Sloan: Scoring way out of whack
"We've kind of got things turned around right now — and we've got them turned around in the wrong way," Sloan said, noting he ideally prefers a 3-to-1 ratio of inside point production vs. outside scoring.
"It's way out of whack right now. We're not executing to get inside," added Sloan, whose Jazz play host to Cleveland tonight. "We're working, it looks to me like, to be able to take 15- to 18-foot shots over making (opponents) play defense and getting the ball inside — which is how we've played for a long time."
Sloan's club actually is shooting 41.8 percent from behind the long-distance line this season — 10-plus percent better than its opposition.
Yet rather than watch his shooters knock down 3-pointers, Sloan would much rather see them get three the traditional way — with a close-range bucket and a free throw.
"I've always preferred to make three-point plays inside," he said. "How many guys shoot 50 percent from the 3-point line? ... In basketball, you should always play percentages."
PORCH ATTACK: With only one Jazz player (Mehmet Okur) having used up all of his six fouls in any one game so far this season, Sloan hinted he wants his Jazz to start being much more physical.
PERSPECTIVE: Sloan on Tuesday actually cut his starting backcourt a bit of a break, pointing out that Deron Williams and Ronnie Brewer entered the season with a combined three years' NBA experience — compared with the 22 of Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, whose Los Angeles Lakers beat the Jazz last Sunday.
"But we expect them (Williams and Brewer) to play like they've got 30 years' experience — and sometimes that's a little unfair," Sloan said.
CLEVELAND CLIPS: The Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper reported earlier this week that ex-Jazz forward "Donyell Marshall's injured right wrist is worse than initially believed."
That's the same wrist that previously has been surgically repaired, and Marshall — hurt in a game against Dallas last Wednesday — won't play for Cleveland tonight.
Meanwhile, Sasha Pavlovic — who missed all of training camp and the preseason — is back with the Cavs after finally signing a new three-year deal that is worth about $10.4 million in guaranteed money and potentially is worth more than $13.5 million.
"I thought (the contract) was going to be easier," the former Jazz guard told the Akron Beacon Journal. "It was a pretty hard decision (to hold out). I wanted to be with the team, but I had to wait. ... At the end of the day, I am happy."
TUBE TALK: Start time for tonight's game was changed to 8:30 because ESPN dumped New Orleans at Portland shortly after 2007 No. 1 overall draft choice Greg Oden of the Trail Blazers underwent season-ending knee surgery and decided instead to air the Cavaliers at Utah.
E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com
Recent comments
Jimmy wants to know why Sloan is making such a big deal about the…
Jimmy's Sneakers | Nov. 7, 2007 at 4:50 p.m.
I hope that the Jazz's defense steps up soon, it's getting pretty…
Defense | Nov. 7, 2007 at 2:25 p.m.
Ah man, Jimmy was looking forward to watching the Charlotte/New Orleans…
Jimmy's Sneakers | Nov. 7, 2007 at 7:02 a.m.
