Chicago Bulls
Losses: Kris Dunn, Shaq Harrison, John Paxson (general manager), Jim Boylen (coach)
2019-20 Record: 22-43, 11
th in Eastern Conference
Analysis: For the third straight season, the Chicago Bulls missed the playoffs. While 2021 might not reverse that trend, there is significantly more optimism around the Bulls now than the previous few years.
After a long run with John Paxson and Gar Forman leading the front office, Chicago finally made a change at the top of the organization. The Bulls hired Arturas Karnisovas from the Denver Nuggets, and he revamped the entire front office. Karnisovas built a reputation as a savvy talent evaluator in Denver and was part of a group that built one of the Western Conference’s deepest teams.
Body
It s time to take a break from talking about sickness, however significant its gravitas, and instead talk about NBA sickness. You know, like Zion s dunks, Westbrook s frenzy, LeBron s sinew, Steph s range, Luka s magic and Trae s tricks. Now that s sick.
The NBA is back again, and though things have changed, things remain the same.
LeBron James and the Lakers are the consensus favorites to repeat as NBA champions, if not for a second consecutive season without 82 games. This time it s supposed to be Covid-19 permitting 72 games, which was a full season in the NBA the last time in 1958-59. The worldwide pandemic has all sports rigorously enforcing alternating guidelines. The NBA is planning a break halfway through its 2020-21 season in early March, presumably for makeup games. To start the season, six teams are allowing some fans into games, Cleveland, Utah, Houston, Orlando, New Orleans and Toronto relocated to Tampa because of border restrictions. Most capacity is below 20 p
Russell Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
The 2019-20 season was arguably the best 3-point shooting season in Utah Jazz history. Their 38.0 percent mark from downtown led the NBA and is third in franchise history behind the 1999-00 season (38.5) and 2000-01 (38.1). However, the ‘19-20 Jazz attempted 831 more triples than both of those two years
combined (2,537 vs 1,706) so the argument to be the best is fairly solid for ‘19-20.
But despite having the league-leading percentage, Utah was barely in the top 10 in the NBA in 3-point attempts at 35.2 long-range shots per game. However, This preseason may suggest an even greater shift towards 3-point shooting.
The final game of the preseason is usually a forgettable event featuring the end of the bench, G-League players, and guys who will soon no longer be on the roster. Obviously, this season is different, and with a shortened 3-game-preseason, the stakes were just a little bit higher. As Tavan discussed in his preview, this game could potentially offer a glimpse into Coach Snyder’s rotation.
The Utah Jazz began by rolling with what, I think, we all thought would be the starting lineup this season: Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Royce O’Neale, and Bojan Bogdanovic. The Jazz were active on defense early, forcing the Clippers into a couple one and outs. Bogdanovic was active early, hustling on defense, and picking up the first 5 points for the Jazz off a 3-pointer and a nice cut to the hoop.
| Updated: 7:11 a.m.
Back when training camp started, Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder said he wanted his players to be even more aggressive from 3-point range this coming season. Days later, Bojan Bogdanovic lit up recounting how Snyder had promised to turn him loose behind the arc this year.
Then, after the Jazz’s first preseason game, Snyder joked that even a less-than-genius individual such as himself could figure out the most efficient deep-ball team in the league should increase its volume from outside.
Notice a theme?
The Jazz spelled it out once again in crystal-clear detail in their preseason finale Thursday night in Los Angeles, firing up more than 30 tries from deep in the first half alone as they rolled to a 125-105 victory over the Clippers at Staples Center.