3.31.08 Jazz vs. ... ...

Don't think this changes our relationship CJ.
(but nice game by the way)

Why do they play with our hearts and emotions like this? It's like the hottest most orthodox Mormon girl you've ever met. You want to walk away so bad, because dude, it ain't worth it. But then you see her at FHE night at the college ward. And suddenly you're active again.

We must protect this house!
(because we're screwed outside of it.)

This post from Bullets Forever says it better than any of us could.

I honestly felt like we should have called off the dogs a little...nah. This was too much fun. The most interesting thing that came from the Wizards was DeShawn Stevenson's beard. We need more beards in this world.

Box Score Fun

-7 players in double figures.
-Ronnie Price with a game high 34 minutes.
-Deron with 16 assists
-The entire Wizards team with 16 assists
-Every Jazzman scored...except Jason Shart...just how I like it.
-15 three pointers (New franchise record)
-Korver 6-6

Final Score: Jazz 129, ....not sure who we played .... 87

The Jazz are the best team in the WEST! Hands Down! (That is for you Matt, we don't react that harshly. But seriously, if we don't win against the Wolves Wednesday, I WILL slit my wrists.)

Thanks for Nothing Jazz.

Jerry Sloan with the Jazz Starting Five after Sunday's Loss to Minnesota.

I have always felt the same as Boozers Hammy does: Sloan has no idea how to prepare the team for the bottom feeders. Guaranteed he was at the Home Depot 30 minutes before the game when Phil Johnson called and said "uhhh, are you still picking me up." Thanks Sloan. And thanks Jazz for losing to teams that suck over and over again.

Here is my bitter prediction of the last eight games: (Thanks for the Idea Moneyman Memo.)

Washington (home): Win (A.K. fakes an injury, Memo, Hart, Miles and Harpring will miss due to the Flu.)

Minnesota (home): Loss (A.K. misses game because he locked his keys in car. Price, Collins, and Ty Corbin out with the flu.)

San Antonio (home): Loss (D-Will, Boozer, Brewer out with Flu. A.K. thought it was an away game. Shows up in S.A.)

New Orleans: Loss (D-Will dominates Paul but rest of the team is out with the flu. D-Will and Fez lose by two.)

Dallas: Loss (Dirk plays in cast to lead the Mavs to a 101-98 Victory)

Denver (home): Win (As bitter as I am I still will not give Denver credit.)

Houston (home): Win (A.K. believes it is the first round of the playoffs actually plays. Gets triple-double and leads team to victory.)

San Antonio: Win (Ginobli, Parker, Duncan, Finley, Bowan all sit, Jazz beat S.A. D-League Team by one. A.K. in dog house with wife. Misses game.)

Jazz go 4-4 down the stretch, win division, but not home court. Thanks for nothing Jazz.

Late,

Booner

Update on Scoreboard Watching

Nevermind on watching what the other teams are doing, we have big enough problems here at home.

Dear Jazz: You are pathetic.

Goota be proud of yourselves boys:

http://www.nba.com/games/20080330/UTAMIN/boxscore.html

Same old story for the Jazz and T-Wolves. Sleep well tonight guys.

Scoreboard Watching

The way I see it, there are 5 teams to keep an eye on for the Jazz. The Hornets, Lakers, Spurs, Rockets and Suns. To get home court advantage we need to finish with a better record than 2 of them and right now we are between .5 - 3 games behind all of them. Remember those 2 losses on the road to Minnesota and the Clippers? If the Jazz had won those 2 games our record would be 49 - 23, tied for second place in the league. Yep, still bitter about those two boys (and we will not mention the Chicago and New Jersey games from the last road trip). Because of those two games we are now forced to hope that the 5 teams mentioned above give up a few for us. We do not control our own destiny at this point so we are now all fans of any team playing the 5 teams ahead of us.

Tonight for example, we are full blown fans of the Celtics (against the Hornets), Timberwolves (at the Spurs), 76ers (against the Suns) and Grizzlies (at the Lakers). Hopefully we can pick up a game against the Hornets and Suns, but it will take a walking on water type of miracle for the other 2.

On Saturday we are fans of the New Jersey Nets (against the Suns). And on Sunday we go to church and pray for The Raptors (against the Hornets) and the Wizards (against the Lakers). The Rockets and Spurs play each other on Suday so one of those two is getting a loss automatically, save your prayers for games that we need a miracle on.

The Jazz have 10 games left and need to go 9-1 to make up much ground and realistically 7-3 would be a great finishing stretch. All of this speculation assumes that the Jazz will indeed go at least 7 - 3, if they do anything less all bets are off and I am predicting a first round flame out for the boys in blue. 7-3 should get us home court advantage in the first round and then we can hope for another Golden State upset for round two. Check back for an update on where we stand coming Monday and in the meantime feel free to rub a Buddah, say a Rossarie or two, bow to Meccah, start fasting and Pray for the Jazz, we need a little divine intervention.

Being Irrationally Passionate

I was reading through a chat with John Hollinger of ESPN.com and came across the following question and answer:

Lance (KC): Who will have the most feared home crowd in the playoffs? Golden State? Utah?
John Hollinger: Probably Utah, because they're not only very loud but also almost completely irrational. Golden State's up there, so are Boston and Detroit. Along those lines, it was nice to see Houston have some actual crowd noise for a change during this win streak. Let's hope they keep it up in the playoffs.

Apparently we are "almost completely irrational". I kind of took this as a compliment being a the charter member and president of the Dillusionaly Optomistic Fan Club. I want our fans to be irrational, loud, obnoxious and generally a pain in the ass for the opposing team and refs. It makes me proud to see us get under the skin of someone like Kobe Bryant to the point that he loses control of his emotions and looks like a complete tool on national T.V. (Note to Jazz fans though: Kobe, like D-Will, seems to play a little better when he is pissed off, lets trying showering him with compliments next time we see him.) So I keep reading Hollingers chat hoping for a follow up question to get the reasoning of his claim and came across this Q&A:

Brad: Utah's crowd isn't irrational. They are passionate.
John Hollinger: I half-agree with you. They are definitely passionate. But between the screaming bloody murder after obvious fouls, the booing Fisher (what?), etc., they're definitely a little unhinged too.

I am now giggling like a mad scientist who just finished some new torture device. Now we are unhinged on top of irrational and passionate. I hope that every team in the NBA feels this way about our fans. You want the other players to have us, the fan, in the back of their minds wondering where the next beer is going to come flying in from, (I don't condone throwing object onto the court unless you are aiming a player who has raped someone in Colorado) or complaining to the refs because we are swaying them to make a few calls go our way. This is how the fan can help the home team win and the Utah Jazz fans are the best at doing it.

Keep up the good work Jazz Fans, our efforts account for about 1.3% of the team wins this year. The Jazz should win tonights game by 15 so there is not much to write about there. Final score prediction against the Bobcats: 112 - 95.

The silence says it all

........

Jazz vs. Lakers Chat with Forum Blue and Gold

Kurt at Forum Blue and Gold and I exchanged some questions regarding tonight's big game. My responses to his questions can be seen here.

Here are the questions I asked Kurt.


1. Big Three for Lakers. Who would you consider to the be Big 3 on the Lakers team? Cases can be made for Kobe, Pau, Bynum, and Odom.

If pressed I’d have to say Kobe, Gasol and Bynum. First, because Odom is more comfortable in the role as the third or fourth option (his numbers went way up when the pressure of being option #2 went to Gasol, but he is back to being inconsistent since Gasol’s injury). Gasol was born to play in the triangle offense, able to score in the high and low post and he is an amazing passer. When he has the ball guys are moving and spacing the floor because they know they will get chances if and when the double comes to Pau. Bynum, when healthy, provides someone who can defend the paint on defense and is a beast on the boards. He has a solid offensive game if you take him lightly, but it was all the other things he does that the Lakers really miss right now. Putting Kobe in the three is sort of obvious.

I would add that one of the great things about the Lakers roster — when everyone is healthy (so, we’re talking next season I guess) — is that there is a lot of versatility. Kobe can be a two or three, Gasol a four or five, Odom a three or a four, plus guys off the bench like Vladimir Radmanovic, Luke Walton, Trevor Ariza (when healthy) and Sasha Vujacic who can play multiple positions. In a playoff series, that allows Phil Jackson to do a lot with matchups, to put out lineups that are big or small, offensive focused or defensive. When everyone is healthy this is a very deep team that can match just about any style or personnel grouping.

2. Who is the one team the Lakers don't want to see in the first round of the playoffs? Or any round for that matter?

I say the Spurs. They create matchup problems for the Lakers who struggle with point guards that can get penetration (Parker) and versatile big men (Duncan). Plus, that Ginobli guy is pretty good. Then they surround those three stars with role players who understand the system, do their jobs and play within themselves. You don’t see Bowen trying to take over a game on offense or whining about his touches — he knows his role and fills it. Most importantly, they are focused on the defensive end. Every possession. The other thing that gets overlooked with the Spurs is they can beat a lot of styles because of the versatility in their roster and their belief in what they do. The Spurs are going to go out and do their thing, whether you want to run like the Warriors or bring in a big front line like Utah. I like teams that know who they are, no matter their age.

But when you look up and down the Western Conference, does anybody see any easy matchups in any round? It is going to be a real dogfight this year to make it to The Finals.

3. What percentage of women inside the Staples Center have had some sort of "enhancement" in their lives?

Above or below the luxury boxes? Very different percentages there. Here’s a little thing about Los Angeles (and I’m stealing this from JA Adande of ESPN and formerly the LA Times, who I think got it from someone else): Los Angeles is like an iceberg. What people see on TMZ or on the pages of People Magazine — what people think of as "LA" with entertainment industry people sitting around an exclusive rooftop pool party — accounts for about 10% of Los Angeles. It’s the part everybody sees. And for the most part those are the people sitting around courtside, needing to be seen. (Note that Jack Nicholson does not fall in this group — he is genuinely cool and genuinely a big hoops fan.) But like most modern NBA arenas you never see the majority of fans, who at Staples are looking down on the court from up high, above the three levels of luxury boxes. That is where the auto mechanic, the guy with a small record store, the cook at a Thai restaurant and the occasional blogger sit together, having splurged on tickets for one of a few games they can make a year, and they go nuts. Los Angeles is a big and diverse city, it just that most people never look to see that.

4. How do you feel about the Fisher signing? Fans in Utah are very skeptical that he just wanted out of the state and his daughters illness was a convenient excuse. Do you agree or disagree that he hung the Jazz out to dry.

I really don’t get that sentiment. Maybe everybody in America needs to feel the victim these days, maybe you just hate the fact he went to the Lakers (who became good this year) and wouldn’t feel the same if he was in New York. But I can say Lakers fans just don’t get the attitude. Last year you were nuts for this guy, who was making flights between his daughter’s hospital bed and playoff games, and now he’s disingenuous? The guy took a huge paycut for his family’s well being and he’s a bad guy? His daughter is fighting a rare disease and it’s a "convenient excuse?" Last year there was all this talk about how Fisher’s contract was a burden stopping the Jazz from adding key parts to this team, you get out from under it and he "hung the Jazz out to dry?" Seriously, to find that kind of twisted logic one normally needs to follow the presidential campaign.

Anybody who has followed Derek Fisher’s life and thinks he is just another spoiled athlete is looking for an excuse to hate.

5. If you were going to make an All-Star team using only the Lakers and Jazz. Who would fill what position and why? Also a 6th man and a coach.

Good question. D-Will at PG is easy. Nothing against Brewer but I’ll take Kobe at the two. At the three you can choose Odom or AK-47, both are inconsistent. Let’s say each one plays five minutes near the start of the game and we see which one bothered to show up that night and he gets the majority of minutes. Boozer at the four, Gasol at the five, those two would compliment each other very well. Having the banging Boozer doing the dirty work Gasol could live without frees him up to operate in the high post, then when you put someone smaller on him he drops down low. Sixth man — I love the idea of sending in Millsap and Ronny Turiaf as a second-unit front line. Can you imagine the energy those two would spark on the court at the same time?
As for coach, I say we throw Phil and Jerry in a cage — two men enter, one man leaves — winner gets to be coach. I just don’t want to watch, that would be sad.

Thanks for the chat Kurt. I think the Fisher debate is fascinating. This morning on 1280 they played the "return of Fisher" during game 2 of the Warriors series and it's amazing to listen to that crowd. It's a goose bump moment. I can't figure out why we are all bugged so bad...but truth be told I am still bitter. I guess I'm just a True Blue Jazz fan.

Game Prediction: Jazz 102, Lakers 99

Great Moments...umm...Pictures in Lakers History

Some of you "My Utah Jazzers" know I spent several years of my life rooting for the Lakers. Why? Well, I can only blame my Dad, who raised me a Lakers fan. Course it didn't rub off on my older brother, Boozers Hammy, he was a Hawks fan.....well, he said he was, but he cared more about his Mullet, Denim Jean Jacket and skate board. (In his defense, that was before skateboards were cool.)

At any rate, those days are over. I am a true blue, baby blue, navy blue, sometimes throwback green and occasional purple, Jazz fan. However, this morning I could not help but reflect on some of the reasons I rooted for the purple and yellow for so many years.

"Zipper" James Worthy (My Dad's favorite player)

A.C. Green (The real reason Jordan switched to 45)

Kurt 'The Stallion" Rambis

Nick "The Quick" Van Exel (His Jersey will forever be Retired in the Ron Boone home!)

Here's to the real hero's of L.A..... Now, enough with the Lakers props. I am not going to make a prediction for tonight's game. Why? Because the last three predictions I've made have ended in losses. All I am going to say is that I like our chances. Let's do this Jazz! This win would be huge in the playoff scheme of things! Go Jazz.

Late,

Booner

Q/A with Raptors blog Hoops Addict. Exciting eh?

I had a chance to sit down (I always say that, but it's actually a sit down via the amazing world of cyberspace and electronic mail ((e-mail as they call it)) using a personal computing device) with famous Raptors blogger Ryan at Hoops Addict. You can view what I had to say about the Jazz here. Ryan responded to my questions below. He was a little bitter about my first question.

1. Thoughts on being the only team outside of the USA? What does that feel like? What goes through the head of Raptors fans when they sing the Canadian National Anthem at the All-Star game and the only response is crickets?

From a financial standpoint it's a huge score for the Raptors. The team currently markets Raptors TV across Canada and with the change in team colour from purple to red and Naismith silver sports fans across the country have bought into this idea of the Raptors being Canada's team hook, line, and sinker. While fans may not know the national anthem some players, such as Grant Hill, have gone on record as saying they prefer our anthem to yours. So, stick that in your ear...

2. Calderon. The guy is a stud. Will he be staying in Toronto long term? Does he win MIP? How has the TJ Ford situation changed the way this team plays?

There's no chance of him leaving as Bryan Colangelo will tell anyone who will listen that he'll match any offer for Calderon this summer. Besides, what's not to love? He's a throwback to when point guards played like John Stockton and were selfless. We're living in an era where players need to throw down dunks or lead the league in scoring to grab fans attention, yet Calderon is happy being among the league leaders in assists and takes pride in his high assist-to-turnover ration. Throw in the fact that few teams have money to throw at free agents and it's clear that Calderon will be with the team longterm. Ford, on the other hand, is a different story. The coaching staff and front office love Ford but it's become clear since his injury that he's been passed on the depth chart by Calderon so look for the team to deal Ford to a team for a rebounder (someone like Chris Wilcox from Seattle).

3. Honestly, where would the Raptors be if they were in the Western Conference. How grateful are you that they pay in the East?

They would be up a creek without a paddle. Seriously, the Nuggets are looking at winning over 50 games and missing the playoffs? I think there's a chance an Eastern Conference team could lose 50 games and make the playoffs.

Thanks Ryan for the chat. My prediction for tonight's game: Jazz 112, Raptors 98

Umm....About Last Week

Well, you take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have, the facts of being a Jazz fan. At least we did not go 1 -3 on this trip because that is what we could / should have ended up with. At the same time, if AK doesn't jack up a three pointer with 11 seconds left on the shot clock when we are leading by 2 with less than a minute to go in the game and Boozer was killing everyone in sight and should have got the ball - AND then decided to try and go for the steal on the last second drive against Jefferson we would have been 3 - 1 on the trip. Seriously AK, the risk of that steal was not worth the reward, it was a selfish, desperate act to try and single handedly win the game when the rest of your team was ready to close it out. Just stay in front of him and make him take a fade away from the corner, game over, you win. I think that AK might be the most over-rated defensive player in the league. He is not blocking shots this year and he is routinely getting beat of the dribble because he is going for the dumb steal. Guess what, forcing the other player into a horrible shot and miss is just as good as a steal, you get the ball back without them scoring in both situations. The fact is this, AK is more worried about his personal stats than anything else going on in the game.

I am fully in the trade AK for an expiring contract and a pick camp now. I have been on and off that bandwagon all year, but this time I am seatbelting in. CJ might actually be a better fit for the Jazz (shoot me now for giving CJ any props) and the money saved could end up keeping both CJ and Millsap around. This team is really just one defensive minded player away from being the force in the NBA for the next 5 to 7 years. We need that one guy who cares about nothing more than defense to get those big stops at the end of the game. It seems like all of our guys are offensive minded first and we just need that one crazy defensive guy. I know this would never happen, but imagine Ron Artest on the Jazz in place of AK. We would win 4 of the next 5 championships with that team. If was Kevin O'Connor, I at least make the call to Sacto.

- A Look Ahead -

The Jazz now only have 4 road games left, at Minnesota, New Orleans, Dallas and San Antonio. I am predicting a 2 - 2 finish in those games. We should loose to Minnesota, beat New Orleans and Dallas and then loose in San Antonio. Seems about right considering how we play up or down to the competition on the road. That leaves 10 home games and we should win at least of 9 of them. So, as I see it that is 11 - 3 over the last 14 games for a final record of 55 - 27 which should be good enough for home court advantage in the first round. With all of the struggles on the road this year, they really need to get it.

Looking for some luck of the Irish

Big game tonight fella's. I am really not expecting a win tonight - just a good effort and consistent play from boys in blue. If you have a leprechaun friend, rub his head for good luck or something.

I am however a Dillusionally Optomistic Fan so this is one bloggers "Keys to the Game" for a Jazz victory. (Cue Jason Shart dialing up the blackberry and lobbing it to the lower left corner of your monitor.)

#1 - Start fast. Absolutely can not get into a hole this game.
#2 - Keep up the pace. No taking quarters off like the 2nd and 3rd against the Bucks.
#3 - Keep the Celtics under 96 points. The Jazz have not lost a game in which they held the opponent to 96 or less points this year.
#4 - Dont let random scrub/birthday boy go off on you. I can handle KG and Allen and Pierce getting some points, but if Kendrick Perkins put up 25 on us tonight we are going to change Boozers name to "And One.......more free trip to the hoop for a layup if I'm guarding you"

So there you have it, the four Keys to victory, or as my good friend Ron Boone once said - "If the Jazz can score more points than the opponent, they will come out the victors in tonights contest." Thanks Ron! No really, I mean it. Thanks for the well thought out insight on what it takes to win an NBA basketball game.

A ride on the Green Bandwagon (Celtics chat)

The Green Bandwagon and I were able to exchange some questions about the state of our two clubs. You can view my answers to him here.

We are in for a real treat in this game.

CB Jack: The Celtics may become the first team to BUY a championship in one year. Will it be worth it 4 years down the road when the team could possibly be wallowing in mediocrity again?

James GBW: I don't even like to talk about a championship given how good the Pistons are and the out of this world talent of LeBron James. I'd hate to jinx anything. Still I'm not sure I agree with the premise that the Celtics bought a championship if they do in fact pull this off. They made two huge trades and signed some key role players. How is that different from the time the Jerry West gave Shaq 122 million dollars, traded for Kobe Bryant and then added Rick Fox and Robert Horry to build a winner? As far as the Celtics approaching mediocrity, that depends on the collective health of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett who are signed through 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively. But that's a whole other conversation. I refuse to ever question those deals. They made the Celtics relevant and rescued the organization from a disastrous run. It was a gamble that Danny Ainge and company had to take.

CB Jack: What kind of urinals do they have in the…uh…TD Banknorth Garden? I ask because I picture one of those old school troughs where they angle down the urinal so 50 guys can pee at the same time and it all goes down one drain. Am I correct in my thinking?

James GBW: No the TD Banknorth Garden opened in the mid 90s so the urinals are more like what you would expect nowadays. However, if memory serves the old Boston Garden had the trough. 1991 was the last time I went there and I was young enough to be absolutely scarred. Once again I could be wrong but why would I make that up? And it fits in with everything you've ever heard about the old Boston Garden, which was absolutely decrepit by the time it was torn down.

CB Jack: Boston was the Belle of the Ball during the first part of the season. I couldn't go on the internet without a pop-up telling me to buy Viagra and jump on the Celtics bandwagon. They are the only team with 50 wins and yet, we don't hear much on them from a National perspective. What happened?

James GBW: I would point to several factors:
- In January the Celtics sputtered a bit and lost to the Wizards twice and the Bobcats once over a four game stretch. This scared some people off.
- Kevin Garnett got hurt and despite the Celtics going 7-2 during that stretch more people jumped off the bandwagon.
- Pau Gasol went to the Lakers, Shaq went to the Suns, Jason Kidd went to the Mavericks, the Cavs revamped LeBron's supporting cast and a flurry of other deadline deals took place as well. The Celtics made their big moves in the summer and were no longer the flavor of the month.
- Right after the All Star break the Celtics went 2-3 on a road trip losing to the Nuggets, Warriors and Suns in the process.
- I'd say the biggest issue is that Boston plays in the East. Even though the Celtics are 20-3 against the West the divide between the conferences in general is so wide that many people can't get over it. And that's fair. The crowds for those aforementioned Nuggets, Warriors and Suns losses brought a playoff atmosphere because every game out West matters. Golden State, which is currently the 8th seed, is 4.5 games behind the top seeded Lakers. But the Celtics and Pistons are legit regardless of their conference.
- Finally the regular season is really long. It was unrealistic for the Celtics to keep up the ridiculous pace they were on through December.

CB Jack: Everyone expected the big 3 to make big adjustments in their individual games in order to accommodate each other. From an outsider, they seem to be the same guys as they were prior to the trades. Is this the reason Boston is destroying the East?

James GBW: Looking at their stats it's startling how much their numbers have decreased across the board from last season. Ray Allen has gone from 26.4 ppg to 18.4 ppg, Paul Pierce has gone from 25 ppg to 20.2 ppg and KG's seen a dip from 22.4 ppg to 18.4. In fact the most telling stat may be that no Celtic is in the top 25 of minutes played and Garnett's minutes per game have dropped from 39.7 to 33.7. They realize they need each other, have not chased numbers and have really dedicated themselves to winning, which is especially noticeable on the defensive end. It is fortunate that they were all at the point in their careers that they could be on the same page, their positions are different and their games mesh so well. They're destroying the East because the big three bought in, Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins are better than many people realized and their defense is awesome.

CB Jack: If the Celtics could get CP3 or D-Will, who would you want and why?

James GBW: That's a tough question. I'm a huge fan of Williams. I picked him off the waiver wire of my fantasy league last season and drafted him in the third round this season. In both cases he exceeded my expectations. But back to real life where Williams crushes Paul whenever they play. I'd take Brewer, Kirilenko, Boozer and Okur over Peterson, West, Stojakovic and Chandler any time. And I can't fight the feeling that Williams will be an excellent point guard in the NBA and Paul will be one of the best ever. So I have to go with Paul.

CB Jack: If you had to create an All-Star team starting 5 using only the Jazz and Celts, who would you select at what position and why?

James GBW: Point Guard – Deron WilliamsShooting Guard – Ray Allen Small Forward – Kevin GarnettPower Forward – Carlos Boozer Center – Mehmet Okur Sixth Man – Paul Pierce Coach – Jerry Sloan

I love Rajon Rondo's game but consider Williams one of the best young point guards in the NBA. Not a tough choice. Ray Allen, despite his shooting struggles at times this season, is still dangerous. But I got into some trouble when it came to the 3 and the 4. Both Garnett and Boozer are really power forwards but have to be picked. And KG has admitted that he doesn't like the wear and tear that comes with playing center. So I cheated a bit, counting on KG's quickness and all around defensive prowess. Okur helps spread the floor with Allen, which is great given Boozer's low post skills and KG's mid range game. And Pierce gives the team instant offense off the bench. Finally, I actually had more trouble with the coach than one would think. Sloan is a much better coach, with the track record to prove it. It is astounding that his 2004 squad won 42 games. But this team is loaded and the players liking the coach would be half the battle. Doc Rivers definitely gains ground there. And if he could bring his assistants with him, defensive guru Tom Thibodeau in particular, it is even more interesting.

Thanks to James for dropping us a line.

My prediction: Jazz 92, Celtics 90 No hurt in dreaming.

3.12.08 Jazz @ Bucks

My Utah Jazz: Where (whew!) Happens.

Honestly. I figured all Jazz fans might want to stock up on underwear for this roadtrip...I have. I needed them tonight too. This is the best value pack I could find.

We barely pulled this one out. I can't take any more games like this. Watching these games are like watching a nice old 90 year old man trying to run across the street to make the light and about half way through you see him start to lose his balance. Of course there is a lady on her cell phone coming to the intersection not paying attention. Everything goes into slow motion and you are frozen. There is nothing you can do to help this poor old man. You want to honk, but you're afraid it will scare him and he'll fall for certain. Why didn't he just wait for the next light? Right when he is doing good his legs leave him and you know he is going down. You can't watch. You close your eyes and the world stops. You hear a horn. You look up and there he is on the other side of the street. And you ask yourself...how in the hell did that happen? He was a gonner.

Yeah that was this game.

Speaking of crossing the street, here's a time killer for you.



Final Score: Jazz 114, Bucks 110

We won on the road and that is all that matters.

Links:
Brew Hoop
ESPN

A Chat with Brew Hoop

Our own CB Jack recently sat down with BrewHoop.com to talk about the Bucks/Jazz match-up.

Here is what took place:


1. Michael Redd has historically destroyed the Jazz. If you were Ronnie Brewer, how what excuse would you use when Redd goes off for 54 tonight?

If I were Brewer I'd point to the scoreboard, since Redd's big games usually seem to come in losses. Redd has improved his passing this year, but in general he's still the sort of guy who will have periods where he gets into attack mode and it's like he's the only guy wearing a Bucks jersey. Often times this season he's had little choice, as the Bucks spent much of the
first half of the season trying to figure out how to score consistently. So the team often got into a situation where guys were hinting in the media that Redd was trying to do too much late in games, yet aside from Mo Williams and occasionally Bogut, no one else was showing they deserved the ball either.

When Redd does go off, it's usually because he's making very difficult shots. He's really hard to keep out of the lane despite his lack of top tier athleticism, and he's probably better at contested jumpers than wide-open ones. So I'm not sure there's an easy gameplan for stopping him,
but often times when he is going off the rest of the team goes into hibernation.

2. What was your personal view of the Jazz on Sunday after they beat the Suns and Denver back to back? How does that compare to the Jazz that just lost to the Bulls last night?

I didn't see any of the last game, but I've felt for a while that the Jazz would be in the mix in the West. As a fan it's pretty exciting to see so many teams in one conference looking like legitimate title contenders, and overall I'd put them maybe just behind the Spurs and Lakers as favorites out West. If Okur can keep playing at anywhere close to the level he's been at
recently they are going to be a formidable team come April and May. The Nuggets were in Milwaukee a couple weeks back and blew a 23 point lead against the Bucks, so I wasn't all that impressed by their chemistry late in the game and in general they seem like a team still trying to figure some stuff out. I saw the Suns lose to the Sixers in Phoenix two weeks ago (I was on a spring training trip) and have generally been very skeptical of the Shaq trade. So individually those wins don't surprise me THAT much given how good the Jazz have been. But still, I think the Jazz have shown they belong in the conversation with the Spurs and Lakers, namely because after last year they've gotten experience playing together in the playoffs. I don't think you can manufacture championship teams over night (one reason I'm a little skeptical of Boston), so you have to feel good that the Jazz did some damage in the playoffs last year.

3. Bucks were able to get a steal with Mo Williams. What would kind of a trade would it take to get him back in a Utah Jazz uniform?

Nabbing him the way they did the Bucks definitely got a steal, but I think there are huge questions whether Williams can really be the point guard answer for the Bucks' in the long term. They had to re-sign him because they had no one capable of replacing him, but his defense continues to be poor and his game management is still developing. Part of the problem is
also that the Bucks didn't really have an offensive identity for much of the season. Are they Redd's team? Is Bogut going to be the focal point? Are they going to push the pace? So Mo's had to change the way he plays over the course of the season. I think he's best suited to an up-tempo style playing with a more defensive complement in the backcourt. I think he could do really well with a guy like Deron Williams actually, but playing PG next to Redd is tough because neither defends well and they both need to be scoring to be effective.

4. Are there a lot of deer in Milwaukee?

I once hit one with my car in high school and they still occasionally eat some of the vegetables in my parents' garden, so I'd have to say yes.

5. Yi. Can you please give us a phonetic spelling? Has his addition helped your blog get over a million hits a day?

I'd say most people are best left to say "E" and not bother with his given name. But lately the word is that you're supposed to pronounce it "Jee-yen Lee-yen," though I think that's a simplification because us Americans won't be able to pronounce it correctly.

Jianlian is actually two characters in Chinese, each of which (I'm told) is only one syllable, so in practice I think you're supposed to slur the pronunciation a bit together. When I've watched international games of his the Chinese announcers usually say it so that it sounds more like
"Jhen-Lyen." Two long syllables.

Our Chinese hits aren't that high, especially now that he's hurt. Though the curiosity factor probably helps us in that he created a lot of stuff to write about last summer and US hoops blogs have often linked to us since he's an interesting story. Some Chinese sports websites have also
translated some of our stuff (without asking of course), so that was funny to see. The most surprising one was when CCTV, the state TV network, put one of our stories in Mandarin on their website. We'd never have known except that they put "brewhoop" in English near the top. Too bad they don't give us a hyperlink!

6. If you could create an All-Star starting 5, a 6th man, and a coach using only the Bucks and Jazz current rosters, who would fill what position and why?

How about we just take the Jazz choices for all of those? Sloan is an easy pick; Larry Krystkowiak is unfortunately still trying to figure things out in the NBA. The only Bucks starters you might pick over their Utah counterparts would be Bogut and Redd, though Redd's scoring is hardly needed on a team that scores as efficiently as the Jazz. And I definitely like Korver off the bench. So I'd say all Jazz, except Bogut gets a homecoming of sorts and slots in for Memo at the 5.

Can you tell that I'm expecting a loss tonight?


So there you go folks. What happens if we're both expecting a loss?

We'll find out soon enough.

3.11.08 Jazz @ Bulls

Quit crying and learn to win on the road.
It's nobody's fault but your own Ronald.

Nice job Jazzers. I'm at a loss for words at this point. I honestly thought the Jazz were going to pull off a double digit win. I would have gone to Vegas on it.

Question: Why can't we win on the road?

Answer: We suck.

Well there you go. I'm not going to do a recap because the truth is...there is nothing to say.

Memo had 15 turnovers in the last 8 minutes. Game over.

Final Score: Jazz 96, Bulls 108

Links to other angry Jazz blogs:

Biased Fan

The Machine:

ESPN

Bring on the Bulls!

Is anyone else worried about tonight's game? Maybe it's just me being negative but I worry more about the games we should win than the games we aren't necessarily expected to win. (Thanks Minnesota, Atlanta, Miami etc. etc.)

Sure, on paper, we should man-handle these guys, but the problem is, last time we played the Bulls at home, we played to their level and squeaked by in an ugly 97-87 win. Oh, and there was no Ben Gordon, no Heinrich and no Luol Deng.

The good news though, we are on a five game win streak with momentum on our side. I have a feeling the Jazz realize they need to take care of business this week and it starts tonight.

Oh, and the other good news, I just saved a ton of money on my car insura.......no. Sorry. Why would I do that? I ruined an award winning first two paragraphs with an overused joke.

To make up for it, I will finish with:

A. My Prediction: Jazz 111 Bulls: 93

B. Look at our odds to make the finals

C. Hi Mom!

D. Award Winning Photos

What is this?

Does he need to use the restroom? Just curious.

Honestly? I may need to reconsider naming my future son Drew.

There we go....that's why I am naming my boy Drew. After a real Champion!

What's that I hear?

It's the fat lady singing on the McNuggets season. Feel free guard Memo out on the three point line guys, he can shoot it. The good news for McNugget fans - I hear that it is a good draft this year and you get a chance to win the lottery. Maybe you can take OJ Mayo, he would be a perfect McThugget, right down to the look at me shoot first mentality.

The Jazz are flat out on fire. Deron is the best point guard in the league right now. No one is playing better and he is just destroying all comers. Memo is playing like a legit all-star and the bench is amazing. Good times all around. Stat of the night - Boozer, Memo, D-Will and Millsap all had double-double's.

The Utah Jazz - Where blowing out the Nuggets happens!

Call 911! We need a Nugg Doctor in here...

We had the chance to go 1-on-1 with the Nugg Doctor prior to tonight's game. I asked him some questions about the game and the Thuggets. Apparantly he answered while he was on crack...

You can read my responses to his questions here.

Here is the transcript:

MYUJ: You call yourself the Nugg Doctor. So tell me what is ailing this extremely talented team causing them to be left out if the playoffs started today.

ND: What’s ailing this team is a lack of consistency. Defensive consistency in particular. When the Nuggets play good defense, like they did against the Spurs last night, they are capable of beating anyone in this league. Including the Utah Jazz, whom we rocked on the back of Linas Kleiza’s 41-point performance, just in case you have forgotten.

Editor's Note: Good thing the only way the Thuggets beat us is with Linas having a 40+ point game. I think we should be just fine tonight if that is the case.

MYUJ: Deron and AI. Who has the better tattoos?

ND: Please. AI has been getting inked since Deron was playing with a magna doodle. Does Deron even have a neck tattoo? You’re not hardcore unless you have a neck tattoo. Next question!

Editor's Note: No Guts. No Glory. Enough said.

MYUJ: Who do you want taking the final shot for your team? Or Who WILL take the final shot even though they're not the one to do it (who is the selfish guy)?

ND: Well, I want Carmelo taking the last shot. Furthermore, unless the Nuggets need a trey ball to tie the game, I want ‘Melo taking it to the rack to give himself the opportunity to get the free-throw line too. Or hopefully in tonight’s case, facializing Carlos Boozer regularly. But, if you want to know who is most likely to be the “selfish guy” that title is held by J.R. Smith. J.R. is known for pulling up for three with two or three guys on him with over 20 seconds remaining in the shot clock.

Editor's Note: Aren't all Thuggets "selfish guy's"?

MYUJ: Who are your top 3 most hated current Jazz men?

ND: Jerry Sloan first and foremost. I didn’t care for him as a player, and I think he is big baby. He’s one of these guys that loves to go hard at you, but when you split his lip they like to cry about how you play rough. Coming in a close second is Andrei Kirilenko. Nothing makes me happier than to see Kirilenko get abused on defense. Plus, he looks like Dolph Lungren on crack. And last, but certainly not least, is Matt Harpring. I’ve been watching “The Antagonizer” since he was at Georgia Tech and his game is just garbage. In fact, he reminds me a lot of his coach in his playing days. He does nothing great, always something cheap, and he’s never guilty of committing the foul. Yea, those three right there probably get me the most riled up.

Editor's Note: How can a coach get you riled up? Gotta love Harp getting under your Thuggets skin. That will be the best part of tonight's game.

MYUJ: Who do you consider to be the Nugget Killer on the Jazz?

ND: Hands down, Deron Williams. He is the engine of this team. Without picking up Deron in the 2005 draft, the Jazz are a completely different, and substantially worse, ball club. Not that they are a great ball club now, but hey… Deron would be my least hated Jazzerciser if I can call him that. He plays solid ball, but it is against rules in my contract to say anything else about the guy.

Editor's Note: Deron is a Nugg Killer...and Suns Killer...and Pistons Killer...yeah, he's an All-Star.

MYUJ: If you had to create an All-Star team starting 5 out of the Nuggets and Jazz, who would fill what position ? Who would be the coach? 6th man off the bench (must be a current bench player)?

ND: As long as everyone wears Denver Nuggets garb, I would go with Deron, AI, Melo, Kenyon, and Camby. The rest of the Jazz can all get bent! Adrian Dantley would coach the team (and don’t even start that former Jazz rhetoric) and the sixth man would be J.R. Smith. I mean, who do you think would win a game of one-on-one, Smith or Korver?

Editor's Note: Unless they were at a Christian Youth Center, I don't think you could get them on the court at the same time to find out.

MYUJ: Game Prediction?

ND: Nuggets by 40. I refuse to believe in anything other than a Nuggets victory party all over the Utah Jazz’s home floor.

Editor's Note: I just threw up a little in my mouth I was laughing so hard. Jazz 114, Nuggets 102

Thanks Doc.

3.7.08 Jazz @ Suns

The Utah Jazz. Where "not wearing your baby blue's on the road means you might win" happens. I knew when the navy's came out we had a chance.

Utah ladies everywhere feel like we got the better side of the Giri/Korver trade.

Should a 7'1 325 pound man make a dunk look this difficult?

What a great game. I feel like every game is a playoff game. Most of the talking heads on the radio have been saying Utah could go 2-0 this weekend, but they won't. I disagree. This team is playing with passion right now. That was a grind out game of the century...outside of the Detroit game, Dallas game, Spurs game earlier in the year, the game at Denver...ok so they've had a few.

I thought Shaq really looked good. I could care less whether the Shaq trade worked or not, but tonight we saw him play the best he can at this point in his career. The Achilles heal of the trade? Shaq and his 47% free throw shooting. Suns lost an 82% career FT shooter in the Matrix. That will come to haunt them in close games such as this one.

The Suns looked like they were rolling early. Up by 12 in the first and I thought it was going to be next to impossible to come back on them. But you know what, I didn't think it was impossible. Despite all the reasons it should have been, I had a little bit of hope. I haven't had that during a road game in a while. Jazz show up for big games, regardless of whether they are at home or on the road. It's the sub .500 teams that have kept us from having the best record in the West.

Deron played like an All-Star and proved that he is 1a to Steve Nash. I love watching those two guys on the court at the same time. 2 of the top 3 going head to head is always a treat.

Utah played great in the 3rd and carried it over to the 4th. Kyle Korver did exactly what Giri couldn't ever do...hit big free throws. Poor Giri just wants to have one big game against the Jazz. You can just see him trying so hard when he is out there. But I will tell you this, watching him on the opposing team makes me realize how bad he was.

Boozer almost ended up costing us the game and I thought my wife was going to meet him at the airport just to give him the stink eye. Good thing we won, cause you don't want that coming your way Booze Hound, trust me.

Final Thoughts: Jazz go up 1/2 game on the Suns and now sits with the 5th best record in the West and are climbing fast. Deron has nothing left to prove. He is an All-Star and he is every bit as good as Nash. The Shaq experiment is starting to spin out of control.

Bring on the McNuggets.

Final Score: Jazz 126, Suns 118

Links:

Bright Side of the Sun - Who we did a pregame Q/A with.

Biased Fan

Basketball John

ESPN

Did Kirilenko get Shot While I Was Out?

Although I have kept up on the Jazz over the last few days as far as wins and losses go, I have not paid attention to the minor details. Such as, Nowitzki vs. Kirilenko Round 1. Was that before or after the Floyd Mayweather fight? My family and I were in Disneyland so I only saw highlights. Classic Kirilenko. The only person I believe would have milked that even more is Ginobli....But AK did a great job. Don't get me wrong it was a hard foul but I guarantee you he felt like an idiot when the X-Ray's came back negative. Great pics below by C.B. I bet he begged the officials to allow him to shoot the free throws from the wheel chair. If Kirilenko and Ginobli are not starring in a Miami Vice spin off come 2018 I will be highly disappointed.

Anyhow, it looks like AK is out for another game....which isn't that bad really, for the mere fact that in doing so, it has provided us articles such as this below found on ESPN.com.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3280122

Call me rude, classless, whatever, but if I was asked to pick the greatest Sports Update/Story of all time, this would be right up there. (Hands down #1 if we are simply judging short stories.) Just look at these one liners:

"Probably the falling down wasn't too bad, but like the grabbing of the neck was not good."

"I feel like my leg went one way, my body the other way and I feel like very sharp pain in the groin."

"I don't really think he did it for like mean purpose, probably like because of the situation,''

These quotes are the reason I want Kirilenko to stay a Jazz man for life. Yes, he has struggled as of late, but come on, how do you replace this?

Get Well Soon Andrei....but if not...please give the media a daily update for all of us to enjoy.

*I apologize in advance to those who will say I am classless for mocking Kirilenko's English. "Let's see you speak Russian" most of you will say. I understand completely. Classless move on my part....but it's still funny.

Come with us to the Bright Side of the Sun

Seth @ Bright Side of the Sun took a moment to answer some of our burning questions. Here is the transcript:

1. Honestly, how happy are Suns fans to have Shaq in town?

At the risk of offending billions of Suns fans worldwide, I will answer (in the vernacular of the kids these days) IMHO:

When this deal was first rumored I was in line to pick up Chinese food and my Blackberry dinged w/ a text alert. I drove home not believing it could be possible. It sounded like the Dumbest. Idea Ever. Now, after a few weeks and some time to ponder Aristotle-like I am sure it is in fact
The. Dumbest. Idea. Ever. But most of my fellow travelers disagree.

What's been most fascinating to watch was the collective hive of Suns fans go from shock and awe to over the cliff exuberance after the Suns PR machine went full bore and led the lemmings to the edge of hysteria. All in the span of about 48 hours and 3 press conference.

Now, after seeing what should have been obvious, the tide is turning back and there is a lot more concern and skepticism. One thing everyone agrees on is that its still too soon to say for sure but March is a lousy time to be conducting training camp and also stay in the playoffs in a highly competitive Western Conference.

There are some things that have been positive though. We have gone from a -6 TREB Diff to -4.4 and have managed suddenly become a rebounding Juggernaut and also a team that's getting to the line more. So far, Shaq isn't even a threat in a low post but that should improve soon and his range will increase from 0 to 3 ft. And then look out!

Of course, we also went from a team that finally learned how to play D and was ranked 11th in OppFG% to a team that is struggling to stop anyone. Like Memphis. Or Philly. Let alone Denver.

And finally, if you really care what I think (and why would you) about how this could possible work you can read the Signs of Shaq Success post I did before his first game. After 8 games I think I was spot on. Thank you. Thank you very much.

2. Who are your three best defensive players now Marion has jumped shipped?

Nash. Barbosa. And Eric Piatkowski. Defense is a team effort and you are only as good as your weakest link.

How's that for a Jerry Sloan answer!

No, but seriously now. We have some decent defenders in Hill and Bell and even Diaw. Amare can be awesome on D when he wants and if the match-up is good. But we seriously miss Marion. There is no one like Marion that you can put on Boozer, Dirk, Parker, Baron Davis, Le Bron, T-Mac, Melo. Kobe. Anyone. There is no way for example that guys like Rudy Gay and Andre Igudola go for career nights against us w/ Marion on the team. It just didn't happen. Of course, we would regularly give up huge numbers to bigs like Al Jeff, Bogut and Kaman.

So, on paper we trade perimeter D for interior D and hopefully the team will learn to adjust and play a different style of D where they stay up on the shooters and give up some more penetration knowing that Shaq and Amare can protect the rim. Of course, they could have found a young athletic and less expensive 7ft'er to do that. Someone like Johan Petro or a Diop type. But that's not how the Suns roll. They have always gone for the big splashy move. Now we have $40m worth of rebounding and size.

3. When do you see Deron Williams finally surpassing Steve Nash in overall PG play?

After 10 years and two MVP's.

D-Will is a nice young player and I was really impressed with his heart against the Spurs in the WCF last year but its way too soon. Of course, we are also seeing signs of Nash slippage so its likely that within two years when Nash's contract is up and he retires than your man will take the lead.

Btw - and I know how touchy you guys are about this - but CP3 is friggin awesome. His D and on court leadership are better and I think Deron will be playing second fiddle to that guy for another 12 years.

4. Do you prefer a shaggy haired Nash, or a clean cut Nash? And Why?

Shaggy. The record is clear. With long hair he won 2 MVP's. With short hair he hasn't won anything. Scoreboard.

Besides, I think all white players should go for the full shag ala Gasol and mini-Gasol. And then since we are on hair. I predict that this will be the look across America within two years. Get yours now.

5. If you had to create an All-Star starting 5 out of the Jazz and Suns, who do you take at what position and why. Also, a coach and 6th man (must be a bench player).

C - Amare. I know he hates playing Center but this is an all-star game so interior D and rebounding isn't a factor. Besides, Okur vs Amare is a no brainer.

PF - Boozer. I love his game and with Amare at C who else is there? Diaw?

SF - Hill. I am not down w/ spiked-hair Russians that cry. Sorry.

SG - Brewer. The few times I have seen him he has been impressive getting to the rim and he's far more athletic then Bell. And since this is an all-star team who cares if he can't shoot from 3 and his D...actually, I have no idea how he plays D

PG - Nash. This is closer then it should be and next year I might answer the other way. But Nash at the end of the game is the guy you want running your team. Besides, this is an all-star game and who cares about D. (are you sensing a theme?)

6th Man - This is tough. I think I will go w/ Milsap b/c I love the way he plays but of course LB is awesome and this is an all-star game so who cares about D.....But I will go w/ Milsap

Coach - Sloan no question. I have always loved this guy and have a soft spot for hard tough men. Besides, this is an all-star game and who cares anyway.

Thanks Seth. No prediction from Seth, but I'll do it for him...Jazz 114, Suns 110. I always knew Seth was a Jazz fan.

3.5.08 Jazz vs. Wolves

Ronnie Price throws one down...Boozer sees him take off immediately goes the bench and starts sucking his thumb in the fetal position.

Yeah, it was that boring of a game.

Jazz dominate. Deron's drive on Al Jefferson was better than a dunk. I love stare down he gives him after the play.

Final Score: Jazz 105, Wolves 76 (mentally down at the half)

3.3.08 Jazz vs. Mavs

What do I say to this? Really...what do I say.

Final Score: Utah 116, Mavs 110

Links:

Mavs Central

A camp fire chat with Mavs Central

Matt at Mavs Central and I exchanged a few questions on the Jazz vs. Mavs match-up on Monday. You can see my answers to some Mavs questions at Mavs Central.

Here is the transcript:

The scene:

(CB Jack leaning by the fire working on the ultimate roasted marshmallow...to be used in a classic SMORE...the marshmallow catching on fire and CB frantically shaking and blowing it out before his masterpiece is engulfed in flames)


CB Jack: Stupid marshmallow...question for you Matt, Are you happy with the Kidd trade? Why or why not?


(Matt sipping some hot cocoa from a stainless mug while wearing a horrible plaid flannel and "riDIRKulous" beanie)

Matt @ Mavs Central: When the first trade was announced, I was against it. Then they had to move some pieces around to get it to work and I felt a little better about it since losing Keith Van Horn/Trenton Hassell does not hurt as much as Jerry Stackhouse/Devean George. As for now, I am still on the fence a bit.


CB Jack: (applying his burnt offering to the graham cracker) Which player in the Jason Kidd trade will Dallas miss the most?


Matt: Losing Devin Harris hurts a bit, but losing DeSagana Diop hurts more (since they did get Kidd in return for Harris). Erick Dampier has been playing well recently, but he has a tendency to foul out or disappear for weeks and there is not a whole lot behind him on the depth chart. It also forces Dallas to play Dirk at some 5 and he can get abused at times when facing someone like Tim Duncan or Dwight Howard. Diop actually played Duncan well enough to slow him down at times.


CB Jack (starting a new marshmallow because the last one was too burnt, upset because his stick just fell in the dirt and now he has no stick with which to roast his new marshmallow): Devin Harris used to give Deron Williams fits. Deron historically plays very well against J-Kidd. How does this make you feel if the Jazz and Mavs met in a 7 game series?


Matt (moving his chair because the smoke keeps following him): I think Kidd's "experience" would help him out a bit during the playoffs if they met up against each other. If the roles were switched and Dallas was getting Devin Harris in the the trade and Williams played well against him, then I would be worried a lot more.


CB Jack (eating a graham cracker and chocolate with no marshmallow): Do you prefer a long haired Dirk or a buzzed Dirk?


Matt (now standing because he's extremely bugged by the smoke, contemplating whether he should drop the "smoke follows beauty" joke): I can do either. I am a fan when he shaves his head at the beginning of the season and gradually lets it grow out through the season. I guess some players were giving him crap for shaving it late into the season last year, calling him Samson and such, so he has decided to keep it long all the time now. But If I had to choose one, I would go long hair. He looks scary at times with that sweaty hair flopping around in the fourth quarter while he is growling after hitting a big three. Honestly, who else does that?


CB Jack (wondering if Matt is going to drop the "smoke follows beauty" joke): Do you agree or disagree with Mark Cuban's ownership style?


Matt (nervously waiting for a text message from a buddy saying Dirk is out for the game so he has an excuse when Utah wins): I have no problem with Mark Cuban. He is known for putting his foot in his mouth at times or does something that makes you cringe, but at the end of the day, he has done so much more and has brought some much good to the franchise, I can live with the bad. The atmosphere around the 2007-08 Mavs is eleventy billion times better than the 1997-98 Mavs.


CB Jack (crossing his fingers that Deron gets in trouble in Park City over the weekend and is suspended one game by the team so he has an excuse in case the Jazz lose): If you could create a Dream Team starting 5 out of the Jazz and Mavericks, who would win out at each position?


Matt (bedding down and watching the smoke curl its way into the sky in a flowing pattern that resembles Dirk's mullet): If I had to stick to each player's exact position on the team, I would go with:
PG: Deron Williams
SG: Jason Terry
SF: Josh Howard
PF: Dirk Nowitkzi
C: Mehmet Okur
6th Man: Jerry Stackhouse
Token Bench Player: JJ Barea
Coach: Jerry Sloan

CB Jack (snoring because he fell asleep the minute Matt starting talking about JJ Barea as the Token Bench Player in a Dream Team 5): zzzzzzz

Matt (realizing the JJ Barea comment was the most ridiculous comment of the night): Good night CB.

Tortoise from Three Amigos: Good night Matt.

3.1.08 Jazz @ Grizzlies

Deron with one of his 19 assists. Juan Carlos Navarro may have just surpassed DeShawn Stevenson for worst beard of the 07-08 season.

Careful there Javaris. He's waiting until he gets married.

You, the reader, should be glad the Jazz won this game. I had the mother of all pessimistic posts just boiling in my head after the first quarter tonight. I prepared the whole game to write a piece on how mad I am at the Jazz.

And then they won by 21.

I wasn't exactly preparing mentally to have to blog on a win. So I'll just make a few bullet points about tonight's game.

• Jason Collins has bad hair, is overweight, shoots 39% from the line, and still might be just a little bit better than his little brother Jaron.
  
• Welcome Back Korver. What relief to see him get some minutes (24) and hit some shots (6-11, and 4-7 from downtown). This had to be big for his confidence. But shooting 1-3 from the free throw line is unacceptable.
  
• 2 big DNP's. Jason Shart and CJ Miles didn't play. Coincidence that we won? I think so.
  
• Deron has 19 assists, and desperately tried to get number 20 in the closing 45 seconds. He continues to impress me with his arsenal of passes. Too many turnovers tonight (7) but I will still take a 2.71 TO/Assist ratio.
  
• Boozer with no double/double two nights in a row. This must stop now. The good thing is that he took 14 shots compared to 6 last night.
  
• Lack of crowd noise. This made the game really fun to watch. I felt like I was at the Rocky Mountain Review. You could hear just about everything being said on the court tonight. I knew Boozer talked a lot during the game, but good night, I think he cost FSN a good $5,000 tonight in FCC fines.
  
• Brian Cardinal. Something inside of me just wants him to do so good when he is on the court. Perhaps it's because I see a little Adam Keefe in him. Perhaps it's because he's a 30 year old balding white guy who can still drop the three and take you to the hole. And he reminds me of my high school and college buddy KC. A shout out to Thong Boy (don't ask, unless you know him ).
  
• Rudy Gay just scored a 49 on a dunk during a game. Incredible. They should dim the lights and put a spotlight on him when he is that wide open. Just for effect.

Final Thoughts:

Glad the Jazzers pulled it out. We needed a road win like Mike Miller needs a new hair-do. Lose the perm Mike.

Links:
ESPN
3 Shades of Blue (Best Memphis blog out there...might be the only one actually)