Disclaimer: I was unable to read the entire thread due to time constraints. I would caution in underestimating JJs role with the team. Joe played his best basketball in Mike’s system, albeit in the prime of his career. There’s a certain fire awoke inside a veteran when the opportunity to play more meaningful games or with a Championship caliper team. It can be hard for a player to be intensely passionate for the game when the opportunity to win it all is not a realistic possibility. In the 2003-2004 Season, MDA became the suns coach on the 22nd game. Prior to MDA that season Joe was an average shooter putting up 10.5 ppg. Beginning immediately after MDA arrived as head coach, Joe launched to scoring 19.5ppg and elevated himself to an outstanding shooter. The system opened up the floor and allowed JJ to excel as a scorer and shooter. In the following season when paired with an incredible distributor Steve Nash, he was able to find even more success. We have already been fortunate to see the effect having not one but two fantastic distributors has had on guys like Clint and Green, amongst others. Joe Johnson should be able to enjoy some great looks and really benefit from the opportunity. As far as playing a stretch four role, I can see that scenario existing in certain matchups. It will be interesting to see how JJ responds to the challenge. Who does GSW or SAS send when running Paul, Gordon, Harden, Johnson, Capella. The PNR will be beautiful when Thompson/Curry need help from the wings on Chris and James. While we shouldn’t expect a resurrection of any sort, a great improvement over his current statistics and performance should not be seen as unrealistic.
From the Interview with the Jazz analyst, it seems he will come in to play a small ball power forward. This team had two weaknesses, depth at the 5 and a depth at the power forward. A case can be made for lack of depth at the point guard, but it seems Paul, Harden, and Gordon are handling that position quite well. Wright and Joe Johnson will boost the depth at those two spots.
What is with all the caution and proclamations of lowered expectations??? This Rockets team was blowing opposing teams out by double digits before Iso Joe and BW. Both guys, especially Iso Joe will allow Rockets to continue their dominance even during garbage time. More importantly this system built around Harden & Paul will minimize weaknesses and exaggerate strengths. JJ will be rejuvenatedrejuvenated here. There
I think we need to look at each player short term. We have 27 games before the playoffs and 3 more before the break. Let Ariza rest until after the break. Let both enter the rotation to get meaningful minutes to integrate into the team. This allows you to rest Nene, reduce Anderson, and even with rotations rest CP3 and Ariza while EGo gets back to health. After the break these guys will have made some contributions so you have time to see how an expanded rotation could work. For the last 24 games I think you purposefully dial back the minutes of the 4/5 rotation to get Wright about 15-20 minutes. With all of the 1-3 help we have you dial back Harden/CP3/Ariza and let Green and JJ get a lot of burn. We can control these rotations to not lose games but watch this really help us out in the back to backs and rough games. There is no reason we let off the gas in winning but integrating these guys and giving them solid playing time gets us ready for the playoffs and they are primed for if and when we need them there. Anderson should be rolled way back to an almost Korver status. He strictly comes in to rain 3s in quick bursts. I think it would remove his hesitation and force production out of him. I don't want to see any more of his one footed garbage plays that have no hope in hell of going in. He needs to have 7-10 quick fires a game with very few minutes 10-15. Further hesitation gets him bench minutes. Our devastation on a team usually happens in a less than 5 minutes span that involves a few stops and successive threes.
Peeps are putting a lot of heed into the words of a Jazz homer that CAN'T STAND the Rockets. Joe Johnson will be ready to go when the playoffs roll around.
The thing we must remember is Joe haven't played in this system in a long time. Meaning he will see way more iso's than he ever has. With the floor spacing we employ, he will be wide open for threes when Harden or Paul drives, or have a wide open lane ALL day. MONEY!!!!
Not sure how some still see JJ as a SG. There are a lot of articles about his recent transition to small ball PF and his limitations at this stage of his career. https://www.si.com/nba/2017/05/04/joe-johnson-evolution-iso-joe-utah-jazz-nba-playoffs http://www.espn.com/blog/nba/post/_/id/30909/joe-johnson-opens-floor-and-closes-games-as-jazz-pf https://www.theringer.com/2017/4/25...jazz-atlanta-hawks-los-angeles-c-bbd57ff5b1d8 https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/...fined-as-utah-heads-into-seasons-second-half/
It's mostly the nature of the game, and how it's evolved. McGrady was a 6'8'' SG, way back when. In today's game, he'd probably be a small ball 4.
Funny you mentioned Tmac. I was thinking of his year as a Spur as a more realistic expectation for iso Joe. Injuries really destroyed tmac into shell of his former self, which Johnson is different, but we'll be lucky if he can impact more than one playoff series
Man, just got done reading those article links @calbear posted. Some good stuff guys. -- Johnson’s mere presence -- the threat of a 40.1 percent 3-point sniper -- creates room for the Jazz’s primary ball handlers to run pick-and-rolls with Gobert. At 35, Johnson doesn’t have the same quick first step he did during his days as a perennial All-Star, but he’s a crafty creator who can still make plays off the dribble, especially against power forwards forced to close out on him. “He’s pretty hard to guard, and you can play simple basketball,” said Gobert, whose 23 points against the Rockets came on 7-of-8 shooting. Johnson is also still more than capable of initiating the offense when asked, a rarity for a power forward. That’s a luxury when teams put pit bulls on the Jazz’s primary playmakers, particularly when point guard George Hill's sore toe forces him to sit, as was the case again Wednesday. “He adds another weapon for us, especially when teams have good defenders that can pressure some of our ball handlers,” said Hayward, who matched Gobert with a team-high 23 points. “You can play through him a little bit and take some of the pressure off.”
Trevor Ariza, James Harden , Luc Mbah, Joe Johnson, and CP3 for your last 5 minutes of game Death Lineup. I like this.
