The Downbeat - 19 October 2009 - #81 - The Get That Outta Here Edition

  In the last two pre-season games of the season against Portland and Sacramento, we should start to see the normal rotation.  It has already tightened up with the game against Charlotte.

Spencer Nelson and Alex Johnson didn't see any playing time at all.  Matthews got over 20 minutes while Dupree barely cracked 6.  Goran Suton had 7 minutes.

Maybe the biggest indicator of who is going to make the team is who got rookie backpacks.  Maynor obviously has one but the only other one that we know got one is Matthews,

  I'm concerned at the rate that the Jazz are getting stuffed in the pre-season.  Last year, the Jazz averaged about 4.5 blocked shots a game while getting blocked a little over 5 times a game.

In the pre-season so far, they're averaging just 4 blocks a game while getting denied almost 7 times a game.  Those are skewed a little because it is the pre-season.  It could be that the spacing isn't quite right.  Having not been able to see any games, I couldn't say for sure what it is.

  Highlights from last night.  Great to have AK back.

We're dealing with health issues already this season.  Okur was out with a sore lower back last night.  No doubt it was in part because it was a back to back game and an otherwise meaningless one at that.  We know CJ is out.  AK missed a game.  Ronnie P has been out the past couple of games.  And Korver has yet to play in a game so far.  Oh, and don't forget about Harpring.

Let's hope that these are mostly precautionary measures because it's the pre-season.  But you have to worry a bit that it's only the pre-season as these things tend to become more of a factor later in the year.