Jarret Jack needs to be traded.
Maybe not today or tomorrow, and not with Outlaw or Webster, but before we become serious contenders, he has got to go.
We don’t even need to talk about the actual game much today. In the immortal words of Rasheed Wallace, “Both teams played hard.” And they did, smashing it out until the end when Iverson got the better of the Garden. The Blazers should be applauded for fighting through that first-quarter misery, when it became oh-so-clear that they have hit a plethora of physical and mental walls, and making this an honest-to-goodness game. We will keep saying it, but the character of this team, the piece that may end up being the most important on a possible championship run, has been on full display. And while Martell may have faded at the end, he stepped in very well for James Jones, especially ***star this*** on defense. I’m telling you people, do not get rid of Martell, especially not for Devin Harris.
Back to Jack.
Jarret Jack does some things very well. He is one of a few Blazers who will put his head down and get to the rim (and finish . . . Sergio) and has no problem taking the big shots. He rebounds well and is a good passer in the half-court offense. All of this on top of his lauded charisma in the lockeroom. Problem is, he does all this only every-so-often.
Sometimes he will keep you in games, like that double-OT contest at Chicago a few weeks back. And tonight, we probably wouldn’t have made OT without him. But more often than not, he is a spur in your heel.
Jarret Jack kills runs.
Absolutely murders them. Seems whenever the Blazers are in the midst of of comeback bid, Jack finds a way to turn the ball over, either by travelling, stepping out of bounds, making a bad pass or clanking a 3-pointer. Sure, some of those 3’s fall, but so do some of Sergio’s. Far too often, when Portland is pocketing all the necessary momentum, Jack cuts a hole in the pants and everything comes spilling out.
For example, I give you two of the worst fast breaks I have ever seen:
Example A: Jack gets the ball and pushes it out in front of him. The Blazers are trying to return from their dismal first quarter and double-digit deficit and Jack is leading the 3-on-2. There he goes, you can feel the Outlaw dunk in your bones and, @$#*@ the heck, Jack stepped on the SIDELINE?! On a fastbreak? Unreal.
Example B: The Blazers and Nuggets have been trading blows in overtime and time is ticking down. Portland comes up with the defensive stop and Jack comes up with the ball, streaking down the middle of the court. The shot clock is off, Portland can hold for the final shot, and what does Jack do — first I must provide the Geometry: draw a triangle, put it at the top of the key, label each side a Nuggets defender of choice, and plop a dot named Jack in the middle — he tries a behind-the-back pass to, CARMELO ANTHONY?! If it were not for my Zen calmness thanks to the Pats losing, my head would have exploded.
The point is, Jack cannot run a fast break to save his life, never has been able to, being about a 15-percent shooter on alley-oops, and he murders momentum. Basketball is a game of runs, everyone knows that, but once you reach the playoffs, it becomes doubly important to take advantage of every offensive spurt. You cannot afford to have one player stepping out of bounds everytime you pass to him in the deep corner — smart teams will recognize this in your lineup, and find ways to tilt the odds to that man.
But who knows, Jack could have an incredible run through the playoffs one of these years, maybe even win a championship, but if Blazers fans want what everyone is whispering carefully these days, a Dy****y, then they will need a prescription of consistency.
This Dr. Jack is not your man. He missed fast-breakiology.