Will the Jazz ever win again?

I was chatting with one of my New York City contacts about the current state of the NBS recently. He commented that the buzz around the Big Apple about the resurgent Knicks is palpable. A rebirth of competitiveness that has not been felt in years. Even though I am a Rocky Mountain/West Coast guy, I can appreciate the Knicks becoming relevant again after a decade of dormancy. There is just something about the Knicks being good that feels right.

Our conversation moved west. Specifically, the Jazz. As you know, the overachieving Jazz have hit a snag in their do-it-as-you-go reloading process. After 30 games, the ship as steady and that Jazz had achieved a 21-9 record. During the next 20 games, a storm hit and the fallout thus far has been disastrous. An 8-12 record during those 20 games put the Jazz at 29-21, still respectable but far off the pace of the first 30 games. A six-game losing streak which included losses to the dregs of the Eastern Conference was the low point.

So, what happened?

The Jazz starters at the power-forward and center position, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson respectively, have experienced a drop-off in production. Better said, a drop-off in effectiveness. This season is Millsap's first as a full-time starter and these new night-in and night-out duties seem to have begun wearing on him. Starting in the NBA against the world's best obviously takes a toll on the body and Millsap seems to have lost a bit of aggressiveness. For example, in the win against Minnesota that broke the losing streak, Millsap had 30 points. Of these 30 points, only 2 came at the free throw line. Millsap only shot two free throws that game, a stat which indicates that he was not taking it to the hole or getting position down low in order to draw the foul. His jump-shot was on, but is that something that can be relied on every night? For Jefferson, the problems go much deeper. 50 games in, and it does not appear that Big Al has discovered his role or found his niche on this Jazz team. His defense has been lackluster at best. In sum, it sufficeth to say that Big Al's production is down.

How can it be fixed? What is the solution?

I believe that the Millsap and Jefferson issues can be addressed and corrected. Indeed, the solution entails others on the team stepping up, most notably Andrei Kirilenko (look for an ode to AK coming soon to this blog). More production from other places will lighten the burdens of Millsap and Jefferson. Also, the upcoming all-star break and the rest for the injured associated therewith will be a boon for this team. There still are nights of frustration for this team on the horizon, but the proven track record of Sloan and his staff lead me to believe that the ship will be steadied and winning more than losing will be the theme for the rest of the season.

Will the Jazz ever win again? Yes.