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SALT LAKE CITY - Jazz season starts in one month and four days, give or take a few hours, so now is as good a time as any to decide how the Jazz season will go down.
The off season is a slow time when projection and prediction rule and for the Jazz the national media is making no exception. The Jazz exceeded expectations last year just by making the playoffs and finishing three games over .500.
Now with the core players of Derrick Favors, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and Gordon Hayward all coming back the expectations should be ramped up, but that could mean anything from a higher seed to simply winning a playoff game.
ESPN did their forecast of the Western Conference for the upcoming season where they have the Jazz losing some percentage points in their season. They have them finishing 41-41, which would put them in the playoffs as the eight seed.
Denim Millward of the Bleacher Report did a story called the "Top 10 Realistic Expectations for the Utah Jazz in 2012-2013," a few of the expectations are making the playoffs, 47-50 wins and at least two playoff wins.
"Utah has several things in their favor that point to a return to the postseason," Millward wrote. "They're a relatively young squad that should be more resistant to injury than older rosters. They've also made additions that should all be noticeable improvements in key areas."
"Finally, Utah has added by subtraction. Josh Howard, C.J. Miles and Raja Bell were less than stellar statistically for the Jazz last year, and all three are either definitely not or most likely not returning."
What do they have to do to improve their lot, or if nothing else just make it back to the playoffs? John English of Examiner.com has three suggestions on how to make it happen.
"1.Tyrone Corbin needs to prove he can coach.
2. Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward need to make the third-year jump.
3. The Jazz need to shoot the 3 more and foul less."
Favors' development is key and his playing time has become a big topic over the past week. It isn't necessarily shocking or controversial, but it does show the young man wants to play.
In an interview with the "Deseret News" the young big man said "I want to play more than what I played last year. If it's starting, cool. If it's coming off the bench, cool. I don't mind. I just want to play more. I don't want to sit on the bench no more."
Dime Magazine looked at the good and bad that can come from that statement if he ends up getting or not getting the playing time. "Now here's the real question: Does Favors see it as his responsibility to earn more PT, or does he feel like the coach owes him? The answer to that will prove the difference between a motivated young beast and a sulking underachiever."
I want to play more than what I played last year... I don't want to sit on the bench no more.
–Derrick Favors
Going back to the English's three keys this will come back to Corbin proving he can coach the team, he will need to make the decision on making the minutes work. Whether that is the big lineup with Millsap, Favors and Jefferson or finding a way to keep Millsap and Favors happy another way this will be the key for Corbin.
The other issue with Favors is his fouling problem. He and Millsap were top-40 in fouls per 48 minutes, which hurts the big line and using either player consistently.
But ultimately as Kurt Helin of NBCsports.com said, "He's the future, and you should give your best players more minutes — Tyron Corbin has to play Favors. He might try playing Favors and Millsap together for stretches, with Millsap at the three, to see how that works."
