Blazers @ Jazz- Payback is more than a bad Mel Gibson film

by clarkpojo on Nov 5, 2008 10:28 AM MST Comment 5 comments

Webster may be key to the success of Portland vs. Utah

There are only two teams that won the head to head matchup during the 2007-2008 season against the Jazz. Not coincidentally, each of those teams were one of the four teams to win in Salt Lake City. Tonight the Jazz will get the chance to payback the Blazers for winning in an arena they had no business winning in last season. It is difficult to overlook the fact that two of the Portland wins over Utah last season happened during Utah's abysmal 3 for 17 stretch in December that cost the Jazz the #1 seed. But it is also difficult to overlook the fact that Portland poses problems for the Jazz.

When you take the Rockets, Celtics, Lakers and Blazers, the only four teams who won at the ESA last season, you see a common thread in those Jazz losses: the other team played tough interior defense mixed with terrific outside shooting. Cases in point: Houston got the first win in Salt Lake by holding the Jazz to 43% shooting while McGrady scored 47 points on 65% shooting from the floor. The Celtics won a tough game in Utah off timely 4th quarter defense and by shooting 10 for 20 from the 3 point line. The Lakers thumped the Jazz, ending their 21 home game winning streak by suffocating the Jazz and shooting 46% from the 3.

Locking down the Jazz defensively and shooting lights out seems easier said than done, but that is where the Blazers come in. They have the recipe of tall shot blockers that clog up the middle of the lane on defense and streaky shooters. Everytime the Jazz played the Blazers, Utah was limited in scoring inside, a staple of any Jazz offense. The Blazer defense packed it in the lane and Przybilla and Aldridge seemed to get in the way of every drive. Without Korver, for the first two games, the Jazz didn't have lots of success forcing Portland to play perimeter defense. And settling for long distance 2 point shots is a recipe for offensive disaster, which Utah did against the Blazers.

It seems to have been a bit of an anomaly, because Martell Webster carried the Blazers offensively against the Jazz every game, having some of his best career performances at Utah's expense. In Utah, Webster had 21 points and Outlaw had 25, but Webster scored most of his points in the 4th quarter. And who could forget the game in Portland when Webster scored a career high 27 points, but with 24 of them in the 3rd quarter alone? Jazz fans would sure like to forget it. Thanks to youtube we can never be completely rid of the memory.

But watching that clip only gives Jazz fans a way to see how their team has improved. Before the season started I had Portland winning this game in Salt Lake City, because they do match up so well against the Jazz. But then two things happened. Oden got injured and more importantly the Jazz learned to play defense. The Jazz have what it takes now, personnel-wise, to limit shooters' ability to beat us with a hot hand. The Jazz man up hard on good shooters and they help when players get beat on the perimeter. Don't get me wrong, the Blazers are still such a tough team for the Jazz to beat. Roy, Webster, Outlaw, and Fernandez will give them fits from the outside and the Jazz need to find a way to score, but I think the Jazz will control Portland well. The only player on the Jazz that looks like he hasn't "found his place" yet in the flow of the game is CJ Miles. And if the Blazers end up starting Nicolas Batum, this weakness might not be noticeable at all.

And if the Blazers have shown one thing this year, it's an inability to change their gameplan/ or confidence when things don't go right from the start.

The Offense for the Jazz is going to come again from their power forwards Boozer and Millsap. And they will be helped greatly by Korver's shooting touch and Brewer's ability to slash and draw fouls, getting one of Portland's defenders in early foul trouble in Utah. Andrei Kirilenko will also continue his rebirth in a new role by posting a line of 14 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 steals, and 2 different hairstyles (one for each half.) This will be a tough game, but expect the Jazz to pull away midway through the 3rd quarter for a convincing 103-84 win.

All comments are the opinion of the commenter and not necessarily that of SLC Dunk or SB Nation.

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Hate to break this to ya, but Webster is out until December with a stress fracture that required surgery...

Roy, Webster, Outlaw, and Fernandez will give them fits from the outside

Actually, I am hating this more than you are, probably.

Carry on.

FREE SERGIO -- Trade Him or Cut Him NOW!!!

by timbo on Nov 5, 2008 12:14 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

................. Put up a picture of Rudy Fernandez instead -- that's the guy that's gonna hurt ya...

(stubble photoshopped on for comedic effect)

FREE SERGIO -- Trade Him or Cut Him NOW!!!

by timbo on Nov 5, 2008 12:18 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the info.

I actually get Webster and Outlaw mixed up all the time. I thought it was Outlaw who was out, but I remembered I saw him play. He wears the goggles, right? But when I made that comment, I was sort of referring to how the Blazers match up with the Jazz in general and not just this game. Should be a great game tonight.

The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.

by clarkpojo on Nov 5, 2008 2:05 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs