Currently on a series of five consecutive victories, Utah has raised the bar since the beginning of February, after its very poor month of January (12 losses in 16 games).
Of course, the return of Donovan Mitchell looks like a nice boost for the Mormon franchise, still deprived of Rudy Gobert (hip). And in order to compensate for the absence of the Frenchman, essential in the system of Quin Snyder, it is Hassan Whiteside and Udoka Azubuike who surpass themselves in the racket.
On the one hand, Hassan Whiteside has posted 10.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks on average, 66% on shots (and in 28 minutes), for eight games. On the other, Udoka Azubuike has averaged 9.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.4 against, 74% on shots (and in 23 minutes), for five games.
A decisive contribution, which benefits all of the Jazz, still 4th in the West (35 wins – 21 losses) and which has taken its distance a little from the Mavericks, who were threatening just behind in the standings.
” It shows that their energy level continues to grow and everyone comes out better.“, said Donovan Mitchell, about the current beautiful form of the Whiteside / Azubuike pair. ” Especially since they are also progressing. Right now, we have the right to [Udoka Azubuike] of Kansas, it’s a real force on both sides of the floor. As for Hasan [Whiteside], he chained two games with 17 rebounds or more, he weighed positively on the game and it is essential for us. Especially without Rudy Gobert.“
Quin Snyder has found the right formula
It is also with Udoka Azubuike in the five and Hassan Whiteside off the bench that Salt Lake City has found a nice collective balance over the past two weeks. Between the two players, the relationship is thus healthy, the former All-Star of the Heat not complaining of not having recovered the starting place of Rudy Gobert.
” Everything is fine between Hassan [Whiteside] and me, it’s always been the case “, confided precisely the one who is nicknamed “Dok” by his teammates. ” I’m sure he understands that it’s everyone’s turn right now: I play, then he plays, and so on. In the end, the most important thing for us is to win and we make all the sacrifices for it. I get it and he gets it, so our relationship is healthy.“
At the origin of this adjustment for the moment paying, Quin Snyder welcomes above all the state of mind displayed by his two pivots, who pull the fluff mutually without disturbing the rhythm of the other.
” As soon as a player wants to continue playing when he is called to be substituted, it shows how hard he works. “, underlined the coach of the club. ” If we can develop that kind of fighting mentality in the team, it will unlock a new type of connection for us collectively.“
The nice surprise Udoka Azubuike
Author of a complicated first season in the NBA, and more empowered by Quin Snyder since Rudy Gobert is on the flank, Udoka Azubuike seems to be gradually finding his marks in Utah. It is therefore, without a doubt, the nice surprise of the workforce so far.
Pushed by his teammates, including Jordan Clarkson – who had promised to give him a luxury bag when he scored at least 10 points (which he did three times in his last four games) – the 27th choice of the Draft 2020 finally lives up to the expectations placed on him a year and a half ago when he left Kansas.
” He begins to understand the game a little better, to read stocks and certain tendencies “, precisely noted the 6th man of the year in title. ” We can say that he observes, learns and understands many things. He knows how to air the game or when to go in the paint, he is always there waiting for the pass and he is bouncy.“
While waiting for Rudy Gobert to return, the Jazz can therefore see the future quite serenely with such a pair of interiors, while the franchise initially struggled to get used to the absence of the triple Defender of the Year .
” That two usually substitute interiors are able to raise their level of play in this way, when [Rudy Gobert] is absent, it’s huge for us “, ended Donovan Mitchell, the other All-Star of the team.
| Shots | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| Donovan Mitchell | 44 | 33.3 | 45.1 | 34.4 | 87.4 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 25.4 |
| Bojan Bogdanovic | 54 | 31.0 | 45.4 | 37.6 | 86.8 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 17.8 |
| Rudy Gobert | 42 | 32.5 | 70.7 | 0.0 | 69.0 | 3.7 | 11.4 | 15.1 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 16.0 |
| Jordan Clarkson | 53 | 26.5 | 40.2 | 31.8 | 82.7 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 15.5 |
| Mike Conley | 50 | 28.4 | 44.6 | 42.3 | 83.5 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 5.2 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 14.2 |
| Rudy Gay | 35 | 20.0 | 41.8 | 34.0 | 79.0 | 1.0 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 8.9 |
| Hassan Whiteside | 44 | 18.5 | 63.2 | 0.0 | 65.2 | 2.4 | 5.2 | 7.7 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 8.7 |
| Daniel House | 7 | 19.2 | 48.7 | 41.7 | 71.4 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 8.3 |
| Royce O’Neale | 52 | 31.4 | 49.0 | 40.7 | 78.6 | 0.8 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 7.6 |
| Joe Ingles | 45 | 24.9 | 40.4 | 34.7 | 77.3 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 7.2 |
| Eric Paschal | 42 | 13.2 | 48.0 | 36.8 | 76.2 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 5.8 |
| Udoka Azubuike | 14 | 12.1 | 72.5 | 0.0 | 44.4 | 1.0 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 4.4 |
| Jared Butler | 27 | 7.8 | 40.9 | 36.2 | 58.3 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 3.6 |
| Trent Forrest | 44 | 12.2 | 53.8 | 23.5 | 79.4 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 3.2 |
| Elijah Hughes | 14 | 8.0 | 41.7 | 35.7 | 100.0 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 3.1 |
| Denzel Valentine | 2 | 9.2 | 50.0 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
| Excavator | 3 | 6.3 | 60.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.0 |
| Malik Fitts | 7 | 5.0 | 22.2 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.9 |
| Miye Oni | 16 | 2.8 | 22.2 | 12.5 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Juancho Hernangomez | 1 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Nickeil Alexander-Walker | 1 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Zylan Cheatham | 1 | 5.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
