Estimated read time: 26-27 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY - It was supposed to be a rebuilding or a reloading season, but it ended with a rejuvenated team making the playoffs after a year out of the postseason.
The Utah Jazz have cleaned out their lockers, while the coaching staff and upper management are busy making preparations for next season.
Ahh, the off-season is here.
Now that the Jazz's short postseason run is over, it is time to look back at the season that was, including the highlights, lowlights and the just plain amusing.
I asked the SportsBeat staff to put their heads together and come up with some postseason awards for the team. The incentive of a friendly competition was enough to spark their curiosity and excitement, and the results started to pour in. Now comes the tough assignment of ranking their answers from top to bottom, with the best overall winning two free movie passes.
Their answers may make you laugh, or they may make you want to punch a hole in the wall next to you. Either way, in the words of Craig Bolerjack, "Buckle up."
Let me introduce the cast:
(TK) - Tom Kirkland, KSL 5 Sports Director (@tksportsbeat)
(RZ) - Rod Zundel, SportsBeat Saturday Anchor (@rodzundel)
(JJ) - Jeremiah Jensen, SportsBeat Anchor/Reporter (@jjsportsbeat)
(GJ) - Graydon Johns, ksl.com News Director (@gjohns)
(MG) - Mike Grant, SportsBeat Saturday Producer (@mikegrantksl)
(DN) - Dave Noriega, SportsBeat Sunday Producer (@davenoriega)
(BS) - Ben Schroeder, SportsBeat Editor/Photographer (@borysfx)
(JM) - Jarom Moore, ksl.com Utah Jazz beat writer (@jarommoore)
(JC) - John Clyde, ksl.com Communities Director (@clydeksl)
(JF) - Josh Furlong, ksl.com Managing Editor (@jfurksl)
And now, the awards...
Most Valuable Player
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Jeremiah Jensen: Al Jefferson - Big Al led the Jazz in points (19.2), rebounds (9.6) and blocks (1.7) per game, all career highs. He was a leader in the locker room who helped bridge the gap between veterans and young players. *Close second* Rod Zundel: Al Jefferson - He is the most reliable go to guy when you need a bucket inside. When he is ‘on' he can score at will inside the paint. No other Jazz player besides Millsap can do that. | MG: Tyrone Corbin - He thankfully communicated poorly enough to get Raja Bell and CJ Miles out of Salt Lake City! GJ: Al Jefferson - Learned to share, kept good attitude and got his team into the playoffs for the first time in his career. DN: Al Jefferson - All you Jefferson haters can take a hike. 19 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks a game TK: Kevin O'Connor - And it's not close. He put together this band of young/old. High draft picks and guys off the scrap heap. A quality season for the man up top. JM: Al Jefferson - Basically averaged 20 and 10, and despite sometimes not being great he never really disappeared. BS: Paul Millsap - a Rajan Cajan Bulldog JC: Paul Millsap - Jefferson is the veteran, but Millsap is the leader. JF: Al Jefferson - His overall effort this year makes him the hands down MVP. |
Most Important Player
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Graydon Johns: Derrick Favors - Might also be the best player. But this young man is carrying the keys to the Jazz future. *Close second* Jeremiah Jensen: Paul Millsap - Most NBA players would have complained if asked to move from their natural position for the betterment of the team. Paul Millsap showed his versatility and was effective at the small forward position allowing the "Big Lineup" to propel the Jazz to the playoffs. | MG: Derrick Favors - Only player that is untradeable, in my humble opinion. DN: Al Jefferson - The one constant through the year has been Jefferson. Millsap had his moments of being spectacular, but he would go through stretches where his deficiencies were very obvious and the Jazz struggled. Jefferson gave the Jazz a chance to win each and every night. TK: Devin Harris - Clearly he got crushed when they struggled mid-season but his play post-All Star Break sparked the Jazz run to the playoffs, just as when he couldn't get it done against a focused, prepared defense, he left his team exposed against the Spurs. RZ: Paul Millsap - Jefferson scores more but Millsap and his heart mean more to this team. Since Big Al received my vote for MVP, this goes to Paul. JM: Devin Harris - Jazz were 20-5 when he scored 12+ points, when he was good the Jazz were great. BS: Gordon Hayward JC: Al Jefferson JF: Paul Millsap - Millsap consistently shows his worth to the team. He may be undersized at his position, but he gets it done |
Defensive Player of the Year
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  David Noriega: Gordon Hayward - At 6' 8" and 210 pounds, Hayward is an averaged size small forward. Thankfully, Ty Corbin realized that he's a shooting guard and at 6'8" 210 lbs Hayward is enormous for a two-guard. You need look no further than back-to-back shut down efforts against Kobe Bryant (3-20 FG) and Kevin Durant (6-22 FG). Derrick Favors is phenomenal and will be an All-Defensive team selection in the future, but this season, Hayward was the best defender. *Close second* Tom Kirkland: Derrick Favors - For the first half of the season, I might have said Hayward but clearly Favors was one of a very few Jazz guys standing up to the Spurs down low. Derrick's the unquestioned C.E.O. of "Swat Lake City". | MG: Gordon Hayward - He's the only guy that played any defense until Favors was inserted into lineup late in the year. JJ: Derrick Favors - No player on the team had a greater impact on the defensive end of the floor. Not only did he protect the rim by violently blocking shots but he was a terrific pick-and-roll defender. RZ: Derrick Favors - While Gordon Hayward is the guy who can chase an opponent around for the entire game, Favors is the one guy on this team that can consistently alter an opponent's shot and own the paint defensively. GJ: Derrick Favors - Dominant shot blocker, intimidating glare and aggressive rebounder. He's gonna be a star. JM: Paul Millsap - Fourth in the NBA in steals and guarded 1-5 on defense, his ability to defend at small forward let the Jazz go big. BS: Andrei Kirilenko - AK was the team's best defender because he wasn't on the court sulking. But the person that played the best was Gordon Hayward. JC: Paul Millsap JF: Gordon Hayward - Hayward really improved this year and was a major factor to the team's overall defense. |
Most Improved Player
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Jeremiah Jensen: Devin Harris - It's not often you see a veteran player improve during a season as much as Devin Harris did. He was awful until March when he converted a game-winning three point play. From there his scoring and assist numbers shot up and he rediscovered his 3-point range helping the Jazz reach the postseason. *Close second* Mike Grant: DeMarre Carroll - He went from out of the league to "should've been starting" on a playoff team, can't improve much more than that! The NBA, where amazing happens. | RZ: DeMarre Carroll - Devin was a good player before so I would give him the comeback player of the 2nd half of the season. Carroll basically was a cast away from other teams and as soon as he got his chance to prove himself he gave the Jazz a major spark with heart but also scoring that we did not know existed. DN: Gordon Hayward - We saw glimpses of Hayward's potential after his rookie year and a missed summer league and training camp (thanks a lot lockout) led to a slow start. Once Hayward got consistent, big minutes, he was a revelation. Playing 29+ minutes, Hayward averaged 15 points, almost 4 assists, 4 rebounds, shot 46% from the field and 39% from 3. GJ: Gordon Hayward - Went from timid rookie to aggressive wing. Stopped looking intimidated and carried the Jazz at times. Now, if he can up that 3-point FG percentage. TK: Derrick Favors - Coinciding with playing time and post touches, imagine that! JM: Gordon Hayward - Basically doubled every number he had from last season, he even got his first tech ever, that's improvement. JC: Gordon Hayward - We were all excited for this kid and he's finally getting comfortable. JF: Derrick Favors - We all knew that Favors had the potential to be a great player. This season he made more improvements than expected. |
Sixth Man of the Year
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Dave Noriega: Derrick Favors - It was a pretty thin bench this year, but Derrick Favors had the most impact. Brimming with potential, Jazz fans got a glimpse of how dominant he can be on the defensive end of the court and saw enough from him offensively to whet their appetites. *Close second* Graydon Johns: Alec Burks - Seemed like he spent more time at the free throw line than on the bench. Kid, not afraid to take it to the hole. Now we just need to get a little arc under that jumper. | MG: Paul Millsap - Because this is what his role should be. JJ: Derrick Favors - No one off the bench had the impact of this super sophomore who is on the verge of becoming a star in this league. TK: Every guy on the team - Since everybody was 6th man at one time or another in Ty's revolving substitution door! JM: Derrick Favors - He fought for minutes and earned them by coming off the bench with a vengeance. JC: Earl Watson - How can he not be? JF: Derrick Favors - When Favors entered the game, the tempo and energy of the team changed for the better. He should be a starter though. BS: Derrick Favors RZ: Derrick Favors - No more needs to be said that hasn't already been said. |
Surprise of the Year
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Tom Kirkland: How far CJ fell in the eyes of the organization - 7th season, larger expectations, more inconsistent than ever. But turns out "he's exactly who we thought he was" - a shooting guard who can't really shoot. Surprise of the Year #2: If they re-sign CJ. *Close second* Rod Zundel: Jamaal Tinsley - We thought he was washed up! When he got his chance to play he had that something special a veteran player with confidence can provide. Every time Tinsley came in we heard the cry, "Why doesn't he play more?" I never felt like the Jazz were at a disadvantage when Tinsley came off the bench. Most of the time I felt like the game would speed up and move more fluidly when he received playing time. | MG: Al Jefferson - He passed the ball a couple times JJ: DeMarre Carroll - Carroll's signing in March was an afterthought for many Jazz fans but when the season came to an end he made an impression with his hustle and physical play. He even started 9 games and showed off his unexpected shooting range. GJ: Enes Kanter - Kanter holding his own against some of the best bigs in the league DN: Alec Burks - Not for his effective play on the court, but for the number of times that he would touch and rub his head during interviews. It was truly a surprise. JM: DeMarre Carroll - Who knew who Carroll was before the season, before he was signed, after he was signed, when he started, when he almost willed the Jazz over the Spurs? JC: Derrick Favors - I'm not surprised he's good, but surprised it took so long to utilize him. That mean Corbin is the surprise? JF: Jamaal Tinsley/DeMarre Carroll - When the Jazz signed these two players, most fans probably expected little. However, I think fans were pleasantly surprised with these two. BS: Jamaal Tinsley - Stability from the veteran |
Game of the Year
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
| Jeremiah Jensen: 123-121 3OT win over Dallas - When a game features a "wet willy", dazzling dunks, a dramatic rally, clutch shots, a buzzer beater and three overtimes how can it not be the game of the year? *Close second* Josh Furlong: Miami, OKC - Although the final game against Phoenix had major playoff implications, it was the games against the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder that stood out to me. They were key wins needed to keep the confidence going. | MG: Wet Willy game - no-brainer RZ: Tie - This one is a tie for me. Triple overtime win at home against the Mav's/Quadruple overtime loss in Atlanta TK: Close but had to that triple-OT classic vs Mavs GJ: Last win versus Suns - Guaranteed a playoff berth. DN: Jazz Mavericks Triple OT game - I was at the Jazz-Bulls triple overtime classic in 1992, when Jordan hit two buzzer beaters to push the game into another overtime only to lose on Jeff Malone free throws. Jordan fouled Malone on the final play of the game, freaked out, got ejected and bumped the referee on the way out. Jazz-Mavs wasn't quite that good, but it was close. JM: Game 65 vs. Phoenix - Down 2-0 on the season, playoffs on the line, the Jazz brought their A-game and took down the Suns in convincing fashion. JC: Suns second last game of the season - The Jazz have a terrible time with the Suns and they finally beat them when it really counted. BS: Mavericks and the ear poking |
Biggest Disappointment
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Mike Grant: The 3-Point Shot - Anything that involves the three point line, Jazz threw scud missile bricks all year from 23 feet, 9 inches and beyond. *Close second* Jarom Moore: The Sweep - Nothing against them making the playoffs, but getting swept after a marvelous season that seemed to be on the upswing took the wind out of the sails for the team and fanbase. | JJ: C.J. Miles - The Jazz have spent 7 years now developing Miles hoping he would finally reach his potential. Instead the now longest tenured Jazzman averaged just 9 points per game and made just 30 percent of his 3-point attempts. Most disappointing was the fact he blamed communication with Ty Corbin for his struggles. RZ: C.J. Miles - No improvement once again. TK: Everyone's preposterous overreaction to their rough start - Seeing Jazz fans and media abandon ship like she was the Titanic after the ugly 1st 4 games. 1-3 with all blowout losses, it was embarrassing. Opening with roadies at Lakers, Nuggets then Spurs, how could they do better than 1-3, forget the point spreads. Go back and read SOS tweets. Hysterical. GJ: Raja Bell - Team could have used his senior leadership. Could have been a valuable mentor to guys like Burks, Hayward. DN: Both loses to the Hornets JC: The Spurs series - I'm not going with a player. Not many of us had hope they'd beat the Spurs, but we were hoping for more of a fight. JF: C.J. Miles - Miles has been with the team for numerous years and has yet proved he can be consistent. It's probably time for the Jazz to say goodbye. BS: Bell, CJ and Kevin O'Connor |
Next Year Breakout Player
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Jarom Moore: Derrick Favors - Can't imagine this isn't unanimous, He gets better every game, if his offense becomes half of what his defense is he will score 25 points per game. *Close second* Josh Furlong: Alec Burks - With more playing time, Burks will show his worth on the team. Still has room to grow, but has big potential. | RZ: Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks, Enes Kanter - They better break out because these kids are our future. Wasn't that a song from Randy Watson in ‘Coming To America'? JJ: Alec Burks - The easy answer here would be Favors but you could argue he already broke out late this season. Burks has already shown flashes of his potential and with summer league and a full training camp he could take his game to the next level. TK: Steve Nash - No I'm not kidding, if KOC can woo him, I'm saying "All-Star Season". Can you imagine, with tough defenders behind him and knockdown shooters all around him (HOLD on, got a little carried away, Jazz don't have any shooters) GJ: Favors - The dude will be the best big in the next few years. DN: Derrick Favors - He is one consistent post move away from being the second coming of Dwight Howard. MG: Anyone who can shoot the 3! JC: Favors - I think it's obvious why. BS: Derrick Favors - Once they trade Al Jefferson |
Needs to Improve
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Tie - John Clyde: Devin Harris - He had great moments, but to lead this team and make it great he needs to be consistent all year. Tie - Josh Furlong: Devin Harris - Harris is not the future for the point guard position. Harris is good, but the Jazz need to make a bigger step in the future. | JJ: Gordon Hayward - Hayward made significant progress from year 1 to year 2 and was probably the team's best on the ball defender. With more minutes his scoring improved but his field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage decreased dramatically. He needs to become a more consistent shooter. TK: Tie between Ty and everybody else RZ: Everyone!!!! - Free throws need to improve by every player. GJ: 3-Point Shooting - The entire team needs to shoot better from the 3-point line. DN: Enes Kanter - After not playing competitive basketball for two years, Kanter had a very successful rookie season. He showed glimpses of being a dominant rebounder and post defender. He'll never be great at finishing at the rim because he's not a vertical leaper. However, his body is enormous and he's strong as an ox. My summer memory of Kanter will be ripping an offensive rebound and players flying off his body and then getting called for traveling. JM: Shooting - Whether it's Hayward, Harris, or Alec Burks or a player to be signed someone needs to be a plain knock-down shooter, Carroll mentioned it during locker clean-out as his goal. MG: 3-Point Shooting - Everybody's three point shot. By definition, A three-point field goal (also known as a three-pointer, three or trey) is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc surrounding the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two points awarded for shots made inside the three point line. BS: Al Jefferson's defense |
Guy just happy to be on an NBA roster
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Tie - Ben Schroeder: That White Guy that looked like he played at BYU Tie - Josh Furlong: Blake Ahearn - Enough said. Tie - Mike Grant: Blake Ahearn - This is easy, Blake Ahearn. That is all. Tie - John Clyde: Blake Ahearn - What a champ. | JJ: Jamaal Tinsley - Tinsley started the season playing for the LA Defenders of the D-League and at age 33 many thought his NBA career was over. Kevin O'Connor gave the veteran point guard a second chance and he didn't disappoint. He was a solid backup when Earl Watson wasn't available and he was an unheralded leader in the locker room. RZ: DeMaree Carroll - Blake Ahearn was too easy of a choice. Carroll played and played well. TK: Ronnie Price (In Phoenix) GJ: Demarre Carroll - The dude was ecstatic when he got the call and he proved he's a keeper DN: C.J. Miles - Not a joke. JM: Jamaal Tinsley - Not a knock on him, but from the D-League to contributing minutes after a stellar career in his youth, he has to be thrilled. |
Most in Need of Being Replaced
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Graydon Johns: C.J. Miles - Raja Bell is the obvious choice, but I'd doubt many tears would be shed if the team let CJ Miles walk. *Close second* Dave Noriega: Devin Harris - Had a nice end of the season, but the last thing that the Jazz need is a scoring point guard. Jazz have a ton of weapons, but they need someone to distribute the ball and keep everyone happy. | JJ: Devin Harris - Harris improved dramatically during the 2nd half of the season but it's clear he is not the point guard of the future. He only averaged 5 assists and his style of play may not be a good fit for this team moving forward. TK: Deron Williams - Everybody else saying Raja so I'll go with Deron Williams (alltime winner of this award, Jazz best addition by subtraction) MG: EnergySolutions Arena video scoreboard - Seen it? Very outdated. JM: C.J. Miles - He will be leaving and he takes the idea of instant offense, he wasn't great at it, but the idea of a sixth man that is instant offense needs to be replaced. JC: Devin Harris - Attack me if you must, but I think the Jazz need a young gun who will grow with the young team. JF: Raja Bell - His attitude at the end of the season cannot help the team grow. He can be easily replaced. BS: Bell's defense - The defense he brings is something you can't give up if the team wants to make a run at anything RZ: C.J. Miles |
Guy I'd want on my rec league team
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Tom Kirkland: Enes Kanter - "Big Turkey, you rebound all my misses, kick back out to me and I keep firing away…ok?? Then we repeat same routine, all game, every game ok? Good, you are great teammate". *Close second* Jeremiah Jensen: Blake Ahearn - Ahearn looks like a church league All-Star that you play pick-up ball with at the local stake center gym. He seems like a guy who puts his pants on just like the rest of us -- one leg at a time. Except, once his pants are on, he shoots 97 percent from the free throw line. | MG: Delonte West - Plenty of wet willy's in rec leagues and I know I am not getting a wet willy from my teammate. GJ: Blake Ahearn - It would be obvious to pick a big, but I'm going with Blake Ahearn. Nobody's gonna expect that kid to drop 30. DN: Gordon Hayward - He'd actually pass me the ball. He's the only guy that would let me get some shots up. JM: Blake Ahearn - How many threes would he hit before someone figured out that he was pretty good, my guess is that we would win 5 games before people thought something was wrong. JC: Blake Ahearn - I just love that guy. JF: Blake Ahearn - Definitely has the talent to play ball, but has probably peaked. RZ: Blake Ahearn - Because he is short like me. BS: Jeremy Evans |
Biggest Gaffe
| The Best | The Rest |
|---|---|
|  Tie - Dave Noriega: Ty Corbin - Corbin not playing Favors, Millsap and Jefferson all the time Tie - Rod Zundel: Ty Corbin - Not playing Favors more minutes. Somehow! | JJ: Ty Corbin - The Jazz went to four overtimes against the Atlanta Hawks. Instead of using fresh legs from his deep bench he chose to stay with the same five players during the first three overtimes. The tired players struggled to score, especially in the clutch, and eventually lost the game. The loss took its toll on the team which went on to lose 7 of their next 12 games. MG: The 3-point line - Not sure the Jazz organization knows it exists, offensively or defensively GJ: Starting CJ Miles at any point during the year TK: A team award - Demarcus Cousins calmly, purposefully goes after your starting point guard with bumps and bows and bad banter in back to back games in Sactown and NOBODY on the Jazz so much as gives that Royal ruffian a dirty look. You should all be ashamed of yourselves! I asked Horny about that he said "Hey we've got a bunch of nice guys on this team, I wish we had maybe one not-so-nice guy!" JM: Jefferson's Spurs unbeatable remark - I don't think it was really that bad, but it caught fire. Raja had the worst lines, but for an unintentional remark this takes the cake. JC: Raja Bell - That is all.. JF: Entire playoff series against the Spurs - It was not the type of ball the Jazz are used to playing. BS: Bell calling out Ty Corbin |
The Best Dunk
| The Best (no such thing as a bad dunk) |
|---|
| TK: Jeremy Evans - NO-BRAINER. Jeremy Evans double catch-and-flush over Gordon (sweet pressure assists from Hayward) that helped Salt away the Jazz 1st ever NBA Slam Dunk Contest. If Jeremy Evans ran for President, I'd vote for him just on ‘niceness' alone. DN: Jeremy Evans - Evans and the two handed, two ball dunk in the dunk contest, making him the first Jazz player to ever win the Dunk contest. MG: Jeremy Evans - When Jeremy Evans slammed two basketballs while jumping over Gordon Hayward to win the Dunk contest GJ: Jeremy Evans - Jeremy Evans slam dunk content dunk over Hayward. That was sick BS: Jeremy Evans - Jeremy Evans Slam Dunk Double Ball Double Dunk slamma jamma JJ: Derrick Favors - Derrick Favors had several dunks that were worthy of this award but the one that sticks out came against the Golden State Warriors. He took a pass on the pick-and-roll from Devin Harris and finished strong at the rim, putting Andris Biedrins on a poster. JM: Jeremy Evans - Jeremy Evans preseason dunk: It didn't count, but when he went up over Gerald Wallace in the preseason it took everyone's breathe away. Shouldn't have been an offensive foul, but oh well, it was still spectacular. JC: Jeremy Evans - Pretty much anything Evans did. But he had some killer dunks in the last game of the season against Portland. JF: Jeremy Evans - Jeremy Evans' reaching leap dunk in preseason. RZ: Who cares! - I want to see the best 3 point shooter. Jazz have none. |
Well there you have it. You can take your hand out of the drywall now and move it back to your keyboard. Hit us up with your thoughts and opinions - where were we right, what did we miss? Twitter: @kslsports.
Oh, and in case you are wondering, Jeremiah Jensen won the tickets. You can congratulate him on Twitter @jjsportsbeat.
×![]()
