The Downbeat - 11 October 2010 - #335 - The Mark Prior Edition

  Though it's just a pre-season game, so you think there will be any extra motivation tonight when they go up against the Blazers again tonight?  I would think Deron for one would get a little more amped given the talk from Matthews,

The most constant thing about Matthews is his penchant for talking. Last Thursday, as he was scoring on his former teammates, he was telling them all about it. The Jazz were forewarned: Matthews told C.J. Miles before the game he would be scoring often. That led to good-natured trash talk, which Miles was only too happy to speak about following the Jazz win.    

McMillan seemed to be going all Dusty Baker on Matthews, playing him for a lot of minutes before effectively giving him the night off Friday against the Nuggets when he played just 8 minutes.

We won't see Portland in a real game for another month after tonight.

  We could see everyone stay with the team through the end of the pre-season October 22 against Sacramento.  Last year, that's was when they began cutting guys like Goran Suton and Spencer Nelson which was also right before the last pre-season game against Sacramento.

So look for the cuts to happen on the 20th & 21st after the team gets back from LA.

  Can we put a hold on the jerseys still and make these the Jazz colors?  From Fat Shawn Kemp,

  So the Bulls are investigating Boozer's story about how he broke his finger.  Apparently, his contract debacle when he left Cleveland may have played a part in them not believing his story.  How would it have to be to not trust the guy you just signed to a 5-year deal?

I pondered about how it was dark at 5:30-6 p.m. in his house?  He may very well have tripped over his bag and broken his pinky, but we still seem to be missing some facts as to what led to that.

I'm just glad that we don't have to deal with that.

  Are you feeling a little left out of the pre-season action?  The Jazz have only played one game so far while quite a few teams have had three.  Portland will be playing its fourth tonight when the Jazz head up there.

Things are about to get going though as they'll have 6 games in the next 9 nights (1 more than what's on the schedule due to the tourney in LA).  We'll finally get to see the team play on Thursday when the Jazz host Phoenix.

Savor things now, because it will be April before you know it.