How the Jazz’s Early Defensive Woes Can Be Mended With 1 Quick Fix
To begin the 2023-24 NBA season, the Utah Jazz have kicked off with a 2-4 record, now headed on an East Coast road trip for the next four games. A less-than-ideal start has many wondering what needs to happen for the Jazz to get back on track, notably on the defensive side of the ball.
The Jazz have started their season with a defensive rating of 116.4 (ranked 26th in the NBA), allowing the 25th most points in the league. It was largely in part due to their early blowout losses to the Sacramento Kings and a short-handed Phoenix Suns team, letting up over 125 points in each contest.
So, what needs to change for Utah to become a threat on both ends of the floor? Could it be the zone defense HC Will Hardy has attempted to implement early into the season? Is it a problem with the rotation or starting five? Is it a skill issue?
It could be any of those, but I think the solution comes down to a very simple task: play your best defensive players more.
When taking a step back and looking at this Jazz roster, ask yourself: who are the best three defensive players on this team? C Walker Kessler stands out as one. G Kris Dunn has been a consistent perimeter defender for his entire career, so I would throw him in as well. Then, the final one can be debated, but I would opt to select F Ochai Agbaji belongs to this group.
The problem is that none of these players average more than 24 minutes a night. Kessler has played around 23, while Dunn and Agbaji hover around 13 each. For this team to have any identity on the defensive end, how can you expect it to happen when none of this team’s best lockdowns are playing over half the game?
Instead, coach Will Hardy has opted to distribute a significant number of minutes to players such as G Jordan Clarkson (30.5), F John Collins (31.3), and F Kelly Olynyk (20.0), who all provide value when on the floor, but don’t fit this team’s current needs. This is where the rotational adjustments need to factor in.
You could even make the case to fit 9th-overall pick F Taylor Hendricks into the fold. He was drafted heavily based on the upside he presents on the defensive side of the ball. While he may be a bit unpolished as an NBA player, finding a route to give him quality minutes outside of the G-League could be mutually beneficial for the Jazz and Hendricks.
It might be a bit premature to vouch for a complete overhaul of the initial rotations Hardy has started with, but it seems like a clear cause-and-effect correlation: the less impactful defenders you put on the floor, the worse your defense is going to be.
Therefore, seeing a player like Kessler clock in at over 30 minutes a night, along with Dunn and Agbaji finding around 20-to-25, could be the ideal adjustment to see some positive strides forward. Consequently, it could lead to a jump in this team’s ability to put together a more efficient two-way effort on a nightly basis, something this team has lacked early on into the 2023-24 year.
The Jazz will take on the first game of their lengthy road trip on Saturday night as they face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Target Center.
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