Utah Jazz: Shelvin Mack Deserves Some Major Props

Editorial — Some Utah Jazz fans seem to have a love/hate relationship with Shelvin Mack. Despite the complex feelings, Mack deserves some major props for his work.

Fandom can be fickle, especially in the NBA where the outcome of an individual game (or play) has the power to reverse the tide of public opinion faster than you can say “flip-flop.” Take the Utah Jazz for example. One week ago, the Jazz had won 11-of-13 games and were shooting up the standings. Jazz Nation was feelin’ groovy like Simon and Garfunkel.

Now, they’ve lost three straight games, sit in seventh place in the Western Conference and fans are grumbling once again. Just like that, the tide has changed.

Perhaps no individual player on the team exemplifies this sway of the pendulum like point-man Shelvin Mack.

Last season, he was the savior. For a team that was forced to roll with Trey Burke (Ew.) and then-rookie Raul Neto at the most important position on the floor, his acquisition at the trade deadline felt like a godsend. From day one (well, two, if we’re being technical) he assumed the role of starter and nearly helped the Jazz sneak into the playoffs.

In 28 games (27 starts) with the team, he averaged 13 points and five assists per contest. Almost overnight, he went from being a third-stringer for the Atlanta Hawks to one of the big bright spots of the season for the Utah Jazz. Fans were firmly on-board with the Mack Attack.

However, like most professional sporting outfits, the NBA is a “What have you done for me lately?” league. And this season, a segment of the Jazz fanbase isn’t feeling Shelvin’s style.

Even I, the Zen guy, have been guilty of giving into the mob mentality from time to time. Just check my in-game tweets —

Some of the fan chirping stems from Mack’s seemingly shaky decision-making. There’s actually some fuel for the fire here; of players league-wide who have appeared in at least 10 games this season, Mack barely cracks the Top 400 in turnover ratio. Of the possessions he’s used so far, 15 percent have ended with a turnover.

That’s a bad number.

Nevertheless, I’m here to tell you that Mack actually deserves some major props for his recent work. With George Hill out for most of the year and Dante Exum struggling (and hurting), the Mack Attack has done well to hold down the fort in the backcourt once again.

He was a major part of the aforementioned 11-of-13 stretch and has continued to play pretty well even as the team has notched some losses. Over the last 14 games, Mack is averaging 11 points and four assists per game, while shooting just under 50 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range.

Going beyond the basic stats, the team has largely been pretty good when he’s running point.

Because of the multitude of injuries, only 16 different lineup combinations have played 20 or more minutes together for the Jazz this season. Six of the Top 8 include Mack, and boast net ratings ranging from 19.7 to 38.6. These are small sample sizes, but at a certain point you have to give the devil his due.

Turnovers aside, Mack’s play has been key to a lot of the team’s success this season. Nevertheless, his detractors will likely continue to lament every moment he spends on the court. In my mind, the reason for this is clear — it’s the Exum effect.

Last year, the Ex-man was out, so fans were all too happy for Mack to come in and take the bulk of the minutes at point guard. This season, Exum is very much in the fold and every minute Mack gets is one that would be better served by the former No. 5 overall pick.

That’s the narrative anyway.

In reality, Exum has often hurt the team more than he’s helped it during his comeback tour. While the Jazz have been virtually the same team whether Mack is playing (5.2 net rating) or not (5.5), Exum’s on/off numbers are less kind.

The Jazz are being outscored by 3.4 points per 100 possessions when Exum is in the game. When he’s not, they outscore the opposition by 10.8 points using the same measure. That’s a 14-point swing in the wrong direction.

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Now, I’m not advocating for Exum to ride the pine. His potential remains off-the-charts and he needs court time (and not the kind where he just stands in the corner) to realize it. However, the Jazz are looking to win games and Mack has often been the better option for making that happen. You can’t fault Quin Snyder for playing him.

But, again, fandom is fickle. Mack may have been the hero in 2015-16, but now he’s the guy that coughs up the rock. Or the guy that steals Exum’s minutes.

At least that’s the word on the street.

The truth isn’t quite so black and white. And whether you subscribe to what I’m saying or not, Shelvin Mack truly deserves some major props for what he’s done lately.

Believing so may make me a flip-flopper, but what can I say? I’m a fan.