SLC Dunk: FanPosts

SB Nation Survey + Chance to donate $500 to a charity of this community's choice

2010-03-20T00:48:03Z

[Note by Basketball John, 03/19/10 7:29 PM MDT ] The main purpose of this is to get better targeted ads for SLC Dunk and other SBN sites. So if you're not a big fan of the teeth whiteners, fat loss, etc. type of ads, then this would help.

Also, if SLC Dunk were to win, the $500 would go to the BBJ's season ticket fund :). Honestly, it would probably go to Deron's Point of Hope charity or to another player's charity. We'd have a vote on it though for sure.

>> Take SB Nation Survey

Hello sports fans! We're always striving to provide you with the best experience possible and it's been quite some time since we checked in with you.

So we're rolling out this survey to learn more about you and your sports world. It should only take about 10 minutes to complete.

We really appreciate your time and this is also going to help make a donation to a good cause.

By next Thursday (3/25) at 11:59pm PST the site that has the highest percentage of their community filling out the attached survey about their sports interests and consumption will win $500 to donate to a charity of their choice. We will leave it up to the discretion of the community manager(s) of the winning blog to decide how to choose the particular charity.

You can take the survey HERE

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WYR2WQT

Thanks for your support!

Reflections from Section K, Row 25, Seat 12

2010-03-16T16:56:09Z

Scored Jazz tix again last night, including a free hot dog on which I put mustard, catchup, frysauce and pickles. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it. Here's what I learned:

1. Wesley Matthews looks like Wesley Snipes... maybe "sniper" for a nickname, especially given his shooting of late? OMSW-the-Sniper? Whatever.

2. Wesley Matthews is fearless.

3. Deron Williams is a real ninja...just like when Pinnochio becomes a real boy, I'm talking about the same amount of realness but as a ninja. He had a move that started at the 3 point line, ended at the basket, and went around every limb, changed hands at least three times, broke 11 ankles, and took about 17% effort from D-Will. He's that good.

4. Every play is a fast break with deron, until it isn't. Andre Miller was like this at the U. Push the ball up until the window closes, then responsibly bring it back out. Every pg should play this way.

5. Fesenko's limbs are made of gummy worms and his shoes are actually toaster ovens and his hands are dolphin flippers. Still, he is the best and biggest big man we're always saying we don't have. Let him play. Let him play. Let him play. The only way he'll learn to stay on his feet is with experience. The only way he'll take free throws seriously is if he has to start taking a bunch of them. Let him play.

6. I know we have said this ad nauseum, but boozer's help d is atrocious. In fact, a lot of the bigs' help is bad. But specifically, it's bad when the other big is on the block opposite boozer's big. The Wiz had a handful of one-on-one post moves that met no resistance in the lane. There is no reason for Booze to be on the outside of the lane on the weakside when the strong side has the ball on the block. (Actually, am I running up against illegal defense here? Is that why he doesn't drift in to help? I don't really know that rule very well.. somebody clarify.)

7. Some Jazz dancers are hot and sexy. Others are ridiculous. There was one in particular who's head shaking looked more like she was in the middle of a bad car accident and less like strutting. It was weird. Subtlety is a virtue in all the arts.

8. Gaines can shoot. I think I like him better than Price. Any thoughts? He really gets in guys' faces on D too, an annoying bugger. For a stretch, he was the only one playing D (he was checking Foye).

9. I've never left a game early in my life. I think it's classless. But I had to drive an hour to get home and be at work this morning by 7. So we left with 7 minutes left. At that point, it was essentially a Fesenko drill, which was fun for a little while.

10. Deron's first foul was an offensive foul where he raised to shoot from the baseline and popped Foye (I think it was Foye) in the jaw with his elbow. HOW IS THAT ANY DIFFERENT THAN DURANT OR KOBE OR GINOBLI RAISING THEIR ARMS FROM UNDER A DEFENDER'S OUTSTRETCHED ARMS TO DRAW A FOUL? WHO IS ENTITLED TO THE SPACE? bs call. bs cs call. the C is for Chicken.

Jazzmen photoshop fun.

2010-03-14T01:24:16Z

Here is my take on some of our gamethread player nicknames and sayings. Of course, use these how ever like, no credit necessary. If there are any other players you'd like me to tackle let me know. Sorry, I'll pass on interpreting Korgasm ;)

Deron=Ninja (Large)

Deron=Ninja (Small)

Jazz Ninja Star

Doe

OMSW="Oh my sweet Wesley" (what have I done)

AKWSUA= AK will save us all

Paul Millsap is Mansap

Enjoy!

Deron Williams rocks my world

2010-03-12T07:53:02Z

I remember watching the Jazz make their WC Finals run in 2007. My favorite memory was in game 1 against Golden State, when the national broadcasters proclaimed that the Jazz were probably the better team, but Baron Davis was, without question, the best player on either team. And then Deron went for 31 and 8 in game 1, and the Jazz knocked the Warriors out in 5.

via www.basketballjohn.com

In the afterglow of that game 1 performance, I sat on the sofa, just thinking that Deron Williams could end up being the greatest Jazzman of all time. He wasn’t there yet, I knew. He wasn’t close to Stockton’s understanding and nuances. But Deron had the tools to be the best. I remember how excited to watch the next 5 or 10 or 15 years and see exactly how good Deron Williams was going to become.

And here we are now. I’m still not going to say the Ninja’s the best ever. That’s something to think about in 10 years, when he’s on his downside run. But the magic is there. And he’s getting the nuances and subtleties.

The most amazing thing about Stockton was how he led a fast break. Only after watching Deron’s early years did I realize how absurd Stockton’s skills were. He knew, instinctively it seemed, exactly what speed to run, exactly what angle to cut, the precise spacing the break needed, and then he’d hold on to the ball just almost too long—so the defender had to commit to Stockton. And it was at that precise moment, when the defender made his move that Stock would pass the ball—the the exact right guy, in the exact right space, swooping in at the exact right trajectory for the easy layup and dunk.

Young Deron could not do that. But watch him now. He’s doing it. He’s not as refined as ‘95-’98 Stockton, but the Ninja gets it. He does it. That’s how the Jazz score 132 points on the road.

via voreblog.files.wordpress.com

Stockton was also brilliant in stepping back and letting the Jazz offense do its thing. He didn’t have to dominate the ball to get his 15 points and 12 assists. Sure, there were a lot of pick-and-rolls with Malone that led to an assist or open jumper, but that wasn’t the heart of Stockton’s game. This was more typical:

Dump the ball to Malone in the post. Cut along the baseline. Set a screen for Hornacek making a weak side cut. Set a screen for Bryon Russell to cut through the key. Head out to the three-point line. Get the ball back on a back-door pass. Run his guy into a pick set by Malone. Run his guy into another pick set by Ostertag. Look at Bryon Russell, spotting up for the corner three, but flip a weak-side pass to Hornacek for an easy layup.

That’s how the majority of Stockton’s assists and points came about. And that’s why so many other Jazzmen piled up crazy assist numbers. Seriously, there’s NO WAY a PF and SG should be combining for 9 assists per game when they already have a PG dropping in 12. It was ridiculous. But that was the magic of John Stockton—he got his stats by making the team offense run. He didn’t do iso’s. He didn’t "create his own shot." He just let everything happen within the scope of team play.

Again, young Deron couldn’t do that. But today’s Ninja does it. He does it masterfully. He picks a few spots to assert himself, but 95% of his stats come in the scope of the team offense. And by doing this as well as he does, the Ninja becomes the catalyst for the most magnificent scoring machine in the league. Other teams may score more, but they just shoot more quickly and end up with more possessions. Nobody—NOBODY—puts together an offense more beautiful or more effective than the Jazz when they’re clicking.

via www.deseretnews.com

And I’m convinced that no other point guard in the league could make it click the way Deron does. He gets the ball to the right guy, he makes the right screens, he makes the right cuts (as a scorer and as a decoy), and he takes the right shots.

This summer, when the Blazers signed Andre Miller, there was a lot of uncertainty about whether he could play with Brandon Roy, because to be effective both players needed the ball in their hands the majority of each possession. This is the same with LeBron, Wade, Kobe, Nash, Chris Paul, and just about every other star in the NBA.

Well do you know what? Deron Williams doesn’t need the ball in his hands. The more I realize how rare that skill is, the more I realize how good the Ninja really i s. He dominates the Jazz, he runs the team, he makes the motor purr, he’s the unquestionable leader, and he does every other sports metaphor you can think of, all without the ball in his hands. All without forcing the team to stand around, stagnant and moldy.

And a final bit: A couple years ago, the Sports Guy decided to d efinitively declare that Chris Paul was better than Deron Williams, and it was absurd to even continue the debate. I was annoyed. But I wasn’t annoyed in the same way other Jazz fans were. I concede Chris Paul’s skills. He’s phenomenal. I never questioned the Sports Guy’s assessment of Paul. What I did question was what he said about the Ninja. Deron Williams was, and is, much better than Simmons gave him credit.

Most statistical differences were a wash, in my opinion. Paul rebounded better and had fewer turnovers. Deron shot better from outside and got his teammates shooting a higher percentage. Paul got more steals. Deron played better team and positional defense. There was just one thing I thought Chris Paul was better at: the razzle dazzle.

It’s important to not undervalue the razzle dazzle, either. It makes the crowd go bonkers, which makes the team play better. Dr. J’s famous cradle-windmill dunk against the Lakers wouldn’t have affected the game nearly as much if he had instead scored a simple layup.

via elyriact.smugmug.com

Razzle dazzle matters. And you know what? I was wrong. Deron’s got it. He’s been unleashed by Sloan, and my goodness does he have it. He’s got the no look passes. He’s got the posterizing dunks, he’s got the moves, he makes the crazy passes. He’s got the speed to blow opponents into dust. He’s got the power to knock them to the floor. And, most importantly, he’s got the relationship with his teammates to get a kick out of making something spectacular happen.

He’s the best PG in the league.

And what’s fun is to see the rest of NBA fandom finally start to appreciate the Ninja:

"Williams rarely gets mentioned in the same breath as LeBron James, Wade and Chris Bosh. And he should. He has developed into the best all-around point guard in the NBA … Williams (18.6 points, 10.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds) is the complete package: He is big, he is tough and he is getting better." — Frank Hughes, Sport’s Illustrated

"All due respect to Deron’s most popular rival, Chris Paul, but I think Williams vs. Rose is going to be the PG matchup to watch within the next 2-3 years." — Austin Burton, Dime Magazine

"A lot of point guards can score. Several can get 13 assists. A few can be All-Stars. But it takes a very special one [i.e. Williams] to know it's OK sometimes to fade into the background and let your teammates do their thing" — Henry Abbott, True Hoop Blog at ESPN

Deron Williams rocks my world. And what’s crazy is that he’s only going to get better.

* And by the way, it drives me up the wall when I hear that should the Jazz end up with the #1 pick they would have to trade either the pick or Deron. You can't put Deron Williams and John Wall in the same backcourt. There’s no way to put two PG’s that talented on the same team.

Maybe on most teams it wouldn’t work, but it could thrive on the Jazz.

It could thrive because Deron doesn’t dominate the ball. It could thrive because Sloan could rewrite the playbook, making the 1 and 2 spots interchangeable (Sloan already did this once, in ‘03-04 and ‘04-05). It could thrive because the Jazz get everyone involved with passing and scoring.

Seriously, I'm supposed to believe that a team based on team play, passing, easy baskets, and an absurdly high number of team assists wouldn’t be even better with two big, fast, athletic point guards? You’re telling me that Deron playing 24 minutes at PG and 12 minutes at SG (which he already does, happily, when needed) and Wall playing 24 minutes at the point and 12 at SG wouldn’t be freaking awesome?

On most teams it wouldn’t work, I agree. But the Ninja’s got magic and Sloan’s got the team-play. It would work in Utah, and it would be unbelievable to watch.

Playoff Predictions

2010-03-10T19:01:12Z

I've probably got way too much time on my hands, but I looked through the remaining schedules for teams in playoff positions in the Western Conference. I created this graphic so that I could see it all at once:

via i267.photobucket.com

click here to enlarge

A few things jumped out to me. First, the Mavs have by far the easiest remaining schedule. They have the fewest road games, and only 2 road games vs. playoff teams. And with the way they've been playing lately, I don't see anyone catching them. Another thing that stands out is that LA only has 6 home games remaining. They've been struggling lately (would have been a 4 game losing streak if not for a Kobe buzzer beater last night). I'm just saying, the Mavs are only 3 games back in the loss column, so there's a possibility that LA might drop to the 2 seed.

OKC could make some noise. They have the most games remaining, and

We've got our work cut out for us, but I am optimistic that we can overtake Denver. They have two more games vs. playoff teams than we do, and they also have an extra road game vs. a playoff team. But then, if LA does drop to the 2 seed, I'd rather stay at number 4!

In Monday's DB, Basketball John invited us to predict how the Jazz will finish the season. I enjoyed reading your predictions, so I thought we could take it one step further. Predict the playoff seeds and regular season records for the Western Conference playoff contenders.

My Predictions:

1 LA Lakers (59-23)
2 Dallas Mavericks (58-24)
3 Utah Jazz (57-25)
4 Denver Nuggets (56-26)
5 Phoenix Suns (53-29)
6 OKC Thunder (52-30)
7 Portland Trail Blazers (50-32)
8 San Antonio Spurs (49-33)

My predictions are a combination of what I think will happen, and what I hope will happen. I'm probably a little too optimistic, but I think this scenario gives the Jazz a great shot at a long playoff run. Call me crazy, but the only team on this list that I'd be truly afraid of in a 7 game series (especially if we had home court advantage) is LA (Denver is a close second though...). And if the seeds lined up like this, LA would face San Antonio and (most likely) Denver in the first two rounds. That could really make things interesting.

So, how do you think the playoff teams in the West will finish? What are your predictions for seeding?

Last 20 games of the season

2010-03-09T19:13:05Z

I loved reading people's predictions in the comments section of the Downbeat on 3/8/10, so I thought I'd put up a fanpost to give my own predictions on the remaining games as well as hear from everybody else.

Warning - I am not as optimistic as the rest of you. Here goes the predictions, game by game, with brief reasoning for each.

March - PREDICTION = 8 wins, 6 losses

At Chicago: LOSS (Bulls have lost 4 in a row, including a high-scoring game against the red-hot Mavs. They are too good of a team to lose 5 in a row, especially at home. I expect D-rose to penetrate at will and get D-will in foul trouble. He will find open shooters and the Bulls will hit from the perimeter all night long.)

At Detroit: WIN (As the Jazz typically do on back-to-backs, they will lose the first and win the second. This Detroit team doesn't have much to play for and the Jazz in the past few years have been invincible at the Palace.)

At Milwaukee: LOSS (The Bucks are playing fantastic ball after the All-Star break, and the Jazz have never been able to stop John Salmons from penetrating or shooting the 3-ball. Skiles will not allow the Jazz to run their offense. Another prediction - AK will go down with back spasms.)

At OKC: LOSS (Last game of a 4 game road trip against OKC in their home? Definite loss. Jazz will be weary and won't be able to keep up with the running game of the Thunder. Also, highly doubtful that anybody will be able to keep up with Durant, even if AK is available. Bigger problem = Westbrook if he decides to drive to the hoop.)

Vs Washington: WIN (We will either lose the OKC game or this Washington game. This will be a back-to-back for the Jazz, and I doubt the guys will be rested enough after the long road trip to play up to par. This will be a close one, but I expect Andray Blatche to be unstoppable and Javale McGee to have at least 5 offensive rebounds.)

Vs Minnesota: LOSS (Once again, the reality is that we struggle against the T-wolves. This one won't be any different. Kevin Love will dominate the glass and people like Gomes and Ellington will once again be hot.)

At Phx: LOSS (Phx will get their revenge, guaranteed. I just hope that somebody clocks Lopez in the mouth.)

Vs New Orleans: WIN (Sloan is going to rip into the team and as usual, the Jazz will win the 2nd game of the back-to-back)

Vs Boston: WIN (The guys will be rested and will come out with a spirited effort against a struggling Celtics team. I expect a dominating performance.)

At Toronto: LOSS (The Raptors are hot and cold, but they will be hot when we play them. Bosh is a wiry monster and is going to present all sorts of problems for our bigs. Plus, the Raptors are a great home team.)

At Indiana: WIN (This should and better be a gimme. It's not a back-to-back, so the Jazz should be able to run with this high-scoring Pacer team. Put a hand up when Troy Murphy shoots, k?)

At Washington: WIN (Despite being a b2b on the road, we should be able to take this one. Hopefully Randy Foye can be tamed by Matthews/Miles.)

Vs New York: WIN (They should not have the talent to keep up with the Jazz. Let's hope the Jazz don't overlook or underestimate the team. I also hope Eddy Curry is not playing or does not play a factor in this one.)

Vs Golden State: WIN (This one's on national TV, and both teams traditionally play better than expected when broadcasted nationally. I have to give this one to the Jazz, although I would not be surprised if GSW pulls off an upset. Give Curry a few elbow jabs in the ribs and he won't be hitting that J as easily.)

April: PREDICTION = 4 WINS, 2 LOSSES

At LA Lakers: LOSS (If I am correct above, they should be carrying a 4-game win streak coming into this game, so you'd expect the Jazz to come out focused. I expect the Lakers to have locked up the #1 seed by now and only playing for homecourt in the Finals, so this should be a close one. Unfortunately, half of the Jazz players abruptly become useless after setting foot in southern CA. Doesn't matter if it's against the Clips or the Lakers)

Vs OKC: WIN (Revenge win. Hopefully it is a dominating win against a likely first round opponent.)

At Houston: Win (Houston is going to be pissed that they haven't made the playoffs. As usual, they are going to play hard and scrappy, and I think Adelman's team is going to make it a close game...but I think the Jazz should prevail)

At New Orleans: LOSS (Chris Paul might be back for this one. Either way, Darren Collison is a handful. We are either going to lose this one or the one in March against the Hornets. I choose this one because our concentration likely will be at a low given the fact that playoff seedings will probably have been determined.)

At Golden State: WIN (Golden State will be in full-out tanking mode by now.)

Vs Phx: WIN (Given the fact that we are at home, this should be a tough win against another possible 1st round opponent.)

Total record = 12-8. This will likely put us in the 4th or 5th seed, which is where you DO NOT WANT TO BE if you want to avoid the Lakers in the 1st or 2nd round. And yes, last time I checked, we qualify as one of the teams that definitely want to avoid the Lakers at all costs. Another option is to tank to the 6th or 7th....or we could win more and gun for the 3rd seed. I do not think we can overtake Dallas or Denver realistically, so unfortunately I think we might be stuck in the 4th or 5th seed.

Can't wait to see how this plays out...

Boozer or Millsap? There is No Debate

2010-03-05T21:31:40Z

via www.deseretnews.com

This morning, as per my daily ritual, I jumped online and began sifting through all the Twitter updates, articles, recaps, video, and message boards related to last night's Jazz game. I did all that while enjoying an apple fritter and waiting for The Downbeat. I also had a bit of an epiphany. Perhaps its not something that is lost on everyone that follows the Jazz and the NBA, but it was quite enlightening to me.

More often than not after a game I see some sort of comparison between Paul Millsap and Carlos Boozer, ultimately with the intention of proving why one is better than the other and which is the Power Forward future for the Jazz. This time something was different. I had always had my thoughts on this; leaning more toward Boozer, for various reasons. Suddenly, I thought to myself "Why? Why must I choose?". My conclusion? I'm not going to and I shouldn't have to.

I see no reason why the two cannot coexist. Look at all the "elite teams" around the league and there is one thing that jumps out if you dig past the starting 5. They all have that one player that people say "he would be a starter on any other team". Its the "plug and play-er". He's the one guy that can step into the line up when a starter goes down or is having a bad game, and not miss a beat, and the team plays as if he had always been right there. Lamar Odom is one. So are Jason Terry and Jamal Crawford. Manu Ginobili comes to mind (though he's on the decline). What sets all those players apart, however, is their willingness to fill that role. They have embraced that 6th man role and because of this the position has gone through a metamorphosis. It is no longer a role that implies you are the best of the worst, but that you choose to be a cog in the machine that doesn't start turning until a few minutes after the thing gets rolling.

Power Forwards are at a premium in this league and to have one coming off the bench that is as capable as Millsap is an amazing luxury. Not only does he share many of the talents that Boozer has, but like Boozer, he has his own skill set that he brings to every game; skills that Boozer just doesn't have. This makes for an incredibly versatile team. These two become interchangeable, but can also be combined to form a veritable Voltron of PF/C might (though it may be a little shorter).

If the Jazz want to maintain their current ability to compete amongst the titans of the Western Conference they must keep these two together. If a move has to be made pertaining to the front court it has to be in the direction of a player that can compliment the abilities of the PF combo. I won't be so bold as to make a commanding statement as to who this player should be; that is the job of the Jazz's Front Office. Perhaps this person will come in the offseason in the form of a drafted rookie, trade, or free agent signing. Perhaps this person already inhabits a spot on the current roster and just needs a little more time and experience to blossom (not gonna mention any names here...). However it works out the one spot that should not be meddled with is that all important 4 spot- the envy of much of the league. I've heard the "definition of insanity" rattled off by Jazz fans enough times this season to make my ears bleed, but there's another school of thought that preaches the advantages of leaving the working piece of machinery alone and letting it do its job- this is how the the Jazz should approach their PF situation.

The Jazz needs a new leader

2010-03-04T03:22:24Z

I'm getting tired of Deron William's inconsistent play. At his stature (All-Star), he should have matured enough to be a consistent player night in and out. The point guard is the soul of the team. Teammates look to their point guard for guidance. If Deron has a lack luster attitude, it shows, and that negative energy will rub onto his teammates. He never seemed like a true leader. Sure, he's talented and has plenty of skills but I'm talking about leadership, that vibe that one has which keeps your teammates ready and hungry; you know like for say John Stockton, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, LeBron James to name a few. A leader will show up day in and day out, work hard, and always be a reliable person, motivating teammates when they're down, uniting the team with that leadership. I won't ask for much, just that consistent play. Consistent play means reliability and maturity. Without such qualities as the leader of a team, I fear that the team wont go far. And yes, I am challenging Deron William's character.

You go out on the road and play horrible against a weak team (Sacramento) and apologize for it (admission of guilt) and get angry (another sign of immaturity) and shoot the lights off against Houston, then play horrible on the road against another bad team (Clippers). I can't handle all these mood swings in attitude and production.

Next, he's a turnover hog. To be exact, 5th in the league right after LeBron James (and without James's production). In Jerry Sloan's discipline orientated play scheme this cannot be allowed or tolerated. I cringe when I see all those turnovers. What else can I say?

The Jazz traded up to get Deron Williams when Chris Paul was there to take. Why? Because Deron has a bigger body (and that makes him a better defender and more durable. how absurd is that?) Don't start with defense because I wasn't planning on going there tonight. He is not a good defender. Period. Simply stated, Chris Paul is the better defender. Heck, Chris Paul is a better shooter (both FG% and FT%) and scorer, rebounder, passer, stealer, and has 1 less turnover per game.

I might have been too harsh today. Maybe my standards are up high since I grew up watching Stockton and Malone play like work horses day in and day out. Or maybe because we're nearing the playoffs (with the race being tight) when the team needs to be in fifth gear but instead plays like its November.

Deron, let's get this team together, committed, and driven. Play like you love playing ball and guide this team to a successful playoff run.

CJ Miles might as well date Meadow Soprano

2010-03-03T05:51:14Z

C.J. Miles' reputation among Jazz fans is probably at an all-time low. He's shooting at percentages well below his norm of the last two years, making Carlos Boozer look like a member of the All-Defense team, and posting twitter updates about his woes in a syntax that is making no one forget that he's never attended a single college class. Despite the obviousness of all these problems, he's developed a shot selection that would make Don Nelson blush; earning him the appellation "Chucker J. Miles" as he uses possessions at a higher rate this season than any other in his professional career. The rational response when you're in an extended slump is to shoot less and try to do other things well until your shooting touch comes back to you. C.J.'s response is to chuck at a rate higher than ever before at increasingly worse success rates. At this point in his career, it only feels unfair to refer to Miles as a "volume scorer" because that would require him to be a little more successful at scoring.

C.J.'s reaction to suddenly failing at the one thing he's supposed to count as a core NBA competency (shooting), has been to do that one thing even more frequently despite plummeting success rates. I believe this is occurring because, while all of us see C.J. as a middling NBA player who's hardly essential to team success, C.J. still views himself as the child prodigy that can't fail. Remember that C.J. was hailed for several years in high school as one of the top 10 athletes in the country, had his shooting stroke compared to Jesus Shuttleworth himself, and was considered a fair bet to be an elite NBA player with even a little luck. On top of that, the organization has repeatedly represented that they believed he was a long-term answer at the shooting guard position, matching a generous contract offer from Oklahoma City for his services for four seasons. C.J. looks back at his prodigal past and the contract he's been given and believes he still has the potential to be Ray Allen, even though no one else would project that future for him today. In effect, at this point in his career, C.J. is the only person who remembers the infinite promise. Meanwhile the fans can't foresee any promising future for CJ, in large part because we never saw his high school games and he's never produced that singular game that makes us salivate for the future while remembering that he's still only 22 years old. Even Tony Delk had one magical night in his career, CJ is still searching for his. Thus, there is a strong gap between C.J.'s perception of himself and the reality everyone else can see, paradoxically because C.J. actually has the most information about his own career and the majority of his playing experience features him as the best player in the game. In Entourage terms, C.J. still believes that he's going to be Vincent Chase, but in reality everyone but him knows that he's Turtle.

via ifeliciou s.com

This isn't necessarily an insult. Turtle has his good points. Evidence suggests that at one point in time he was a better than average bookie, he discovered Saigon, and he also appears to be providing Jamie Lynn Sigler with a career. Other characters on the show remember him as being the guy who was able to finance Vincent Chase's original move to L.A. and thus credit him with some of Vince's resulting success. Because these events took place off-screen, however all the viewer sees is that Turtle is a leech on people who are more successful than him collecting a string of Cadillacs and using reflected fame as leverage to sleep with models. Similarly, C.J. actually has a strong history of flashes of brilliance, it's just been at a level the rest of us can't see because it has occurred outside of the games that have been broadcast to Jazz fans. We only see Turtle driving the car, not breaking people's thumbs in New York to get Vince's travel money. At the end of the day, though, those flashes don't mean anything and you have to make something of yourself. Even Turtle went back to college.

[Interlude: If you think I'm not using this analogy as an excuse to cast the rest of Entourage with Jazz players and staff you're crazy.

Carlos Boozer is Eric Murphy: the admittedly indispensable character with a complicated personal relationship (sorry Cece, you know it's true) and an unlikeable personality. Paul Millsap also has a case for being "E" because, you know, he's "undersized," which may or may not be related to the consumption of Anaconda Malt Liquor.

Kyrylo Fesenko's "jackpotting around" defeinitively labels him as Johnny Drama. And if he were to ever drop to his knees and shout "Victorrrrrryyyyy!" after a Jazz win he might surpass Stockton as my favorite player ever. I wish I was kidding about that.

Deron Williams is clearly the fictional movie star Vincent Chase. Kosta Koufos is clearly the non-fictional non-movie star Adrian Grenier.

Jerry Sloan, winner of every power struggle in the organization, is Ari Gold. Phil Johnson is Mrs. Ari.

Lloyd Lee has been the bottom with two boyfriends. Kevin O'Connor has been the bottom in two trades this season.

To those that don't have HBO, I apologize]

The current behavior we see from C.J., where he appears to believe that the rim did him some horrible wrong in the past and must be punished by having a round orange object repeatedly caromed off of it, can only be corrected by a forced snap back to reality. He has to be made to know that he will never be a star, otherwise he's going to keep trying to shoot his way back into being considered an intriguing young talent.

Sloan merely benching him won't do the trick because everyone knows that they can be marginalized from importance on the team without regard to their abilities. Anyone who forgets that lesson need merely stop by Andrei Kirilenko's locker and ask him to describe his career from 2006-2009. Instead C.J. needs to be forcefully informed that he is entirely fungible, a superfluous player that could easily be replaced and will be on a moment's notice. Unfortunately, the organization has sent him exactly the opposite message by shipping out Ronnie Brewer and stating that they did so in order to "resolve" their logjam at the position. Had they gone the other way and let C.J. know that he was the odd man out, that might have been the wake-up call he needed to realize his true destiny as a role player instead of as a budding star. Instead, the team has reinforced his delusion by clearing an obstacle out of his way. That's going to be the wrong decision both for the team and for C.J. in the long run.

I just looked at the remaining schedules of the Jazz and the Nuggets.

2010-03-01T01:51:57Z

The Jazz have an easier remaining schedule in March. I'll say by april 2nd that the Jazz will be up by 1 or 2 games on the nuggets. In April there was either 6 or 7 games and they get tougher. It will definitley be interesting on who comes out on top. I'll say 56 wins is the magic number. 56-26 should get first place in that division. I just hope the Mavericks only win 55 games so we get the second seed out west.

We should pick up Rob Kurz

2010-02-27T19:57:29Z

via 4.bp.blogspot.com

He has played in the NBA and I think can be successful with our team.

From Ridiculous Upside:

8. Rob Kurz, Fort Wayne Mad Ants (18.3 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 1.6 bpg, 52% FG, 45% 3pt, 81% FT) - Kurz gets my mid-season award for using the D-League most effecitively. Last season with Golden State, he was primarily (read: only) a pick-and-pop shooter. After that gig didn't fly in a number of opportunities this offseason (Orlando Summer League with the 76ers/Nets combined team, Vegas Summer League with the TWolves, preseason with the Cavs), he came to the D-League and has worked on becoming more than a shooter. It's actually really working. I'm not sure how much credit to give to his coach (Joey Meyer was also credited for developing Ramon Sessions while in the D-League), but Kurz is now able to score in the post and averaging over 10 boards per game as the lone bright spot for his struggling Mad Ants. Oh, and don't worry - his 45% shooting from beyond the arc proves he's still able to shoot as well. In fact, all of those shooting percentages are pretty good, no?

Rob Kurz - Buzzer Beater? (via mmenne85)

Rob Kurz '08-'09 Highlight Reel (via BBJ)

Others that I wouldn't mind to have on the team

6. Alexander Johnson, Sioux Falls Skyforce (23.8 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 54% FG) - I'm going to assume Johnson is the next player to get called-up from the D-League. He's got all of the buzzwords going for him - he's explosive, has a great body, he's skilled and has an NBA resume (102 NBA games in two seasons between Miami and Memphis). Plus, in the game I watched against the Maine Red Claws, he absolutely abused them to the tune of 30 points and nine boards in 30 minutes. He's got an ugly but effective mid-range shot, is quick enough to put it on the floor from the pinch post, and pretty much just plays hard.

sick block by Alexander Johnson of the Memephis Grizlies (via wwwHOOPCAPITALcom)

9. Alonzo Gee, Austin Toros (19.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 50% FG, 39% 3pt) - From what I'm hearing, he's been ranked here mostly due to "his one-bounce, one-arm tomahawk in the dunk contest". Honestly, after watching in slow motion, I don't blame them.

Alonzo Gee (Dunk #4) - 2010 D-League Dunk Contest (via DraftExpress)

Me neither...

2. Carlos Powell, Albuquerque Thunderbirds (22.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.9 apg, 49% FG) - There really isn't much more you could want out of a 6'7" forward, actually. I'll let Jon L's comments explain the rest: "Powell does many things very well: He's top 10 in the league in scoring; is averaging just under five assists per game - as many or more as some starting point guards; Just under two steals per game, again in the company of point guards. Just five rebounds a game and not much of an outside shot, but now we're just nitpicking." And if you're looking for than five rebounds out of the small forward spot, you're definitely nitpicking. (I didn't update this, because it's all this the same. He's consistent.)

f all else fails, Vlade Divac is available.

via i.cdn.turner.com

Poll

Who do you want the Jazz to pick up?

Booch

1 votes

Rob Kurz

5 votes

Alonzo Gee

0 votes

Carlos Powell

0 votes

Vlade Divac

7 votes

Someone else (specify in comments)

4 votes

17 votes | Poll has closed

Why Laker fans do NOT rock my world

2010-02-26T07:42:15Z

I wanted to do a positive post next. A post about something that DOES rock my world. The problem is I’m not feeling it right now. Even though the Jazz are still winning—even though I’m still enjoying the season like I never thought possible, the right guys aren’t really doing it right now. I need Deron, Millsap, Matthews, and Sloan to snap out of their little funks and get back to doing what I love seeing them do.

via rlv.zcache.com

So, instead, let’s look at Laker fans and why they stink.

But first, a disclaimer. I’m not talking about the regular fans. I’m not talking about the guys who just love their team and cheer them on. I’m not talking about the guys who got drawn into Magic and Showtime and still loyally shout GO LAKERS!

Here’s what I’m talking about: I recently read an article about Tim Duncan and the Spurs. It was about Duncan’s legacy, the aging team, how Richard Jefferson hasn’t worked out as well as hoped, etc., etc., etc. Against my better judgement, I went down and glanced at the comments to the article. Again and again, I saw comments like this:

"KOBE!"
"How many rings is Duncan going to get in this decade? 0 Kobe? 10. Lakers rule!"
"Who cares about the Spurs? Lakers!!!!"

Those fans, posting those comments, are the ones I hate. And here’s what’s wrong with them:

1. They imply the only team worth cheering for is the one that wins a championship that year. All other teams are worthless. Fans cheering for those worthless teams are either stupid or just losers.

2. The comments were posted on an article about DUNCAN AND THE SPURS! It’s as if a teacher was taking pictures of the kids in the classroom to post on a classroom blog, and right as a couple poor kids were getting their picture taken a gaggle or rich snobs poke their heads in because they can’t stand any picture to not include themselves.

Seriously, I’m already subjected to 80 billion articles about the Lakers, Kobe, LeBron, the Summer of 2010 free agency, and the frakkin’ Knicks. Why can’t I enjoy reading about one of the greatest, classiest, winningest, and brilliant basketball players and teams without having more Kobe crap glopped on?

3. And above all, its the superiority complex. Just because they happen to cheer for a team at a championship-level peak right now, they (the frakkin’ FANS) are somehow superior to the rest of us.

Well do you know what? They don’t know the first thing about what being a fan is. And I’m also comforted knowing that they won’t know what sports-fan-joy is, even if their precious Lakers do with the next 10 titles. And maybe that’s why the Staples Center is so dead. You can’t really enjoy a team you believe the universe owes you.

So what does it mean to be a real fan? Here’s a few anecdotes.

70-year-old Cubs fans who wax nostalgic about watching Ernie Banks play on all those crappy Cubs teams.
Red Sox fans who cheered like mad when Yaz won the Triple Crown in ‘67, leading them to the World Series — and then cheered even louder during his final seasons, when it was clear he was never going to be able to bring a championship to Boston.
Edmonton Oiler fans who wept when the team shipped Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angelos Kings just days after winning their 4th championship in 5 years.
Minnesota Vikings fans who come back year after year after year, no matter how awful the previous season ended.
Utah Utes fans who still get misty-eyed thinking about Rick Majerus and the ‘98 runner-ups.
Portland Trailblazers fans who go onto Clyde Drexler YouTube videos and post how much them miss the guy who never got their team a championship.
Pittsburgh Penguin fans who most fondly remember — not the back-to-back champs of ‘91 and ‘92, not the Sid Crosby team last year — but watching Mario Lemieux lead the league in points despite missing a chunk of the season for freaking cancer treatment.
And, of course, there’s us: Jazz fans. We still look back longingly to the days of Stockton and Malone. We still remember what that ‘97 championship series felt like—just to have the team there. Remember the ads on KSL? Gordon B. Hinckley and Craig Bolerjack with those huge grins, just because our team made it to the championship series? And even now we go crazy, shouting with the tops of our keyboards that Andrei Kirilenko will save us all, or NINJA!! even though we all know the team’s probably not going to win it all this year.

via cache2.asset-cache.net

There’s so much more to being a fan than cheering for the team that wins. There’s the losses. The heartbreak. But a lot of good stuff too.

And when it’s all over, there’s a lot to remember and love, whether your team wins it all or not. No matter what happens in the future, I’ll always remember:

the battles between Jerry Sloan and Greg Ostertag
Stockton’s shot against Houston
The Jazz sweeping Shaq and the Lakers in ‘98
The Mailman massacring Isaiah with his elbow
Deron going crazy after the All-Star break in ‘07 and ‘08 because he didn’t get put on the All-Star team
Stockton’s elbows-out nasty picks
Hornacek’s crazy running floaters when he jumped off the wrong leg (because, of course, the correct leg’s knee wouldn’t work)
Benoit for 3
Stockton’s miracle win against the Kings in ‘00.
The Derek Fisher Game
AK-47 making the All-Star game while Carmelo Anthony stayed home in ‘04
Stockton missing the potential game-winner as the clock ran out in game 6 of the ‘98 finals
The Mailman’s missed free throws in ‘97
Watching sadly as the Rockets swept Orlando in the ‘95 playoffs, knowing that the Jazz would have also probably beaten the Suns, the Spurs, and the Magic had things worked out different in that stupid first round series.

And a hundred other memories I’ll never regret.

via cdn3.sbnation.com

Would it be nice if the Jazz could have won it all sometime in the past 20 years? Of course. I would have gone crazy. Will I explode with joy if they can ever put it together and win it all in my lifetime? Are you kidding—I was so excited and wired after the Jazz beat the Blazers last Sunday that I had to go on a walk outside and then couldn’t fall asleep ‘till almost 2:00 a.m. I can’t imagine how I’d react to a championship.

But whether they do or not, it has been—and always will be—worth being a Jazz fan.

And that’s something those poor Laker fans could never understand.

A View from the bottom of the world

2010-02-24T10:27:05Z

A few times during game threads I've been asked how an Aussie became a Jazz fan. I've given a quick answer but I think I've got enough to make a fanpost from, so... *deep breath*

I hail from Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, the triangular island state below the mainland of Australia. Most people know of Tasmania as the home of the cartoon creation Taz, who is actually based on a real creature, the Tasmanian Devil. Tassie, as we locals call it, is a beautiful place, full of World Heritage listed wilderness and native creatures and not overburdened by people - only 600,000 odd Taswegians live in the whole state. Life moves at it's own pace here, and for years we (unfairly IMO) copped the 'backwards' tag from 'mainlanders' - but in this post-modern world where everyone is an internet connection away that's rapidly changing.

I grew up playing the traditional Australian sports - Cricket and our unique game of Aussie Rules Football. Basketball was a fringe sport here in the 80's. My neighbourhood friends, however, were into this Basketball thing in a big way; the kids all played it, the parents played it, even the Mum and daughters instead of Netball! So it was natural for me to get exposed to Ball in the course of normal after-school and weekend neighbourhood hanging out. Then the ABC(national government-owned broadcaster, like the BBC in the UK) started showing an NBA game once a week on Friday nights, and the Hobart team in the fledgling NBL started getting more popular, so soon Basketball became my sport of choice. It also helped that I went from being one of the shortest kids in Grade 5 to one of the tallest (at nearly 6 foot) in Grade 7.

So, one Friday night I stayed up the road at the Beattie household to sit up and watch the NBA with the crew. It was pot luck, we never knew who was going to be on (we did get an awful lot of TBS Atlanta games at one point, I can still hear Skip Caray announcing "Rick Barry and Skip Caray...at the Omni, in Atlanta" and I was sad to hear of his passing) but we were starting to see some Hoops publications in the newsagents, albeit months old, so we (thought we) knew all about the League by now, and most of the guys had allegiances (Detroit, Portland, Chicago, New York) but I was yet to find a team. My Dad always used to say "you pick a team, or it picks you, but once that happens it's like a marriage, it's for life son!" so I had to choose carefully,

This Friday night in early January I was treated to a Jazz game, in the Salt Palace, against this Michael Jordan bloke and the Bulls. Everyone else suddenly became excited, because it was His Airness and Da Bulls. Me, I'd got the Streets and Smiths season preview magazine for Christmas, and had POURED over it, trying to strike some light of fandom in me, and was massively excited to see this John Stockton guy I'd read about for the first time.

Let the records show that the Jazz won that night, and John Stockton got 17 assists. Also let the records show that a young man who was learning to be a Point Guard fell in love... with a style of play, with fundamentals done well, with team oriented play, with a logo, colours and name that made little sense. I wore out the VCR recording of that game - it was the only Jazz game I got to see for another year. The Jazz chose me that night and I've lived and died by them ever since.

I hate to sound like an old fart, but we truly don't know how lucky we have it these days. Back then the only daily exposure I had to the NBA was a tiny writeup of the previous days scores in The Australian newspaper, which I read every day in my School Library, and the Game of the Week. Luckily about that time the popularity of Basketball exploded in Australia, so over the 90's we gradually got more exposure and got better and faster coverage; pay TV started here so we got more NBA games to watch, a weekly Basketball newspaper started up with actual boxscores and full stats, and then finally this Internet thing happened in the late 90's. But back when I started following the Jazz the only things we had were those bits in the paper and Friday nights at 10:30, so it was tough. Even merchandise was impossible to get; for years all that made it out here was stuff for 3 or 4 teams, and it wasn't any of the small market ones (hell, it was easier to get expansion team stuff here than it was to get anything Jazz!) So for years all I had was this purple Jazz baseball hat and a replica home Malone jersey that didn't have a player name on the back. Christmas 1996 was a watershed one, because through some sorcery only known to her one of my sisters managed to get me road Malone and Stockton jerseys (I still have and treasure them and I squealed like a schoolgirl when I opened the paper on the gift.)

I lived through the Finals, too - my best mate (still is to this day) is a hoops junkie and a Bulls fan (he's not jumped off, and he was going for them before they won anything, to his credit... he's still an arsehat Bulls fan though) so he kindly taped all the Jazz Playoff games for me and then we watched tapes of the finals together... except for Game 3. I refuse to watch it to this day. I said I'd watch it after Jordan retired, but I lied. I can't bring myself to watch it. He did call me at work after the end of Game 6 of the 98 Playoffs though... I was that upset I went home. And cried. I honestly thought it was our year.

So, here I am now, League Pass enabled, watching every Jazz game, getting news and tweets from fans, journalists and players alike and seemingly an even bigger Jazz fan than ever. I've finally found a Jazz online community that I'm happy to stay and contribute too (have another idea for a Fanpost about some striking similarities between my AFL club, Essendon and the Jazz) - in fact I'm happy enough here to admit that I cried when I watched Stock's Hall of Fame speech.

Go Jazz!

Mathew, AKA TazzJazzFan

Fes up

2010-02-22T13:12:12Z

The Utah Jazz offense -- the same one that's been running since Frank Layden was stalking the sidelines in powder blue coloured pastel sports coats -- relies on a few key components. We collectively understand the need for a point guard who can dominate the ball, a series of wings who can pass to cutters and make open jumpers, and a strong scoring forward. The Jazz front office hasn't yet traded away those components and this core has been competent on offense for a few seasons now.

Defense -- that thing that helps you win on the road when you are down by 25 in the 3rd quarter in a hard building to win in -- has lagged quite a bit for this 'generation' of the Jazz. Previous generations of this franchise had defenses that could be described as hardnosed, disciplined and intimidating. Over the last few seasons Jazz fans have only seen defenses that were akin to houses of cards.

Until now.

The big reason is, honestly, the biggest reason. A veritable man-mountain from the Ukraine who, sadly, so many of 'us' Jazz fans never thought would get it. Lots of haters are quiet right now, but it's time we all Fes up -- and see improvement in the Jazz interior defense and the potential for so much more.

Of course, an article glorifying Fesenko is a little bit premature -- he has not been a big part of this recent (and sustained) Jazz surge in the standings. Nor has he been noted as a catalyst for greater defensive improvements for the entire team. He is, though, a guy who has played in 31 games for the Jazz this year -- and very few of those had him playing more than 10 minutes. His stats aren't going to blow anyone away, but it's what he does when he's on the floor (and the blood he sheds upon it) that matter.\

And what he does includes, but is not limited to: being big; taking up space; being active around the basket (on both sides of the ball); not taking bad shots; challenging shots; and fouling hard. These are all things the Jazz have always needed from their defensive centers -- and if Fes improves he can surely place himself within the continuum from Mark Eaton through Greg Ostertag to poor poor Felton Spencer. (My favourite Spencer play was him being dunked on by Keon Clark, that's how bad he was). This continuum is not a list of greats by any stretch -- but a continuum of rotation players the Jazz have used at center with significant regularity.

Kyrylo has played greater than 10 minutes only 12 times this season. (Which is a significant problem, if you actually want young players to develop and get better) During that period of time he has only managed to accrue 5.5 points per game (at the stellar rate of 62 fg% and respectable 52 ft%) and 3.8 rebounds per game. Fes also produces 0.67 blocks, 0.67 assists and 0.33 steals on average over those 12 times this season. More importantly, Fes has one of the best blocks / foul ratios on the team (though it is much worse than it was last season).

I think the blocks / foul ratio is quite telling, because it can be used to state how effective a player is at challenging shots without getting called for it. With increased playing time, systematic improvement, and the related improved respect from the refs -- this number will only increase if Fes gets more playing time.

And just WHY do I think Fes needs more playing time? It's partly numerical. And those numbers aren't 5.5 ppg (at 62 fg%) and 3.8 rpg. The numbers that matter are 7'1 and 300 pounds.

Utah's defensive scheme (even in the 2-3 zone that worked well enough last game) is specifically anchored by a bigman. In older times, when the Jazz had better regarded defenses, opposing players would be funneled into the paint only to face significant length and shotblocking ability (Eaton and Ostertag come to mind). In recent years the defensive scheme and doctrine has not changed -- but the abilities of the players have. Instead of facing the likes of Eaton, Ostertag, Malone, Bailey or Antoine Carr in the paint, opposing players relish the opportunity to go into the paint and score over interior defense albatrosses like Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. (and Jarron Collins, whom David Locke went on the radio during last year's playoffs to say that playing Jarron Collins gives the Jazz the best chance to win, instead of playing a 7'1, 300 pound guy against Bynum and Gasol)

One only needs to look at a quivering, frightened Rudy Fernandez huddled on the floor and afraid to get back on the court to see the benefit of having a big guy like Fes defending the paint. (Lets contrast this with that Marbury game winning layup against the Jazz two seasons ago where Memo ran out of bounds instead of defending the basket) Fes is a big man in a league that does not have many true, throwback centers anymore. Fes has historically played well against the Shaqs and Yao Mings of the NBA. (Take a look at that game where the Jazz almost beat a healthy rockets team when Booz and Memo were both injured -- game went to OT because of Fes' strong play inside) Fes is going to be needed in the future too (or players like him) to combat the Bynums and Dwights.

Of course, defending the paint with a big man who challenges shots, takes up space and grabs rebounds has a greater impact than just validating my opinions. Defending the paint with a big guy means that Jerry can play man defense against other teams with big guys. This means the guards don't have to sneak in and try that ineffective soft double (which results in the other team passing the ball around to an open jump shooter).

Yes, the perimeter defense is directly related to Utah's current penchant for poor interior defense. If you want to see less of Sasha V running back on defense after hitting a three (and congratulating himself for hitting an open jumper) then you need to agree to fix the paint defense.

We all know that Boozer and Memo (great players when on), are just not defensive players that can fundamentally change a game with challenging shots and dissuading incursions into the paint by opposing players. Millsap, for all his hustle and heart, is just not tall enough to do this either. (Sap is a child next to Bynum in the paint) Even the mythical Ante Tomic (still in Europe) and fan fav Koufos (who can't get off the bench) are not going to be able to provide what Fes can right now.

For the Jazz to continue this forward trajectory they will need to get better on defense. (Obviously, offense isn't the problem) Getting better on defense means getting better inside. No big free agents want to come to Utah, and defensive bigmen are very hard to find. (Name 8 rotation playing defensive bigmen in the league that are 7'1)

If we wish to be honest with ourselves, the best chance for improvement will be with internal development. Meaning: Fes needs to play more. I could go on and on, but as the longest standing (longest tweeting?), non-family member cheerleader of Kyrylo -- I really should temper my enthusiasm.

That said, it's time for his detractors (including Sloan, who seems to hate the idea of playing someone who isn't an 8 year vet) to Fes up and admit -- Utah's only going to get better (greater than 6 playoff wins) if they get better at defending the paint.

And the only way for this to happen this season will be the continued playing time and development of Fesenko.

Any chance we'll ever see Brewer back in a Jazz uniform?

2010-02-21T23:54:19Z

Any chance we'll see Brewer back in a Jazz uniform? Obviously his qualifying offer is pretty cheap, so does Memphis pick up Ronnie's extension no matter what? What if he's out for the season and then some? (I think the prognosis is anywhere from 3 weeks to indefinitely.)

Who stays this summer? Who goes? Can the Jazz catch the eye of any Free Agents or is NY's pick our only hope at a fresh injection of talent?

I feel like with Management's recent moves (Brewer, Maynor) it'll be hard to get any key acquisitions this summer.

Leave your thoughts in the comments section

Poll

Who is most likely to not be a member of the Jazz next season?

Boozer

29 votes

Korver

14 votes

Gaines

10 votes

Matthews

2 votes

Fesenko

11 votes

66 votes | Poll has closed

Front Office Perspective: Try to Win or try to Save?

2010-02-21T04:02:22Z

Ideally, if you are within striking distance of 2nd in your conference after the All-Star Break -- and your team has a solid core and expiring contracts -- the front office of said team will try to 'get over the hump'. Examples of this exist all through the history of the game. Houston traded away Otis Thorpe (among others) in order to get Clyde Drexler before the dead line -- they ended up rolling through the playoffs to claim their second championship in franchise history. The Detroit Pistons, in attempts to get better, traded Adrian Dantley for Mark Aguirre around the trade deadline. They went on to win back-to-back titles. Not all trades lead to titles -- but often they help tip the balance in the conference. Philly traded an old Toni Kukoc for Dikembe Mutombo (not exactly a spring chicken, himself) -- and all they did was get to the NBA Finals. Philly Had not gotten to the NBA Finals since the early 1980's. So this was an improvement for the 2001 squad.

Many factors influence the decision of a franchises' top brass to either go for broke, or play it safe. Money, Age, Talent and Experience are all important factors -- though the biggest factor that influences this decision is if the front office trusts and believes in the ability of their players. This trust goes both ways.

Instead of trying to improve, this entire season the Jazz brass have been trying to save money despite obvious signs of improvement all season long. (For those keeping score at home, the Jazz traded promising rookie PG Eric Maynor to the Thunder for nothing; and now traded 3 year starter Ronnie Brewer to the Vancouver Grizzlies (South) for the same -- Brewer was a lotto pick, and we're not getting one back in return. Maynor was a 1st rounder as well.) Instead of seeing reasons to trust this team, the Jazz brass decided to look in another direction. Not towards winning, but focusing fully on trying to save money.

Clearly, this isn't Larry H. Miller's Utah Jazz anymore. Bless him, he was a competitor who wanted to win. Winning sometimes meant going with your heart and not your head. After all, any sane businessman would have sold his portion of the Jazz -- Miller was losing money on the Jazz in the early days. Instead, he chose to purchase the rest of the team, and keep them here. (here being operative, keep the team in Utah, not in Michigan where I'm writing this from) He also helped usher in winning seasons where no winning had ever been had previously. He wanted to win so badly that he even signed off on a $39 million dollar contract for Greg Ostertag. (And we like to joke about it, but if you look at his advanced stats, Ostertag was a defensive center who held his own against the average starting NBA center back in the 90's -- his blocks per foul ratio is something this current Jazz team sorely misses)

The apple appears to have fallen far from the tree. Greg Miller has gone on the radio to talk about his passion for competitive cycling. (really? was the luge bandwagon full?) His advisers (naming names here: Kevin O'Connor, Randy Rigby, Robert Hyde, Randy Wright and others in the Larry H Miller Companies board of directors) continually tell Miller that the Jazz are (in terms of profit) the 5th largest dealership in the business empire. If you want to just look at the Jazz as a money making business (aka. Donald Sterling-ing it) then please for the love of God sell the team.

The time for conservativism existed in the past (and I'm specifically talking about selling the draft rights of Dominique Wilkins to the Atlanta Hawks for cold hard cash), but that Jazz team was far from a serious contender. This team is not that Jazz team. This is a Jazz team that is winning half of their road games and swept the season series from the four time NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. This hasn't happened since before Karl Malone used Rogaine.

It's exactly that conservativism that made Karl lose his hair in the first place. He spent the vast majority of his entire career being surrounded (outside of Stockton) with guys worse than the people D-Wade is playing with right now. (Mark Eaton was a great defender, nearly got 500 blocks in one season, and a former All-Star; Thurl Bailey was solid on both ends; Griffith had his best seasons back before Karl was having children out of wedlock; Ty Corbin was 'meh' personified; Jeff Malone did not have three point range as a guard; Jose Ortiz was the best player from a nation that did not make basketball players; Mike Brown was, uh, a poor man's Sharone Wright) The Jazz can't expect that the good players on this team will wait 15 years before the front office does something. (Can you imagine how much better the Jazz would have been if they had gotten Jeff Hornacek to pair up with Stockton and Malone back before they were all 34 years old?)

There is no guarantee that Deron Williams will stay here after his contract is up. Especially not if you take his recent quotes into account. (Thank god he got rid of his twitter, otherwise we'd have seen him get fined) Boozer, regardless of the fellatio he receives from a Utah radio personality, is and always will be a mercenary. Andrei Kirilenko can continue giving his best years to Jerry Sloan in 22 mpg, or be a rock star in Russia after this contract is up. Memo, he already plays like he's on another team. The old ideas of loyalty do not exist in this NBA -- and when the players don't trust the front office, how can loyalty form in the first place?

Right now this Jazz franchise is going on a very conservative trajectory -- despite winning something like 16 of their last 18 games. Penny pinching now, with the hopes that the 'core' roster will stay together and be content with countless first round exits is lunacy. (Btw, Stockton and Malone were bounced in the first round more than 5 times in their careers. Why? Mainly because the front office didn't think to surround them with complimentary players to make them real threats in the playoffs -- but always just good enough to wrangle at least 1 playoff home game out of it.) (Back then the 1st round was best of 5)

Trading Brewer and Maynor in attempts to save money is a noble concept -- if the Jazz were able to get under the cap. Illusions of nobility aside, the Jazz have not even succeeded at that task. Utah's still over the cap -- and at the price of two young, promising guards who were key rotation players. The front office's naked ambition of fiscal, moral, victories -- instead of attempts to win deep in the playoffs -- is sickening.

There is no sure thing in the NBA, and you have to try to win when your team is playing well. (Remember that season the Hornets were second in the west? Yeah, since then they've never gotten back up to those heights. Remember that season the Heat won it all? Yup, injuries and lack of talent have prevented them from ever returning to the East Finals) Utah is playing great right now. I wish I could say the same for the front office.

The funny thing is that even closet Jazz fans are upset at what the Jazz brass are doing -- which is basically lying to the fans. (Remember that whole "if the team is good, we'll pay the tax" thing?) Sadly, the front office perspective for this season (at least) isn't to try to win (otherwise the Jazz would have traded players for players back in return ... guys like Kevin Martin who fit a void in the Jazz offense) -- it's to try to save. And in following that second path, the Jazz franchise will ultimately fail at both this season.

~Amar

Things I noticed..By Booch

2010-02-20T08:39:27Z

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Just got back from the game...Jazz won enormously. The final score was 100-89, but felt like a 102-89 game. I was fortunate enough to have seats in the LAST ROW of section 224 of the upper deck. (Basically the worst seats in the arena). I loved them. Someone took pictures of me. He was taking pictures of happy fans. I was one of them. There weren't too many people at the game, lots of lower bowl seats were available. I didn't take one. Stephen Curry jerseys were sold out by the end of the first. Warrior fans have a major crush on him. So do I. But FESS is better. The arena is very nice, much better than ESA (no offense, but it is) The seats are black and cushiony, even my last row seats. The bright green ones are ugly. Tonight happened to be LDS family night, so there were a few Jazz fans out there besides me. There were lots of Tongan fans. They were really loud. HEH!

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So to the game. The Warrior-like Warriors kept it close in the beginning. Jerry's Jazz's Perimeter defense SUCKED! I liked the starting five, especially against a small lineup like the Warriors. Boozer is a great Center. Millsap does not look very big. He plays big though. He is pretty fast too. Boozer isn't. DWill and Kirilenko are. FESS too. This was a good game for Okur to miss. Luckily, shots started falling and the Jazz pulled away (17 or so unanswered to start the 2nd quarter). The Valiant Warriors made a small comeback at the end, but it wasn't enough. Honestly, it never seemed as though the Jazz were ever really threatened. After the game, I went down and took some notes. Thurl Bailey gave a little "chalk talk". He is really tall. He was taller than Anthony Tolliver on the Warriors who came back out along with Anthony Morrow. Morrow is a great shooter, Tolliver is a great.....well he's getting there...y'know

Some other things I noticed:

CJ Miles started off the game with 8 straight points. Nice to see, but sometimes it seemed like he just wanted to shoot the ball and forced some shots up. I think CJ was responding to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rsf_BHYBlg

After the game, I saw him do a secret handshake with Carlos Boozer. I think they're in love.

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AK is a monster. Actually he is a Russian. But he plays like a monster. He got lots of blocks and steals. He changed the outcome of the game. If not for AK, they might have lost. Also, he is the only person on the team who can hit a free throw. (maybe Korver too, but he doesn't play enough to matter). FESS is bad at free throws. Good at everything else. AK has really ugly hair. I like it better spiked.

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Boozer was unstoppable inside. 30 pts 16 rebs. The Warriors had no answer for him. He had a great game. After the game, during the interviews, I saw him do a secret handshake with CJ Miles. He had a really big smile on his face. The wrinkles on the back of his head went away for a second too. And his chest hair grew a few inches. I think they're in love.

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Some Jazz fans yelled out his name as he walked back to the locker room and he looked happy. :)

Millsap didn't do much offensively, but he was a beast on the defensive end. We have the best PFs in the league right now.

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Price and Matthews played hard as usual. Nothing spectacular. Except one thing. But I forgot it, so it wasn't that spectacular. Price never gives up. Neither does Matthews. They are really good players. I'm happy Jerry trusted Wes to start. He did well. Sundiata did not play. Maybe Jerry doesn't trust him enough. Probably. Maybe. Sorta. Nahh. Shut Up. Ok.

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Fesenko had a terrific game. 2 points, should have been 3!!! It was on an AND-ONE play. Its a shame he only got a few minutes. Should have gotten more playing time. Tonight should have been his night to shine with Okur out. The KUFE did not play. I watched him warm up for the second half, and he missed a lot of easy jumpers. Not a good sign. Send him back to the D League.

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Korver is a great Three Point Shooter. I saw him block a shot today. I laughed at the player who got blocked. I think it was Tolliver. He is shorter than Thurl Bailey.

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DWill didn't have his best game shooting, but did share the ball well. He got 11 Assists. 9 Points. No Double Double. No Triple Double. Boozer took care of everything. Dwill just watched him take care of everything. Sometimes AK did too. He did have a nice alley oop on an inbounds pass. That was cool. He didn't throw any alley oops, though. Disappointing. That made me miss Ronnie Brewer. I heard he got injured. That made me sad.

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DWill's face after the game...:(

HOWEVER!!!! One of the scariest things I noticed happened after the game. So the team was boarding the bus. I was watching. First, Jerry boarded. Then Kosta. Then Boozer. Ronnie and Deron came out together. And Deron's wife with them. Then Ronnie boarded the bus. Then Deron DIDN'T!!!! He kept walking and had a Shiny, Black 2010 Lincoln Naviagator pick him up. But before he got in the car, he talked to security for a little bit. I yelled "I love you DWill!" and he looked at me. I smiled and tented. But what scared me the most was how angry he sounded. The way he was talking made it clear he longed for Ronnie Brewer back in his arms. Ronnie Price is not the same. I think team chemistry has been ruined.

Hate CJ Guidelines, or "A Blog Divided..."

2010-02-20T06:54:21Z

During tonight's epic game thread vs. Golden State (I stopped posting when the count reached 747), there was quite a bit of CJ bashing which cooled a bit after some brave bloggers stood up for him. It was kind of like being at dinner with the in-laws and everyone assumes it's okay to bash the president and finally you say, "Hey, I voted for that guy! Give him a chance!" Anyhoo, I would like to recommend some guidelines for how to hate on CJ properly, appropriately, lest the group dynamics become less like what RRR calls "The #1 Jazz Site in the World!!!" and more like the island of boys in Lord of the Flies. (Cue Trent Reznor.)

1. CJ is not your whipping post - don't hate on CJ out of frustration caused by KOC, Boozer-D, D-league rosters, or Kobe Bryant existing.

2. CJ is a mall rat - and this is a good reason to hate on him since it is indicative of his maturity level, which may be the only thing preventing him from becoming Ray Allen 2.0.

3. CJ with feet set, missed - no hate.

4. CJ without feet set, miss or make - bring the hate.

5. CJ Heat checks - hate.

6. CJ Passing - ...well, after we see a pass from CJ, we'll decide if it merits hate or no hate. I'm inclined to say any time he passes it's a good thing because he must REALLY be covered.

7. What if CJ is keeping Korver on the bench? a) 1st 2nd 3rd quarters, no hate allowed. b) 4th quarter, bring the hate.

8. What if CJ is keeping Matthews on the bench? It depends on the defensive assignment: for example if it's vs. a high scoring slasher (Kobe, T-Mac, Kevin Martin, Ginobli) then bring the hate, whereas if it's not someone that can torch us, we might as well see if CJ can torch them. CJ is more likely to get 25 than Matthews - but if we need to shut somebody down, then it has to be Matthews.

9. CJ Scowling - this is also a mixed bag. If he's scowling it's because he's already hit some shots, but rest assured he will start jacking some heat checks. Hate, in this case, is up to the discretion of the viewer.

10. CJ kickin' it with his boy D-Will - NO HATE ALLOWED. D-Will must remain in Jazz Green until he retires. If we have to pay $4m for D-Will to have an X-box buddy and someone to kiss a$$ at the golf tournament, then it's money well-spent. (This is the biggest indictment, i believe, of the Brewer trade.)

I so move, with respect.

CJ Miles dunk on Amare Stoudemire (via memoismoney)

RONNIE BREWER INJURED

2010-02-20T03:07:50Z

I have League Pass, and I was just watching and cheering for Ronnie B in his first Memphis game (he was sporting a yellow headband).

With about 10 min left in the 4th quarter, Brewer picked off a pass at the top of the key, just like he had done so many times for the Jazz before. As he streaked or a breakaway dunk on the other hand, his right leg just EXPLODED and he pulled up abruptly and lost the ball before collapsing on the court. It looks like he may have severely injured his hamstring. He crumpled to the floor in pain, clutching his right thigh, and he had to be carried off the court.

What a tragic and incredibly sad conclusion to the last 48 hours for him.

I wish him the best. Some things in life just are not fair. Ronnie deserves better than that.

DWill leaves....

2010-02-19T19:38:45Z

...I leave.
The chemistry of the team is more important than anything. I see the team coming out flat as hell today and laying an egg in golden state. DWill will get frustrated early and it will be the Warriors coasting to the end. Ronnie Brewer was more than a player, he was a guy that made the team play harder when he gets a steal to a breakaway layup. Hustle plays, which have been talked about it length the past couple of broadcasts is what Brewer brought to the table. Sure he had the worst shot on the team excluding Fess and the KOOF, but he did the little things that aren't recorded on the stat sheet that made a difference.

Who is going to cover Kobe when he comes to town? Not our shooting. KK? No way? CJ? Still in high school. Wesley? He is a rookie and Kobe will eat him for breakfast. And also the refs will help when they can. AK? Probably. But then who covers Odom? Pau? The reason I am referring to the lakers is because they are the team to beat no matter what people say. You can beat everybody else in the West but if you can't even match up to LA. Your only shot is hoping somebody else takes care of them.

DWill was unhappy about the Maynor trade, but it seems to have smoothed over. Price stepped in and did fine. But now you are taking away a guy that has barely missed any time for the Jazz. The only game he didn't start last season was because he was late to shoot around. DWill and Brewer have matured together and breaking that up is not good for the team.

Boozer is star. The Jazz want to keep him so they have leverage over him at the end of the season. The way I see it is that if he preforms well in the playoffs then they are going to swing a lot of money his way. If not, they will probably low ball him and essentially let him walk for nothing.

Losing only two games since Jan. 9th means nothing? It boggles the mind that this trade would be made and we aren't even under the luxury tax still. The chemistry and the hard fought victories are becoming apparent and would have never seen this team pull out the wins they did at the beginning of November. The starting lineup itself with AK and crew is playing out of their mind. The ball movement is a sight to see and makes everything transition to the defensive end as well.

The contract we traded away was a restricted one. So we could have matched anything they threw at brewer. Now the grizzles can do that as well because apparently Rudy Gay will walk after the season. So any possibility of fixing this mistake seems to be out the windows. And the protected pick we got back is garbage. Good Contract for a terrible pick, makes no sense other than money but not even that appears to have worked out.

Quick Summary
- terrible shooter/FT%
- but electrified the team and crowd
- HUSTLE PLAYS
- guarded the premier SGs in the league which we always have problems with
- gave up restricted contract
- freed up money to sign boozer at the end of the season
- DWill is mad, don't get ninja mad
- and also the only reason the jazz get on the top ten sc plays

Good luck in GS and the record count w/o brewer begins
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