Utah Jazz: Derrick Favors Needs To Get Back In Form

Derrick Favors has established himself in the past few seasons as one of the league’s most physically dominating players. After some injury setbacks, he has now started to play a completely different style of basketball that isn’t benefiting himself or the Utah Jazz.

As we all know, there are few, if any NBA players that can consistently stop Derrick Favors in the low post, and last season he finally looked like he was exploiting match-ups on a nightly basis. Before Rudy Gobert reached any level of offensive prowess, the opposition were guarding Faves with their best big man or double teaming him.

Yes, opposing defenses were more willing to double down on the post and leave Gordon Hayward to take a wide open three than let Favors go one-on-one down low.

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This season, however, is a completely different story. In this past stretch of games, we’ve seen Favors being guarded by Thaddeus Young, Harrison Barnes, Marquese Chriss and Marcus Morris and he has failed to take advantage. Since being injured in the preseason, Favors dramatically changed the way he scores the ball (or stopped scoring the ball). He has completely shied away from any and all post-up opportunities on smaller players to shoot jump shots wherever possible.

It seems every time Derrick shoots a jumper, I think to myself “rebound, Rudy”. The numbers back up my point; Favors is shooting just 37 percent from between 10 to 16 feet. Being that range from the basket means one dribble can get you right under the bucket where he shoots 53 percent (zero to three feet) and 49 percent (three to ten feet). His average field goal attempt is now being taken from nine feet (a career high), as opposed to Gobert’s which is 1.8 feet. As a result of extending his range, his field goal percentage and free throw attempts have both taken a huge hit.

Now that he’s missing so many open jump shots, he is lacking the confidence to take the ball inside; 83 percent of his field goals are assisted as opposed to last year where 65 percent of his field goals were assisted.

Looking into advanced stats, the number Favors will care about the most is win shares, and they are down from 7.1 to 1.1, making his presence on the court moot. Fortunately, the Jazz have utilized their tremendous depth to win games despite his ineffectiveness.

It’s obviously hard to get back to a powerful style of play after extensive periods of time missed with injury, but he has been back for quite some time now and should have his legs back under him.

On a cheerier note, Favors has more than held his own at the defensive end since his return and his passing is at a career best level. His assists Per 36 minutes have dipped slightly from last season, only because he’s getting the ball further from the basket. He has also held his own in a role he hasn’t seen since the Kanter trade; playing the center position. A slight lapse in defense is normal when the league’s best rim protector exits the game, but Favors has managed to minimize that effect.

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As far as improving his offense goes, I do not recommend trying to ‘shoot his way out of it’ because the Jazz have some must win games coming up. He needs to get back to being dominant; no more fadeaways and contested jumpers, more backing down the opposition and dunking over their heads because he is perfectly capable of doing it. If you don’t believe me, check out the video of last year’s highlights for D-Fave —

Now seriously, a guy that special, powerful and dominant should not have to resort to taking jump shots when the only guy capable of stopping you plays on your team. If the Jazz get more confidence into Derrick Favors and get him some real post up opportunities, Utah could have another huge weapon in their arsenal.

Statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference and video thanks to 1677091 Productions on YouTube.

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