Suddenly, the Little Guys are taking over the league. The hottest NBA trend is the move to small, quick lineups as many teams lacking a Ewing, Robinson or Olajuwon are not even bothering with traditional centers.
So where does that leave the Jazz's 7-foot-4 Mark Eaton? Chasing people around the floor, usually.The NBA's two-time Defensive Player of the Year will receive little consideration for the award this season. In some ways, he's a victim of his own team's new flexibility - Coach Jerry Sloan never hesitates to play his own smaller lineup. In any case, Eaton's defensive numbers are down across the board and opposing teams' shooting and scoring are up from last season, when the Jazz were the league's most dominant defensive team in 15 years.
"Teams are playing us differently, because of Mark," says Sloan, who's using Eaton differently himself.
Having played a high of 24 minutes in the last five games, Eaton will try again tonight, guarding Seattle's 6-9 Michael Cage, another of the converted forwards manning the middle in the NBA these days. The SuperSonics are a possible first-round playoff opponent for the Jazz, so Eaton faces a real test in a home-and-home series that continues Tuesday in the Salt Palace.
"It's hard for him," notes assistant coach Phil Johnson, who works with the Jazz's big men. "Mark has to work on going out and guarding some of those people on the floor."
In some cases this season, the Jazz staff has countered immediately with backup center Mike Brown, or even played a three-forward lineup. In nine games, Eaton has played 20 or less minutes. His playing time and other numbers raise questions about Eaton: Is he less effective? Can teams send Eaton to the bench too easily? Is the Jazz defense not as tough because Eaton is not playing as well, or just not playing? Will the 33-year-old Eaton become a Manute Bol-style specialist, or remain a starter for years?
The game that jumbled everything came last month when Eaton was ejected after playing only seven minutes and the Jazz held the L.A. Clippers to 79 points and .408 field-goal shooting.
"I always like to think I can help whenever I'm out there," Eaton says. "I think I still have a big effect on other teams."
Johnson blames the NBA's expansion for thinning out the centers, forcing more teams to play small. And there's always Golden State. Four of Eaton's low-minutes games came against the Warriors this season, another on playoff mismatch last spring when Eaton played 33 minutes a game.
"Very few people can really take advantage of you like Golden State," says Johnson. "Most teams have a person (Eaton) can guard."
Rookie swingman Blue Edwards has changed the Jazz's look this season, but probably the biggest wrinkle is using Brown at center instead of small forward, where he ended up last year as a starter. Brown was so out of place in the playoffs that he appeared in only two games for 11 minutes.
Now, the Jazz staff is comfortable playing Brown in Eaton's place - maybe too comfortable. Teams have found they can send Eaton to the bench just by using a small lineup. "We've got to make sure we don't get caught up in that," acknowledges Johnson.
Eaton, meanwhile, half-seriously suggests his reduced playing time is the reason the Jazz are scoring three more points a game, making up for the defensive slide. He's also shooting a career-high .527 from the field, but that's deceiving because he's pretty much shelved his left hook and scores his five points a game - the fewest since his rookie season - mostly on dunks after rebounds or inside passes.
If the Jazz were questioning Eaton's value, the coming offseason might have been interesting. He would have become a free agent, except he signed a five-year contract last September. In any case, the Jazz are standing by the big guy.
"When it's all said and done, we need him," says Sloan.
(Additional information)
For the defense
Statistical categories measuring Mark Eaton's defensive impact, this season and last season.
Opp.
Year Min. Reb. Blk FG pct. Opp. Pts.
'88-89 35.5 10.3 3.8 .434 99.7
'89-90 28.1 7.5 2.5 .457 102.2