Jazz Jam Session: Clark and Dustin join in on the Pellie-fun

April Game Streams -- The Bird Writes -- Pelicans vs Jazz coverage

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Let's start Jamming with our own bandmates, huh? Clarkpojo and Prodigal Punk join in on the fun -- here are their answers!

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1. What do you think about the New Orleans Pelicans as a franchise? How do they relate with the Utah Jazz? (E.g. Higher prestige? Lower national attention? Better players?)

Clark: The Hornets are probably fairly equivalent to the Jazz in terms of prestige and public opinion. The Pelicans do have the best and most marketable player of the two teams in Anthony Davis. The Pelicans should be better and if they ever start winning they will become national darlings with the hoopla that will surround AD.  Tom Bensons new ownership should help lead the Pellies on the right path to spending and contending.

Prodigal Punk: They seem to be headed in the right direction, despite some questionable moves. As far as popularity, they're definitely down in the lower echelons with the Jazz, though you have to expect that to change next year as they get healthy and more competitive.

Oh, and I love the rebranding they've done.

I wonder how they're going to manage to keep everyone happy if they are all injured -- and the bigger worry is if AD will get the number of touches he needs if he's sharing the ball with Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, and Ryan Anderson . . . but yeah, you guys nailed it.

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2. In this game where do we have the advantage? Where do they? (E.g. Location, Xs and Os, specific players, style of play, health, specific positions on the court.)

Clark: These are actually two pretty poorly coached teams with big deficiencies. The Pelicans really should be better with the players they have. Two horrible defenses. But the Jazz's biggest advantage, playing at home, will trump everything.

Prodigal Punk: The Jazz have the talent advantage, as a whole. A lot depends on how much Davis plays. A lot depends on how much the Jazz, well.. try. The Jazz don't have much to play for as the season winds down, whereas the Pelicans have something to prove. Winning some games, and playing spoiler, could help them going into the offseason.

I'm with Clark for sure, the Jazz home court will be a deciding factor tonight.

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3. Derrick Favors is finishing up his 4th season in the NBA, and has played 6,684 minutes in 286 total games. That's an average of 23.4 mpg, and 1,671 minutes per season. Enes Kanter is finishing up his 3rd season in the NBA, and has played 3,907 minutes in 210 total games. That's an average of 18.6 mpg, and 1,302 minutes per season. On the other team there is Anthony Davis, finishing up his 2nd season in the NBA. Davis has so far played in 4,146 minutes in 129 total games. Those are averages of 32.1 mpg and 2,073 minutes per season. Davis is the best player in this group, while being the youngest, and least experienced (by number of years in the NBA). He has also played the most minutes per season, despite having countless injuries. All three were Top 3 lotto picks. Is Davis really better than these guys? Did he 'earn' his minutes? And does forcing a player to 'earn minutes' matter anymore in an increasingly younger and younger NBA where players who are drafted are not finished products, but still in their learning/developmental stages of their careers?

Clark: OBJECTION! The counsel is leading the witness. But seriously, the situation between Anthony Davis and the Jazz's 2 bigs isnt really comparing. Favors and Kanter are potentially all stars in this league, but Davis is a special MVP-type talent and he happened to not have good players in front of him when he entered the league. That's the difference.

Prodigal Punk: Very few Jazz fans would argue that Favors and Kanter probably could have used more minutes. On the other hand, they were playing behind two guys that are All-Star level talents, so it's a bit understanding that their minutes have been less than that of a full time starter.

< - Punk is abducted by a gang that needs smart business attire advice, he'll be back later maybe - >

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4. Who is going to win tonight? The rested Utah Jazz, or the injured and tired New Orleans Pelicans?

Clark: Utah Jazz will win 92-83.

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Thanks a lot Clark and Dustin, this was a lot of fun. Thanks for giving so many different answers, and points to look out for tonight!