My favorite quote from this article

"If I didn't think we had the ability to be able to do it, I wouldn't be complaining as much. I'd just let it go and look to see if we could replace some of them."

I know Sloan's detractors will pick his comments to death but before they do I have to say, I love the mans honesty. He just says it like he sees it.

I think he did identify one of the major short comings of this team though. They do not have a "shut-down" defender.

It will be interesting to see if Brewer can step up into that role. I thought he was going to be that guy at the beginning of the year when he was going for 3+ steals a game but his consistency has been lacking as the season has gone on.

It must be a revolution ! Sloan openly demands a defensive stopper. I say that because i've heard it for the 1st time. To me, a defensive stopper is a player who loves defending and clever one. Sometimes Korver does that by standing at the right place at the right time to cause a offensive foul. If somebody did it at NJ game, we wouldn't see the ball in our basket. Because Jef. drove inside with a high concentration and he was not able to measure the guy who was coming in front of him.

The power forward spot has got to be one of the defensive stoppers for the team. It doesn't matter how many points that Boozer makes (as witnessed by his game at NJ) if he lets the other team make there own shots at will. His defensive stops against weaker teams (at away games) is like trying to hold water in a strainer. They score at will. If Sloan is ever going to consistantly win our away games, he must yank his (all-star) starters when they are not playing defense (the way they are more than capable of). I agree with coach Sloan, I believe that the Jazz are a much better team. But I have hope that Coach can get the team motivated for the playoffs. Go Jazz....

Sinan - are you kidding? That's the first tme you've heard Jerry Sloan demand defense?! Jerry Sloan IS defense. He eats. sleeps and breaths defense. If his team only scored 15 points a game he wouldn't care, so long as the opponents scored 14 or less. All that high powered offense, that's just showboating in Jerry's eyes. How many times was Jerry on the NBA all-defensive team? (for the record it was 4 first teams and 2 second teams)

Sloan gets national credit for being focused on defense. It is his main subject with the media. Yet, he now tells us that he's failed to develop a single defensive player within the truly great group of players that the Jazz have today.

A couple of months ago Sloan said he didn't motivate his players. Could it be that Coach Sloan is failing to use one of the main tools available to all coaches? I suggest that Coach Sloan talk to his players (not shout) to ensure that they know exactly what he wants from them. They need to know. The media, and we folks, don't need his tutorials.

I couldn't believe how lame Kirilenko's defense has been. He barely noticed Jefferson as he drove the lane for a game winning shot. I don't blame Jerry for being a little miffed. Unless we toughen up we aren't going anywhere, and that's a shame because, talent wise, we are as good as any team in the NBA.

I'm not kidding but I'm out of US and may miss something. What i know and see that Sloan is the coach of the Jazz for years and years. Yet, people mostly complain from our defense. You say "Sloan is defense" but there is not a satisfactory defense yet. Isn't this a paradox ?
GO JAZZZZZZZZZ

AK blocked Redd's shot in the final seconds at Milwaukee. His D is not that lame, all though at times he's not the greatest on the ball defender, I'd hardly call his d lame.

I also think that Brewer is the one that needs to BE that defensive stopper. I don't think the team talks or trusts each other enough on defense....

When AK was guarding Jefferson he was turning his head & had his feet stuck to the ground instead of just concentrating on his man.

UP the defense, keep the home streak going & the Jazz will rise to the top of the west!!
Go Jazz!!

The power forward has to be a force in the middle but the 3 position is the key on defense. The 3 has to be the best defender so he can guard bigger guards and also power forwards. The 3 needs to be able to guard 3-4 postions and AK cannot do that so they need to get a 3 that can.

Yeah AK blocked Redd and Boozer stripped the ball from Villanueva which sealed the deal for the Jazz but everyone still talks about AK as a great defender and Boozer as a terrible one. Who gave up the final layup to Jefferson? AK did. Yes Booz needs to play better defense too but I hate how AK gets so much credit for defensewhen he isn't that good. He is spotty and only shows up when he feels like it. Get rid of him and make a deal to get Shane Battier from Houston. He is a much better defender and shooter and will be the "stopper" that Sloan wants. AK is hurting your team more than helping it. Get him out. He is a spotty defender and an offensive absence. The AK era in Utah needs to end after this season. There is nothing you can do now but once the season ends they need to do something and get him out. And they also need a good draft. Last year's draft was one of the worst in the history of the Jazz.

Walkon: I find it difficult to call AK's defense lame, especially when you compare it to the other Jazz starting forward. That being said, Boozer actually did take a charge last night, I almost passed out.

What I was pleased about most last night was that AK was on the floor with Ronnie Price in the fourth quarter. Ak touched the ball on most offensive plays, which makes sense since he is the second best distributor on the team. I wish the Jazz would make sure AK is always on the floor with Price. I think it makes Price more effective, in that he is able to score a little bit in the flow of the offense.

I was at the NJ game--and it wasn't lack of defense that lost the game. It was three lousy offensive possessions, with 3-point attempts by Korver and Kirilenko. And this after Boozer was killing the Nets on offense.

Why didn't they run plays into Boozer those last three possessions? If the Nets defense collapsed on him, he could have kicked it back out to someone. They didn't need three pointers--just make a shot, boys. If they had hit one shot in the last two minutes, nobody would be talking about defense.

I don't think it's our PF that needs to be the stopper, it's the 2-guard. If you look at the guys in the league that consistently burn the Jazz, they are all guards (Kobe, McGrady, Redd, Ginobili/Parker, Lebron, Iverson, etc.) Kirilenko was signed to a max-deal, I think, mainly to be that man. What's great about AK is he can match up against a 2,3,or4. He USED to be the guy we'd stick on Kobe. Once he started wanting to be a scoring threat, his defense faltered. He used to be the league leader in blocks. He used to get 5x5's. He'd have 7+ blks in a game. Now the Jazz are lucky if he gets 2 blks. I'm an AK fan; but I'd point my finger of scorn in his direction when talking about defensive woes. It's what he was hired to do; and he's not performing to the Jazz's/Fans expectations.

Brewer is good, but he's not fit to be the defensive stopper. He's a good fit as a well-rounded performer. We need a Bruce Bowen type player that doesn't need to score, but will be in your face the entire game. AK could and should but isn't.

Sloan is the most over rated coach in the NBA by
Jazz fans....there is a reason his peers have never
voted him in as the Nba coach of the year.....and
as far as defense......Sloan a great defensive mind..
you have to be kidding me...Mark my words....Jazz
exit early again under Sloan...

Hey Jimmy Z...what would you consider an early exit? The western conference finals? If Sloan leads the Jazz to that kind of early exit I will take it every year.
AK needs to step up. He has been terrible since the trade deadline. Maybe he is quietly still unhappy, who knows.....but he has to start earning all that $$$.

Great suggestion, "lets make a deal for Battier". Like no one ever thought of that before. Houston would love to give us Battier because he's not helping them too much right now. I think we should also get Marcus Camby, how bout we offer Almond, Miles and a 1st round pick.

I think we should also trade for Tim Duncan, he's pretty good on defense.

Can you think of anyone else we should "make a deal for"???

Re:Jimmy Z
Sloans "Peer" have voted him 2nd best coach in the league this year. And he is almost always in the top 3 coaches in votes from his "peers" for coach of the year honors. That's pretty good for an elite team that gets NO COVERAGE ON THE MAJOR NETWORKS.

Jimmy Z, you wrote:

Sloan is the most over rated coach in the NBA by
Jazz fans....there is a reason his peers have never
voted him in as the Nba coach of the year

Actually, the coaches only vote for the Sporting News award (not the official award), and they HAVE given the award to Sloan. Ask Phil Jackson what he really thinks of the job Sloan does. Ask Rick Adelman. Ask Popovich. They're all impressed. Why aren't you?

I didn't say it would be easy to get Battier. I just said we should try. I am sure houston does not want to give him up easily but I do agree that we get rid of a wasted draft pick in Almond. That was one of the worst things I have ever seen when they picked him. But what ever happens we need to get rid of the AK virus after this year. Even get Ron Artest. He is a better defender than AK. Whatever defensive guy we go after is going to be hard to get but something must be done to get one.

You failed to mention exactly what "exit early again" means.

We already know you are wrong about the "again" part since they totally overachieved and went to the WCF last year which absolutely NOBODY in the NBA or media expected them to do.

Considering the fact the Jazz are in very tough W. Conference race with several more good/competitive teams than last year AND they will end up with more wins than last year...????? Seems their record says/will say they are better--but so are the other teams they will face.

Logic seems to indicate a higher probability for any team in the conference to possibly have an earlier exit since they are all so evenly matched and have proven capable of beating each other.

Please, share your wisdom with us of when "an early exit" would be.

I like the thinking outside the box, and I believe the Jazz and AK would both be better off if he were traded, but Artest is a cancer that will destroy things. I hear you on the defense, but be careful what you wish for.

ak is not one of the top 'on the ball defenders' in the nba i.e bruce bowen..ak is however a tremendous weak side defender coming over and helping teamates who are beaten....remember the goldenstate series...in the nba, it's my oppinion that man up, the offensive player is going to win about 75% of the time.....it's teams that play great help defense that lay claim to nba titles....

So many people know so much about how Sloan talks to his players. How do I get to go to all the practices, pre-game and half time so I can get all this wisdom of how he treats all his players? The fact is he wins a very high percentage of game year in and year out. He's good at what he does and non of us really know how players are treated by Sloan.

I don't like artest even though I suggested him but it was just an example of a defensive guy. He has calmed down a bit since he left the pacers but he is still a ticking clock and could go off at any time. and to reply to Kirilendo's d. You are wrong. AK is only a good defender on help d when it is a guard he has to help on. when the guards play decent d Ak is not needed and he becomes absent. No matter how you look at it the best thing is to start to figure out how to get AK out for next year and this year to develop Brewer is far more athletic with a better upside

Even if he's quieter about it, he's still discontent. He's good, but his contract is WAY too big for what he contributes.

The Jazz will need to free up some cap space when they get a big-money contracts with Williams. Dumping AK could help that happen.

Championship teams usually have three superstars. The way I see it, we've got (potentially) two. We need to trade a couple better-than-average players for another star. Star centers are hard to come by. Maybe a small forward?

You guys really need to stop using the TRUTH when speaking with the Sloan bashers. They hate it when FACTS and the TRUTH point out that the 137 NBA coaches who have been fired since Sloan was hired as well as the other current active coaches agree that Sloan is top notch.

Fact: It is "a panel of 124 of sportswriters and broadcasters" that vote for coach of the year in the NBA. In other words people who are SERVING THEIR OWN INTERESTS by selling papers or trying to get people to listen to them. Not to mention where the majority of these "sportswriters" are from--all the other Major media markets--not anywhere near SLC. They also pick against the Jazz every year and then the Jazz prove them wrong with their surprising results. Voting for Sloan would be just another admission that they are wrong.

As pointed out earlier the Sporting News vote is by the other coaches and Sloan won that.

Gee who has credibility? Guys who are trying to get people to listen to them/buy papers or actual coaches who know what they are talking about.

Darn it, Sloan Haters wrong again!!!

M. Butler hit the nail on the head. Boozer's biggest game ever and we don't include him in the last three offensive plays? The N. J. game was not lost by our defense.

RE:Kireleko's d

I agree with you that straight up AK is not that great of a defender. When he is one on one he likes to try and get two inches from the guy out at the three point line and on. It takes one fake and his guy has left him in the dust. Although he is a great weak side defender and that is where a majority of his blocks come from. But he is leaving a Kobe, James, Redd, Pierce and other great two's to do so and this lets his man score at will. Thus leaving even average two's to have career nights against the Jazz.
The question I have is it really AK's fault to have to try and help all the other starters who stink on defense and thus always leaving his man open because he is helping. Whose fault is that? Coach or Players. I do agree that after the trade deadline came and went that he looked and looks like a deflated balloon. I still think the Jazz should have pulled the trigger on the Marion deal.

You people should be ashamed of yourselves. Blaming Ak for the defensive woes of the team? Crazy!! Ak is the only defense of the team. Yes, Brewer is getting better every game, and Memo does alright. But that is as far as it goes. I will tell you that I have watched every single game for the last two years, never missing one, and AK is not the growing problem on the Jazz team. I find every year that Jazz fans get blinded by points scored by each play and totally forget the rest of the game in which every player is supposed to play. Just because someone scores 40 points a game, does not mean that they have done their job. Scoring 40 points is great, but if the same person gives up 50, then aren't they really -10? The lack of defense comes from our supposed " one, two punch" of Boozer and Williams, neither of them are great defenders. AK can not be expected to guard every guy on the opposing team. He is one man. Just because another player goes by AK, does not mean that AK was supposed to be guarding that guy. CONT...

Are you a jazz fan or a jerry sloan fan. Why do you get so bent out of shape because some fans are tired of jerry and his results. No franchise in any sport keeps the same coach for 20+ years unless that coach is a champion. Who cares how many coaches have been fired since jerry was hired- that means nothing to anyone other than showing that teams want to get better and are not satisfied with the results.

Let me give you a few expamples of coaching changes:

Tony Dungy replaced by Jon Gruden= super bowl champs
Rick Carlisle replaced by Larry Brown = NBA champs
Tony Dungy replaces ??= super bowl champs
Urban Myer replaces ronnie Mac= BCS
Urban Myer replaces Ron Zook= National Champs

I can think of 10 or 12 more just like these listed above. Point being coaching changes can have a great effect on a franchise. The jazz have a great owener and the BEST fans in the NBA.. who could't coach in this enviornment??? Jerry has had his chance and blew it in the 90's and still today we have a great roster and are on the fringe of the playoffs.

AK IS a great defender, ask anyone in the NBA, they will all give AK his props. Because he deserves them. Remember people, AK is also coming off an injury, so he is still slowed up a little bit. AK also gets the short end of the stick with playing time. Once he does get in the game and starts to warm up, Sloan pulls him out and sits him way toooo long, then he is cold again. That is coachings fault. All of you people who want to blame this on AK, are not loyal Jazz fans. This team was built around AK and Sloan has shown him no loyalty at all, by slowly pushing him to the side lines. Every guy is going to have a slump or off night. Heck, Boozer is off on defense, everynight and I don't hear you people chastizing him the same way you do Andrei. Williams is off on defense 2 out of 3 games a week and nobody ever brings that up. Just because those 2 put up big numbers, doesn't mean they did their job well. Letting their guy score 25-30 a game, is not a job well done.

After every bad game player must traded. Hmm what a philosophy have Utah fans? Good game ya can stay bad game go home. That's why ya guys never win anything and never Will. Go Lakers.

Remember coaches coach, players execute. Jerry preaches D, if players don't execute you loose. Prime example was New Jersey. Kirelenko is one of the best OFF THE BALL defenderes in the league. He is often left out to dry when he constantly has to help (Boozer especialy) and other teamates that are beat. His man is usualy open because he has to go help so much. Yet no one returns the favor when he gets beat. The problem with the Jazz is not defensive ability, it is playing to the level of the competition. Huge road wins in Phoenix and Boston show that the Jazz can play D and execute when they focus. No matter what coaches do they cannot control this it is the players who have to mentaly prepare for the level of competiton night in and night out.

If a team lacks great defensive players, isn't it the coach's job to create game plans and schemes to minimize holes. Honestly, I get tired of hearing about AK and Boozer and this guy is better than this guy or whatever. I wish Sloan would step up to the plate and coach these guys.

To win a championship or even make the playoffs, the jazz have to get better on defense, and jerry has to get in line with helping these guys get better. You can talk about trades all you want, but the jazz, just like every other team, need to get better from within. Jerry can't coach shooting, so we bring in Horney, mabey we can bring in a "special" coach for defense too.

By the way, DWill is a very good defender, he is almost always in good position by keeping himself in front of defender.

Sloan is right. At the end of the day, it's defense....or lack of from players who just can't get it up! My only consolation is that I'm no longer paying mega bucks to sit in the Energy Solutions arena and watch millionaires trying to convince me they're "working hard" at what they do.

Yeah but Dungy has only won once in how long and Gruden actually won after he was replaced and Larry Brown flopped and got fired then went to NY and flopped and got fired. Now look at Byron Scott. Led the Nets to the finals 2 years in a row to lose and he gets fired and now the nets are almost always under .500 and maybe win a first round playoff. Then Mavs get rid of Don Nelson cause he can't win the finals and they get Avery Johnson and they still haven't won a finals. Par Riley goes to the Heat and wins one then the Heat end up being the worst team in the league. I could get another 10 or 12 examples of coaching change flops to offset your coaching change good moves

@ ID Jazz

Marion would have been even more unhappy in Utah than he was in Phoenix. One thing about Marion though is that even when he was unhappy he was still giving 100% every night.

I agree that come the off season it will be time to move AK but I think all the trade talk right now is a little pointless.

I thought "kirilenko's d" made a great point about help side defense. Good team defense can cover alot of individual shortcomings, especially now that the NBA has loosened the illegal defense rules.

The thing about good team defense is it takes trust and it takes effort from all 5 guys on the floor. The trust mostly just takes time, it is tough for a team as young as the Jazz to have the level of trust necessary to be great team defenders, but when players (especially veterans like AK) aren't giving a full effort it makes it even harder.

Here's to hoping some how AK finds a way to be motivated.

What is the status on Boozer's back?

Is he going to play against the Lickers on Thursday?

Dnews, please provide some news!

AK is not a great defende in the slightest. Remember when he was the "allstar" and the center of the team? The jazz only won 24 games. Give me a break that he is great. He is not an allstar or a great defender but is a role player and should accept that and help his team out. Yes Boozer and Dwill need to get better on defense and no one can dispute that but come on people? AK has never lived up to anything and he disappeared in the majority of the playoffs last year and especially in the conference finals. Get off the AK band wagon and get on the Jazz Fan Boat cause that is where true fans are that want what is best for the team. And right now AK doesn't want to be in Utah and he needs to go to the weak east so he can feel better about himself and look better than he is

I am game for a new coach. I am only a fan. Even though I haven't had season tickets their entire tenure in Salt Lake, I have actively enjoyed them since their arrival in '79. I've admired Sloan and felt bad for Sloan. Even in the years of Malone, Stockton, and Hornacek, when they were fortunate to have minimal injuries, the team didn't quite put it together. The Sloan teams made it to the finals twice - pretty good - I even believe the Bulls were beatable, but it didn't happen; that is sad. Opportunity squandered. A new coach hasn't hurt Houston. I'm game. Bring on a new season. Bring on a developing Fess. Bring on a new coach with fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and teaching skills. I will still buy season tickets even at inflated prices.

definitely teach players how to play good defense, but I also think part of it is just how the player is built. If you look at Utah's roster there isn't anyone that is built like a mack truck to clog up the middle (Boozer has muscle, but not Malone muscle). We have some pretty good perimeter defenders in AK and Brewer, but we don't have anyone who will "stop" opposing players from scoring inside at will. I think Utah can play better defense if they want, but they just aren't very consistant.

It is easy to recall the relative few coaching changes that did work. Why? Because they are rare. If you do something often enough it is bound to work on occasion. Unfortunately though, you can not list the TENS of THOUSANDS of coaching changes that did not result in winning a championship. MOST result in MORE LOSING than winning. Fact. That would be why we keep seeing the changes. Can you follow the logic? Doubtful.

Odds are change for the sake of change does not work. Second, all of the instances you did list--LOSING coaches were replaced by someone else. That is not what we are dealing with. Jerrys team almost always are winning.

Just because a coach has not "won it all" in the past does not mean he can not win it in the future. Ask Tom Coughlin--coach of the NY Giants. How did he win instead of Tony Dungy and/or Bellichek when he had not "won it all" when he had his chance before?

More inherently flawed logic.

Nice try.

You missed whole point because you were so worried about trying to "offset" what I said. If you could understand the entire context, you would understand that sometime, not always, a good mabey great team like the jazz need someone else to lead them if they are to reach thier full potential. Jerry has proven to be a pretty good coach in terms of getting to the playoffs, but he has also proven that is really incapable of winning an NBA title. Please don't argue that he hasn't had the players or the time, because he clearly has. Jerry has benefitted from so many factors that just are not afforded to almost all other coaches in any sport; great homecourt with the best fans in the league, an owner who holds everyone else accountable other thatn the coach, and the longest leash in pro sports.

Point being, jerry should not be fired duriing this season, but at some point when is enough, enough?? We have already seen what jerry can do with great players for 20+ years, after this season, why not try something else???

He used to be a great help defender. Where have the blocks gone? He undoubtedly has the skill to be one of the best if not THE BEST help defender in the NBA--but he simply does not do it anymore. He is a shell of his former self.

It all goes back to the fact that he is the max player and the offense does not revolve around him. Whether it is said out loud by him or not--that is what it is.

I will give AK credit for getting his head back in the game with his shooting % but as you can see that has not solved the problem by improving AK's overall effort. We only see what he really can do every once in a while. He is clearly more interested in offense than defense.

Instead of buckling down and going out and showing why he deserves the ball more often--he pouts and does not always give it full effort because he believes he is being treated unfairly by everyone. The world is out to get him in his eyes.

Now we know why there is only 1 Russian in the league.

Where was this "looking for a good defensive stopper" nonsense from Sloan in February? Perhaps then such statements could have resulted in a TRADE that would actually bring a defensive stopper to the team. What's the point of spouting this trash now? Does he honestly think this boneheaded bunch is capable of all of a sudden playing defense and becoming a "stopper?" Is it something you don't show a lick of for three quarters of the season and then all of a sudden exude?

This is further proof of Sloan's senility. If you wanted a defensive stopper, you should have PUSHED HARDER TO BRING ONE IN VIA TRADE. What's the point of stating these things a few weeks before the playoffs?

Tough guy jerry sloan is complaing and blaming that we don't have defensive stoper?? Every coach can say the same thing. Jerry, its time to stop blaming everyone else and take some personal responsibility. Jerry is the arctitech of this team, so lets blame the playes and KOC for this. Mabey if you took some time to coach and develope players, you wouldn't have so much time to cry in the media.

Stevenson has become a very good defensive player, Raja Bell was defensive 1st team all NBA, AK was nearly the defensive player of the years 2 twice. Come on jerry, I'm sick of your crying, blaming ways. Start coaching and stop getting rid of young players with potential just because they need some leadership and coaching. The jazz have the roster to be pretty good defensize team, but they need game plans and better overall philosophy. Jerry's defensize ideas have killed the jazz for decades.

You know nothing about Jazz. When AK was All-star Jazz won 42 games not 24. In fact there was no season in Jazz history with AK where they would have only 24 wins. Get some knowledge before posting!

"if you do something often enough it is bound to work on occassion". Do you really want me to comment??? I think you just gave the definition of insanity.

You have clearly missed the point regarding coaching changes. Most teams change coaches because those teams/franchises need a total change and they can't do it so the replace the coach. Atlanta has never supported the hawks, in baseball the royals, and pirates keep changing because they have no other options because no one goes to the games or supports the team.

The jazz have a great roster and great fan support, the ES is the best arena in the league... who couldn't do what jerry has done??? Anybody with a decent coaching IQ could have easily done what jerry has done. This team is primed for great things in the near future, so why have repeat of the last 20 years... we have already seen this rerun. It's time for a new voice/attitude and ideas. If jerry stays for the next 5 years we will be in the same place we are today, you can mark my words, because I have already seen this! Groundhog Day anyone??

RE: coaching changes

How many teams have won titles over the last 20 years? It's under 10. I think 6 different teams. There are a lot more teams than that in the league. It would be nice to get a title but we don't have Jordan, Duncan or Shaq in his prime. We have great players in Williams and Boozer but they are not those guys. I don't agree with everything Sloan does but he gets a lot out of what he does have. If we were constantly bringing in new coaches for "fresh ideas" everyone would be complaining about that too.