogdanovic, and point guard Emmanuel Mudiay. In 70 games with the Grizzlies last season, Conley averaged 21.1 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, bouncing back nicely from his Achilles injury. Bogdanovic averaged 18.0 points per game on 42.5% shooting from 3-point range (4.8 attempts per game) with the Pacers, playing in 81 regular season games. As for Mudiay, he averaged a solid 14.8 points per game last year with the Knicks.

Conley and Bogdanovic join a talented Jazz squad that features third year shooting guard Donovan Mitchell (23.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, & 1.4 steals), sixth year center Rudy Gobert (15.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, & 2.3 blocks), and sixth year small forward Joe Ingles (12.1 points). Mitchell and Gobert are the heart of this Jazz team, but they needed a veteran presence, something Conley in particular hopes to add.

                                          (Credit: Rick Egan-Salt Lake Tribune) 

When looking at this Jazz team, what makes them so dangerous is their ability to get after it on both ends of the floor. Gobert is one of the best interior defenders in the NBA, giving the Jazz their best defensive weapon since Andrei Kirilenko. As for Mitchell, he is a budding superstar that isn't afraid of the big moment. He attacks the rim really well, is developing a solid perimeter game, and is actually a pretty solid defender. Conley is a killer floor general that knows how to get his teammates involved while Bogdanovic is an absolutely lethal shooter from the perimeter. The Jazz are much more multidimensional now, which is why many see them going far in the playoffs this year.

The big question that's on everyone's mind with the Jazz is can they reach the conference finals and possibly represent the West in the NBA Finals. Personally, I think this Jazz team is at least one more year away from reaching the NBA Finals, but if all goes according to plan, they should be a top four seed in the West, win their opening round series, and maybe even reach the conference finals. They're really talented. The only concern I have is there are a lot of other talented teams in the West. The Clippers, Warriors, Nuggets, Trail Blazers, Rockets, and Lakers also project to be really good. I feel like the West is really deep this year and any number of combinations could reach the conference finals. A lot of it will come down to playoff seeding and match ups.

Casting playoff scenarios aside, one thing that is clear is that the Jazz have the pieces to have a breakout year. They're young, hungry, and have greatly upgraded their roster over the summer. If you are a Jazz fan, you have every right to be excited.

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Mock Draft Monday: Despite his minor knee surgery, the Memphis Grizzlies should still take Ja Morant

                                         (Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports) 


Over the weekend, news broke about the minor arthroscopic knee operation that Murray State point guard Ja Morant will undergo to remove loose bodies in his right knee. An operation that is expected to keep him out 3-4 weeks. It's called "minor" surgery for a reason and yet people have already started saying that Morant may no longer go #2 overall to the Memphis Grizzlies as a result.

Let me be really clear about something: The Grizzlies would be really stupid to not draft Morant because of his surgery. If you follow the NBA and basketball as a whole, you know that minor arthroscopic knee operations happen all the time. It's routine surgery and something that just about every basketball player will have at some point. It's hardly anything to be alarmed about. If Morant tore an ACL or something of that nature, that would be wholly different, but minor arthroscopic knee surgery is nothing to even get remotely concerned about.

Now, if the Grizzlies genuinely think R.J. Barrett or DeAndre Hunter are better fits for their team, then they should take one of them, but if they believe Morant is the best available prospect for their team, they should take him and not even think about his knee surgery. It's just not that big of a deal.

Morant pushes the ball in transition, knows how to create for others, and has done a really good job of improving his jump shot (30.7% from 3-point range as a freshman; 36.3% as a sophomore). His 24.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 10.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game are reminiscent of John Wall, who when healthy is one of the top point guards in the league.

With Mike Conley aging, the Grizzlies need a new point guard to lead them, making Morant a great fit for them. They could also have him learn behind Conley for a year or two before he takes over the reigns. It would be a perfect situation.

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Wednesday Windmill: The Toronto Raptors are willing to make some moves

With the NBA trade deadline approaching on Thursday at 3:00 PM EST, there are a lot of different stories swirling. One of the more interesting ones is the story involving the Toronto Raptors being willing to trade Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas to the Memphis Grizzlies for Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated has more below: 

"Perhaps of greatest intrigue, the Toronto Raptors have called Memphis, offering Jonas Valanciunas and Kyle Lowry for both Conley and Gasol, league sources told Sports Illustrated. Memphis, sources said, would prefer to receive younger players such as OG Anunoby or draft assets in any exchange with Toronto that would send Conley north. The Grizzlies of course rejected Toronto's initial offer." 

While the Raptors' initial trade request was rejected, it's still interesting that they have been willing to move yet another key franchise piece as they seek to win their first NBA title. At 39-16, the Raptors are second in the Eastern Conference, playing really good basketball. I find it both unusual and interesting that they are willing to make such a radical move during the middle of the season.

                                          (Credit: USA TODAY Sports) 

What will be interesting to see as we head into the trade deadline is whether or not the Raptors actually move Lowry or Valanciunas and if they don't, how both players will respond in the second half of the season. The Raptors' biggest issue has been the mental side of the game and having your star players named in trade rumors could have an effect on team morale. Especially if those players don't get traded.

If I'm a Raptors fan, I'm definitely pleased that my team is willing to make moves, but I might worry they're overplaying things a bit. They've been in need of a guy who can lead them to a title and Kawhi Leonard appears to be up to the challenge. Rather than shuffling the deck, especially during the middle of the season, I might rather see how things go with Leonard before blowing up things even more. It's not like Lowry and Valanciunas have had no success in Toronto, and on the flip side, it's not as if Conley and Gasol have found the recipe for championship success, either.

Change can be good if it's the right kind of change. The kind of change the Raptors appear to be seeking seems to be more cut out of the "change for the sake of change" type of cloth, which isn't always the right kind of change. Sometimes it's better to just stand pat at the trade deadline. Especially when you just added a guy like Leonard into the fold.

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Saturday Slam: The Memphis Grizzlies won't go down without a fight

On Saturday night, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the San Antonio Spurs 110-108 in overtime to even the series at 2-2. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley and Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard dueled it out down the stretch and in the end, it was Grizzlies center Marc Gasol who hit the game winning shot, leaving the Spurs with just .7 seconds on the clock to go the length of the floor.

Mike Conley finished with 35 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists while Kawhi Leonard finished with 43 points and 8 rebounds. Both guys played an amazing game and left it all out there on the floor. It was definitely the best game of the playoffs so far.

This win by the Grizzlies encompasses what they are all about, which is playing hard and never quitting. The Grizzlies could have easily packed this one in and given up considering the brilliant play of Kawhi Leonard. Instead, Mike Conley lived up to his record-breaking contract and delivered the goods down the stretch, hitting multiple clutch floaters in the lane and doing everything he could to get his team the win.

In my series preview, I picked the Spurs to win in six games and I stand by that pick. The Spurs are the more talented team and in the end, that is what I think will make the difference. That said, the Grizzlies are showing a lot of fight in this series and certainly have a great chance to take the Spurs to a Game 7.

At that point, anything can happen. Mike Conley is proving his worth and he's getting good support from the likes of Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, and JaMychal Green. Andrew Harrison stepped up with a key block from behind down the stretch, so the Grizzlies really are making winning plays on both ends of the floor.

You don't have to be a Grizzlies fan to respect them. They play hard, they don't give up, and they play as a team. They aren't flashy but what they do works. They only care about winning games and they don't care how ugly they need to play to get the win. Tonight, they made winning plays down the stretch and didn't back down. Whether or not the Grizzlies actually come out on top in this series remains to be seen, but what is certain is that they won't go down without a fight.

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Western Conference Playoffs Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies

In the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, the #2 seeded San Antonio Spurs (61-21) will take on the #7 seeded Memphis Grizzlies (43-39). The regular season series is split at 2-2. Game 1 will tip off on Saturday at 8:00 PM EST on ESPN.

Despite the huge gap in records, this series could be a lot more competitive than expected. While the Spurs are a true championship contender with Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge at the helm, it isn't like the Grizzlies are chopped liver. They have plenty of playoff experience and have a very solid trio consisting of Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol. The Grizzlies are dangerous and certainly have the pieces to give the Spurs a good scare.

If you listen to the podcast that accompanies this preview, you would know that one of the things talked about is how the Grizzlies have been jinxed by injuries over the years. Shortly after recording the podcast, news broke that Tony Allen is out indefinitely due to a muscle strain in his right leg and isn't expected to play in the series. Without Tony Allen, the Grizzlies lose their best perimeter defender and the heart and soul of their defensive identity. His absence is huge and makes things a lot tougher for the Grizzlies to win this series.

The Spurs on the flip side are at full strength, which gives them a huge advantage in this series. Without Tony Allen in their grill, guys like Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, and Tony Parker should have a much easier time scoring from the perimeter and attacking the rim off the dribble. Look for the Spurs to take full advantage of Allen's absence in this series.

While it is true that the absence of Tony Allen puts the Grizzlies behind the eight ball, it isn't like the Grizzlies can't win this series. They can. We've seen them win playoff games on the road before and thrive in the underdog role. If the Grizzlies want to win this series, they'll need to get stellar production from the Conley, Randolph, Gasol trio and really muck up the game with their grit and grind style. If they can slow the pace down and limit the amount of possessions on both sides, they'll give themselves a shot at winning this series.

As far as the Spurs are concerned, what they need to do is take advantage of the fact that they have the best player in this series in Kawhi Leonard. Leonard is averaging 25.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He's perhaps the best two-way player in the NBA and is a legitimate MVP candidate. If Leonard has a big series, the Grizzlies are toast. It's that simple. The Grizzlies have to do all they can to slow him down and force the Spurs to rely more on their other guys.

In addition to Leonard, the Spurs also have LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, and other weapons. The Spurs are the much deeper team, so it isn't like slowing Leonard guarantees a win for the Grizzlies. The Spurs should be able to overwhelm the Grizzlies with their plethora of options to the point that if Leonard has an off night, they'll still win.

When it comes to making a prediction for this series, I said in the podcast that the Spurs will win the series in six games and even with Tony Allen out, I'll stand by that prediction. The Spurs do have more weapons, but the Grizzlies' trio of Conley, Randolph, and Gasol should be able to extend this series to a Game 6. The Spurs will come out on top because they have more weapons, but the Grizzlies won't make it easy.





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Tomahawk Tuesday: The Memphis Grizzlies are poised to do some damage

As always, the Memphis Grizzlies are grinding away in the background, doing what they do best, which is score little and have their opponents score less. The Grizzlies hold a solid 18-11 record, having won 7 of their last 10 games while scoring only 96.4 points per game, which ranks 29th in the NBA. As one would have to expect, the Grizzlies are really excelling in opponents points per game, holding opponents to 96.7 points per game, which is second best in the NBA. Ironically, the Grizzlies actually average fewer points per game than their opponents, but somehow have a winning record. It's a weird statistical fact that just underscores what Grizzly basketball is all about: Placing a premium on stellar defense and essentially ignoring offense all together.

While the Grizzlies are probably ranking lower in points per game than they would prefer, it doesn't appear to be affecting them too much when looking at their record. Marc Gasol (19.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game) and Mike Conley (18.3 points and 5.6 assists per game) are both playing very good basketball while Zach Randolph is still getting it done inside averaging 13.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.  Despite not making much changes to their grit and grind roster, the Grizzlies are once again looking like a team that could do damage in the playoffs if given the right opportunity.

While it is true that the Memphis Grizzlies often don't do much beyond winning a first round playoff series, I would like to put forth some reasons for why this year could be different.

First, the Grizzlies are defending at a very high level. I've already mentioned how they are #2 in opponents points per game and to go along with that, they are #2 in opponent field goal percentage (43.0%) and #11 in the NBA in rebounds per game (44.5).  Their defense is stellar.

Second, the Grizzlies have a lot of experience with their core trio of Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, and Zach Randolph. This is not the first rodeo for this Grizzlies team. They'e been through a lot together and they are all too aware of their playoff shortcomings in the past. With that in mind, they've learned a lot from those shortcomings and are a much more seasoned team than they were a couple of years ago.

Third, if given the right circumstances, the Grizzlies could shock the world. A lot of the NBA playoffs come down to matchups and staying healthy. The Grizzlies have had some bad luck with the injury bug over the years and have failed to be at full strength in the playoffs. If they are able to keep their key guys healthy and go against a couple of teams that are banged up and not at full strength, the Grizzlies could easily take advantage due to their physical brand of basketball.

While it's unlikely that the Memphis Grizzlies get past the Golden State Warriors or San Antonio Spurs if they are at full strength, they could get past those teams should they lose some key players to injury. Injuries always play a major role in the NBA playoffs and if the Grizzlies navigate the injury waters better than any other team in the NBA, they could see themselves playing in the Western Conference Finals or even NBA Finals.

The bottom line when it comes to the Memphis Grizzlies is that they are still a very dangerous team with Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, and Tony Allen as their core four guys. They defend at a high level, control the glass, and play a brand of basketball that nobody likes to play. Given the right conditions and opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies could make some noise this season and emerge as a serious contender in the Western Conference.

Tomahawk Tuesday is a weekly post that focuses on the Western Conference. 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: The Memphis Grizzlies are finally spending some money

     Like most small market franchises, the Memphis Grizzlies have not been ones to go out and spend tons of money. Over the years they've been pretty conservative with their spending, which for the most part has been a good thing since they haven't made any really bad decisions. However, with the NBA salary cap expanding to over $94M, the Memphis Grizzlies have decided to live a little and throw around some money, giving Mike Conley a 5 year, $152.6M contract and Chandler Parsons a 4 year, $94.4M contract.
   
     Mike Conley's contract is the most lucrative deal in NBA history and Chandler Parsons' contract, while not nearly as big, is still costing the Grizzlies more than $23M per season. The big question down on Beale Street is whether or not this kind of spending will pay off for the Grizzlies and result in an NBA championship. The Grizzlies have been to the playoffs six years in a row, but each time have fallen short of the ultimate prize. They are hoping that by retaining Mike Conley and adding Chandler Parsons into the fold, they may finally have the recipe for championship success.
   
     At the end of the day, the Memphis Grizzlies did the right thing with both Mike Conley and Chandler Parsons. While I do believe they overpaid for Mike Conley a little bit, he is still a young player at 28 years of age. He is just starting to enter his prime and every NBA contender needs a quality floor general. While his 15.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game don't exactly jump out at you, they are still very solid numbers and indicative that Conley knows how to run an offense.
   
      As for Chandler Parsons, it's a similar situation. He's only 27 years old and just entering his prime. While his 13.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game also don't grab your attention, his 41.4% shooting from 3-point range does, especially since the Grizzlies have been in sore need of somebody who can stroke it from beyond the arc.

     Whether or not these moves will result in an NBA championship on Beale Street remains to be seen and quite honestly, I don't think that they will. But, what is important is that both of these moves keep the Memphis Grizzlies in the mix and relevant. With Mike Conley, Chandler Parsons, Marc Gasol, and Zach Randolph, the Grizzlies have a team that is capable of doing some serious damage in the playoffs and given the right breaks, a trip to the NBA Finals. Considering how tough the Western Conference is, that's as good of a position to be in as you could ask for.

Western Conference Playoffs Preview: Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies

     #1. Golden State Warriors (67-15) vs. #5. Memphis Grizzlies (55-27): 

     The Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies meet in the second round after the Warriors swept the New Orleans Pelicans and the Grizzlies took out the Portland Trail Blazers in five games. The Warriors won the regular season series 2-1, dominating the Grizzlies the last two times they played in the regular season. Given that the Warriors won the regular season series and cruised to the best record in the NBA, there is no reason to not have the Warriors as the favorites to win this series. 

     In addition to the Warriors having the better record and on paper the better team, the Warriors are also the team that is more healthy. The Grizzlies are without their starting point guard Mike Conley, who is recovering from facial fractures. Conley was warming up before Game 1 wearing a mask, but ended up not playing due to swelling in his face. Conley will try to give it a go in Game 2 on Tuesday, but odds he plays remain dicey. 

     While there are plenty of reasons to pick the Warriors to win this series with the Grizzlies at full strength, one can almost certainly rule out any chance of a Memphis Grizzlies victory with Mike Conley injured. Conley is crucial to what this team does both in terms of his offensive production and defensive impact. When he is on the floor, everybody is able to do their job with more efficiency and ease. When he is off the floor, things simply don't run as smoothly. 

       In addition to getting good production from their backup point guards Nick Calathes and Beno Udrih, the Grizzlies will really need to win the battle on the glass and get stellar production from their big men Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. If those guys play big inside, the Grizzlies may have a chance to steal a game in Golden State. But unfortunately, even with Mike Conley healthy, the Grizzlies will still need those guys to play big, which once again underscores how hard it is for the Grizzlies to win without Mike Conley. 

     In terms of what the Warriors need to do, they need to play their game which is get stops, press the ball in transition, and find open shooters. If the Warriors are able to play up to the pace and tempo that they like and find open shooters in transition, they will not be stopped. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are too good of shooters, and while the Grizzlies do have quality perimeter defenders in Tony Allen and Courtney Lee, there isn't much those guys can do when it comes to playing defense in transition. Like all defenders, those guys are best in the half court. 

     Going off of that, the Grizzlies will want to do everything they can to slow the game down and get things into a half court set on both ends of the floor. If this series grinds to a halt and there are fewer possessions for both teams, the Grizzlies will have a very good chance of winning this series because they focus on playing well in the paint as opposed to the perimeter. It's hard to win games when most of your shots are from the perimeter, but at some point, if you are good enough and you get enough looks, the reward outweighs the risk. 

     At the end of the day, I'm picking the Warriors to win this series in six games. They have the better team and Mike Conley's health is a huge question mark looming over the series. All the same, the Grizzlies are a tough team and I think they'll find a way to win a couple of games. The Grizzlies certainly have the player personnel and the style to give the Warriors trouble. It's just that when they are undermanned, one cannot realistically expect them to come out of this series on top. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news