Jazz Jam Session: Are the Golden State Warriors overrated?

April Game Streams -- Golden State Of Mind -- Jazz vs Warriors coverage

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It's time to Jam about the Golden State Warriors / Utah Jazz game. We have Clark, Spencer, and Diana ready to go. So let's hit it!

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1. How over-rated / over-hyped are the Warriors -- as a team, and as a franchise?

Spencer: I think that they have really good individual players Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bogut, and David Lee, but as a team I think they are still learning how to play together. Giving credit where credit is due, Curry is fantastic. If Curry can keep his injuries to a minimum, he will regularly be among the tops guards in the league. However, as a team I think they need one more year together before they hit "Elite" status.

Clark: I don't think they are overhyped at all.  I think that most people had them rightly slotted as the 6th or 7th best team in West that could make an improbable run in the playoffs depending on matchups.  In some ways, they are really similar to the Deron Williams Jazz teams.  Really good, but flawed.  On top of that they have really exciting players (Stephen Curry is my favorite non-Jazz player), have played an entertaining brand of basketball (before this season) and have a great brand and great jerseys.  We shouldn't knock them for being exciting.

Diana:I feel like the Warriors have always been somewhat overhyped as a team and as a franchise. For a team that has made the playoffs twice in the last twenty years, they sure do get a lot of media attention. They play an "exciting" brand of basketball, they, for as long as I can remember have been a run and gun team, the media and fans like that so of course they are going to get more attention than other teams of equal talent and success receive.  They have good talent on their team with Curry, Bogut, Iggy, Thompson and even Lee but they aren't a contender in my opinion.

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2. Baron Davis offensive fouling over Andrei Kirilenko in a series they lose in 5 games sums them up right?

Spencer: The "Gurdle" is a classic. I feel like this team is very similar to that team....great for the regular season, but they don't stand a chance in a playoff series against a team that can execute. i.e clippers spurs okc

Clark: I think that play summarizes Baron Davis' career: incredible athleticism, exciting showmanship, followed by "what the hell is Baron Davis doing showing us his torso and 18% body fat?" moments.  It wasn't an offensive foul.  It was one of the greatest dunks in the playoffs the last decade, if not in history.  And that was also Golden State's only win of that series because the Jazz were a far superior team.

Diana: I often feel that that offensive foul is the only thing people, besides Jazz fans remember about that series. That dunk was all over Sportscenter, nba.com, blogs etc. Thank goodness Twitter wasn't big in the NBA when that dunk happened. Anyways I remember constantly saying "offensive foul" when that dunk was shown. Good for AK for being there to defend that dunk. Bad on the refs for not making the correct call. To answer your question yes, that sums them up, so much flash without the consistent winning results. #WeBelieve

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3. Write a Mark Jackson haiku.

Spencer:
Homewrecking preacher
tried to push out John Stockton,
hated forever

Clark:
What in the world does
hand down man down even mean?
All fluff, no substance

Diana:
He destroyed the locker room
Jerry almost quit
Stockton returned to Spokane

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4. If the Jazz were game planning to win this game, the best way to do it would be to: _______ .

Spencer: "Slow it down, and come back to bed." Lumineers. GSW averages 103.2 points per game(10th), the Jazz average 94.9 (29th) it is safe to say that we can't out score them. The problem with slowing it down is that as a team we play better with faster pace. So to answer the question... hire a hitman.  We are 0-3 against them this year  game 1 102-88 loss (without Burke)  game 2 98-87 loss (without Burke)  game 3 95-90 (with Burke)

Clark: Defensively, I would go over all screens and keep a hand in Curry's face and make him take mid range shots and distribute the ball.  Outside of Curry and Thompson, the Warriors don't have tons of offensive threats right now.  They are very mediocre and bland offensively.

Offensively, I would play Burks and Hayward a lot in the back court and force Stephen Curry to guard one of them.  Even when Burke is playing, I would run nothing but pick n roll's at Curry and force him to defend every play.  I would not run isolations for the guy that is being guarded by Andre Iguodala, which is what we did too often last time we met the Warriors.

In short, I'd make anyone but Curry beat us on offense and make Curry beat us defensively.

Diana: Play their brand of basketball hahahahaha. Just kidding we haven't really had a brand of basketball in four years. The Jazz will have to keep the crowd out of the game, limit the Warrior's fast break opportunities and contain the three point shot. That is my very generic Jazz pregame type answer of how the Jazz can win the game.

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5. Who is going to win tonight?

Spencer: Warriors 106 Jazz 94

Clark: Warriors 111 Jazz 89

Diana: The Warriors will beat the Jazz 115-89

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Thanks a lot guys! Go Jazz Go! Or something. I don't know. Lose, I guess. This season has been hard to follow.