– Utah has been the biggest shock this season, but Lauri Markkanen has been perhaps its biggest shock, paints the journalist closely following the team Eric Walden In an interview with .
According to Walden, writing for the Salt Lake Tribune, no one expected before the start of the season that the Utah Jazz could lead the NBA’s Western Conference and that the leading player would be Lauri Markkanen. Now, however, it is most certainly true after 13 matches.
Walden had time to meet Markkanen even before the start of the NBA season in Finland. The successful European Championships were just behind.
Markkanen talked to Walden about how he could continue in the NBA at the same pace as in the European Championships. Markkanen had told Walden a list of things he wasn’t allowed to do in his previous NBA teams. The list was long.
Markkanen had comprehensively listed his various strengths. In Utah, it quickly became clear that the Finn was telling the truth.
– The Jazz players have said that right at the beginning of the training camp it became clear how much more skilled Markkanen really was. It has been really impressive that he has done what he said, Walden enthuses.
The 25-year-old Markkanen is now playing his sixth NBA season. Walden sees that Markkanen’s previous clubs in Cleveland and Chicago did not necessarily take full advantage of the Finn’s talents.
– In his previous teams, Markkanen looked like a triple option at most. Now he has been the number one name in Jazz. He has been really convincing in that role. It’s been incredible to see that jump, says Walden.
Markkanen quickly became a favorite
At the same time, the Finn has quickly become one of the fans’ favorites. According to Walden, Markkanen shirts have already started to appear quite a lot at Utah’s home games.
– Many Jazz fans were cautious when Lauri was traded to the team. Surely no one even dared to hope for something like this, Walden opens the fans’ feelings.
Walden recalls that Utah’s team was thought to be made up of spares and outcasts who couldn’t fit together.
“Wrecks” have one thing in common – a huge desire for screen, which can be seen as a functional cooperative game.
In addition, Walden is admired by the head coach Will Hardy. The 34-year-old Hardy is now in his first season as a head coach in the NBA. He is currently the youngest head coach in the league.
– Will Hardy has found ways to get the most out of his players. He has emphasized that the players must be in their best condition. The style of play emphasizes a fast tempo and aggressiveness in defense. In some games, the tempo has been so fast that the opponents have not been able to keep up, Walden says.
Scrapping the sensational team would not be a shock
Before the start of the season, there was a lot of talk about how Utah’s club management had moved their eyes further than this season, because next year’s booking event is considered one of the toughest in a long time. French Victor Wembanyamaa has been described as a talent that can change the entire league.
There was talk of refueling, i.e. making it possible to lose in the hope of the best booking turns. By losing enough, Utah would have a better chance of getting into the first round and grabbing Wembanya.
Four starting five players were traded away from Utah last summer. In exchange for them, Utah got a bunch of reserve shifts and players like Markkanen, who weren’t the brightest stars in the league.
There’s just one problem with the plan: Utah’s “weak” team hasn’t lost as many games as expected. The players and the coaching are of course thirsty for victories and even sought more strength from belittling speeches. (you switch to another service)
Now the big question is whether Utah’s surprising flight can last and what the club management will do.
Walden wouldn’t be surprised if Utah’s club boss Danny Ainge would make more trades despite the success and weaken the current team with an eye on the future.
– Ainge has a reputation as a tradesman, so I wouldn’t be shocked if he continued his trades, says Walden.
On the other hand, according to Walden, it is difficult to break up such a successful team.
He believes that the club management may monitor the situation for another month or two before making decisions.
According to Walden, who has followed the Jazz for a long time, there is a little bit of luck in the team’s success, as Utah has made better than expected three-pointers and the opponents have made less than expected.
However, three-point shots play a big role in the success of an NBA team, so according to Walden, if the fluctuations even out, the Jazz can also suffer. Mostly, though, Walden sees plenty of pieces in Utah that could make the success permanent.
They include, among others, Lauri Markkanen and Utah’s undercarriage defense.
– I don’t think that Utah will be able to continue at the level seen now. If we continue with this lineup, I believe more and more in the possibility of making it to the playoffs. “This team is too talented not to be a top six or seven team in the Western Conference,” Walden said.
It’s mostly about whether it’s enough for the club management or whether they’re trying to make the team even better by temporarily weakening it even more.
The fans are also on different lines
According to Walden, Utah fans are also divided into two camps on the hot question. Fans were very skeptical of Ainge’s trades before the season because it’s hard to attract players to a smaller market team like Utah.
Then, according to Walden, it’s more about building the team through booking events. Traded superstars out Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert had played their entire careers in Utah.
Ainge, who built Boston’s 2008 championship team, has now gained respect in Utah, as he has looked like a genius after the trades of the summer. The team is doing well and has a bunch of reserve shifts towards the end of the decade.
Minnesota hasn’t done as well as expected under Gobert’s leadership and that could lead to the reserve shifts received from Minnesota becoming very valuable.
The trade with Markkanen’s ex-club Cleveland currently looks like a win-win for both parties. Utah’s ex-star Mitchell has been one of the league’s best scorers as Cleveland has risen to the top of the Eastern Conference.
Utah, on the other hand, has a highly developed new star Lauri Markkanen and a back player who has played well at times Collin Sexton.
– Utah fans feel like they are on the crest of a wave now that the success has been so unexpected. They’re enjoying it now, Walden expressed.
Even better is required for an all-star match
From the beginning of the season, there has already been plenty of talk about how Markkanen could win the most developed player award at the end of the season and he would be selected for the all-star game in February.
During his NBA career, the king of the Nordics has himself said that his personal goal is to get into the star team. In the same vein, Markkanen, known for his moderate comments has reminded that he is not thinking about star selection after the first ten games of the season. (you switch to another service)
In the early season, Markkanen has put up wild numbers in games: 22.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. The hit accuracy of game situation throws has been no less than 52.7 percent. Only a few NBA players from the beginning of the season have been able to achieve a similar combination.
According to Walden, Markkase has a good chance of reaching the all-star game, especially when it is played at Utah’s home arena in Salt Lake City.
According to him, the Finn’s choice is still not completely locked even in the current situation. According to Walden, Markkanen still needs to be a little bit tougher, despite his great statistics, in order to be sure of being selected among the 12 players.
– There are so many skilled players in the Western Conference. Even two points better The scoring average of a surprise team player can be a decisive factor, Walden states.
He paid attention to Markkanen’s three-point shooting accuracy before Utah’s previous game against Atlanta. The Finnish star had sunk his three-point shots with the lowest accuracy of his career, i.e. 29.7 percent.
However, Markkanen bagged six threes in eight attempts against Atlanta. Markkanen’s three-point shooting accuracy rose close to last season’s readings. Now it is 34.1 percent.
Walden was excited that if the Finn hits with his career average percentage (36.3), he could improve his readings enough to be selected for the All-Star game.
– Laurissa sees the fire when she comes to the field. It’s been really fun to follow him and see how words turn into actions, Walden concludes.