Game 61: Utah Jazz (31-29, Road: 10-21) @ Memphis Grizzlies (34-24, Home: 21-7)

It's simple, we kill the batman we win the remaining games, and make the playoffs.

The Jazz need to win, and if the Jazz do, I think this will be a statement. And that statement will be: they are going to go down fighting. The ups and down of a season can make fans go crazy. I know. Above all, I am a fan; and a guy who has gone crazy this year. (Or more crazy) But the unifying, nay, galvanizing force is coming together to cheer for a team that is playing hard. We loved that Andrei Kirilenko led team that almost went to the playoffs, and finished 42-40 -- because they played hard and died hard. They never gave up. We loved that rookie Deron Williams team that came together late, but still missed the playoffs. That team had potential, but down the stretch, they won the games they had to win to stay in it. They bared didn't make the playoffs, they went down fighting.

In some ways, we find admirable qualities for some of the Jazz teams that miss out on the playoffs -- but play hard -- and tend to remember them more fondly than some of our teams that make the playoffs and bow out early, playing timid, scarred basketball. Those teams made it to the playoffs but did not deserve to be there.

If this Jazz team wins tonight, and wins the remaining games on their schedule they are supposed to win, then they will deserve to be there. And that's a team you cheer for. A team you root for. A team you are proud to care about.

This team needs to win tonight and show some pride. They've lost too many games this years to horrible clubs. Memphis is supposed to kill us on paper. Let's play up to the competition here and make a statement.

Tonight we win. Or we go home . . . because it's the end of a road trip . . . or something . . .

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Liner Notes:

• Tony Allen (MEM) is questionable for tonight's game (Lacerated lip)
• Darrell Arthur (MEM) has missed the entire season. He's a good young big though.
• Raja Bell (UTA) . . . you know.
• Josh Howard (UTA) . . . he'll be ready to play during exit interviews for sure.
• Jeremy Evans (UTA) missed last game due to an ankle sprain
• C.J. Miles (UTA) has a strained left calf, but on twitter told me that it's getting better
• Paul Millsap (UTA) is a tank, and I expect him to be ready for battle tonight, he had a big game last night while playing hurt
• Earl Watson (UTA), is out with knee surg
• Rick Majerus is not a big gay guy.
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