The Downbeat #1231 - The "Christmas Eve" Edition!

Today is Christmas Eve, and for thousands of travelers around the globe you are still trying to get home. This is the case for a few of us SLC Dunkers I am sure. I am one of them. So while I have little way to go out (after days of trying) my brother and I and our families are going to celebrate Christmas amidst a terrible weather situation, and power outages, in some random hotel in downtown Toronto. My parents took a train in to see us because we couldn't make it out there. So that is pretty cool. It doesn't matter where you are, but if you have your family around you then you are truly home. And thankfully over the last few years this place has been a home for me too.

So to everyone out there, thank you for making this website into a home. You are all my family online, and if I can check into this site standing on one foot, on an airport chair trying to coax a wireless signal with 2% battery then I know that I am home.

I wish I had presents for everyone out there, but I think the baggage handlers at the airport needed it more. That's what I'm telling myself, at least. What I can give everyone, though, would be the gift of better blogging. You deserve that. I think out of everyone who regularly posts here it's my posts that need the most work. Either with my tone, or with my numbers. I can write better, so I should.

Starrrting . . . . maybe in the newyear. Ha, I need to hold off on that post for resolutions season : )

I know this is late, but one of Santa's elves is very busy today, and I'm just filling in!

.

.

Last night the Utah Jazz lost to the Memphis Grizzlies. I couldn't watch any of this game (or the Charlotte Bobcats game) because of the rules on NBA League Pass Broadband. Silly. Well, that kinda explains why there are no recaps up because no one else saw those games either. I am interested in some of the substitution patterns, but hey, even though we are winning more and playing better it's not like we're more than the sum of our parts yet. We're still a fun team on the rise.

Other fans are noticing that as well. Please check out this game recap of #UTAatMEM at Grizzly Bear Blues by Keith G. Edwards Jr. (Twitter: @realkeithtweets ), it's in the style of "Twas the night before Christmas".

Twas the night before the night before Christmas, and all through the bluff
The Grit and Grind Grizzlies were strutting their stuff.
All over the court roamed our beloved Beale Street Bears,
In hopes that a victory soon would be theirs.

The fans were nestled into their seats at the Fed
While visions of the little redheaded girl danced in my head.
My brother in his grizz jacket, me in my suit
Prepared for the victory that we knew was en route.

Check it out here!

.

.

#3 is clearly going to be the Trey Burke spot for my Downbeats. (So, uh, 3 > 8 now?) Our point guard, and potential Rookie of the Year, is really heating up of late. He's now #6 in most minutes played on the Jazz, and #5 for rookies. He's #3 in three point attempts out of rookies, and shooting 35.7 3pt% -- and he's only going to get better. After years of Devin Harris (36.0% but low attempts, in a Jazz uni), Mo Williams (35.8%), Earl Watson (27.3%), Jamaal Tinsley (27.9%), Blake Ahearn (22.2%), and others, it appears like he have a dude who is going to be that knock down bomber from the PG Spot. And that's super important because we run our sets part of the time out of the shooting guard and small forward spots, meaning that after dribble penetration and making the extra pass we can confidently swing the ball around to Burke and just 'feel' like it's going to go in every time.

.

.

Do you remember any Jazz Christmas day games? I remember watching a great Utah Jazz / Chicago Bulls match-up years ago. I didn't find it, but ProdigyJF has this:

Enjoy!

.

.

Should Utah Jazz shooting guard Gordon Hayward post up more? Yes or no. (Don't cheat and look in Synergy before you answer)