Gordon Hayward will be an All-Star, and John Stockton and Karl Malone are Gods - The Downbeat #1544

From what little I know about the Utah Jazz, I know that the Jazz fanbase would have cannibalized one another had the Jazz lost to the reeling Sacramento Kings last night. From what little I know about quantum physics is that there is probably a reality where the did. Hopefully the stronger, more bestial Jazz fans that persist in that world never make it to ours. I may never get a chance to post this again, so I'm not going to waste my chance:

Yes. This is what happens when I have to do a downbeat on 2 hours of sleep. (Instead of my normal 3.5 hours)

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The Utah Jazz fans have been absolutely spoiled by having such great players in our history. Players like John Stockton and Karl Malone were virtual locks for getting a double double every time they stepped on the court. No, I mean it. John is #6th All-Time in combined regular season + playoffs for the most double doubles in NBA history. Karl is #2. Of course they played hard and played hurt over their long careers -- and they didn't play poorly during their latter seasons either. But I guess it's an exaggeration to suggest that they were locks to get double doubles. John recorded a double double in 795 / 1686 of his games in a Jazz uniform (47.15%). Just looking at his time with the Jazz, Karl had a double double in 917 / 1606 games (57.10%).

Carlos Boozer is at #22, with 448 double doubles. Al Jefferson, former Jazz center, is #38 on the list with 331 double doubles. Deron Williams is #51, with 283. "On paper" Jazz player Mark Jackson is #56 and has 266 career double doubles. Jazzmen Tom Gugliotta (#83, 205), Armen Gilliam (#84, 203), Donyell Marshall (#89, 200), and Olden Polynice (#100, 190) round out the Top 100. Mind you, this info is limited by being from the 1985-86 season at it's furthest back. But it's not bad to have 10 guys in the Top 100 of the modern era.

What about our current team?

• Derrick Favors - 67
• Enes Kanter - 40
• Trevor Booker - 17
• Gordon Hayward - 12
• Trey Burke - 11
• Rudy Gobert - 9
• Jeremy Evans - 4
• Alec Burks - 2
• Steve Novak, Ian Clark, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles, Rodney Hood, Elijah Millsap - 0

I'm surprised that Novak doesn't have a double-double over his long career, but then I watch him play and see why it's entirely plausible that he doesn't. Also, I expect Gobert to pass Burke sometime this season . . . call it a hunch.

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Gordon Hayward continues to engender praise. SB Nation's super talented and cool Paul Flannery had this to write about him:

Gordon Hayward: If he played on a better team, or in the lesser conference, Hayward would have merited consideration. His numbers (19.3 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, .580 True Shooting Percentage) are not that dissimilar from [Klay Thompson 's] (22 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3 assists, .610 TS). Breaking through in the West will be difficult, but Hayward is having a strong season after two years of middling results.

Paul mentions G-Time as a player under 25 who have the potential to be a future All-Star. I am a little biased, I believe that G-Time is GONNA be a future All-Star, and not just have the potential. Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see Derrick Favors or Rudy Gobert make one team or another in the future. It's too soon to say where Dante Exum's career will go, but we hope it angles upwards towards All-Star as well. Anyway, check out PFlanns' amazing Sunday Shootaround in full here!

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I made it this far without a video? Is it me or is Gordon Hayward turning into one of the best Small Forwards in Jazz history? And making crazy plays . . . like this . . .

Yes, yes he is, Other Amar. yes he is.

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We love Mehmet Okur . Also, the Okurs looks like they are going to drop the hottest mixtape.

Good morning sunday ...

A photo posted by mehmetokur13 (@mehmetokur13) on Feb 8, 2015 at 7:48am PST

What would Memo rap about? Write some lines for him. I'll throw my hat in the ring too . . .

"Name is Memo, a pretty fly fellow,

I came from Turkey, and what I do is hit threes,

One ring later, three kids later,

so-far-so-good*, Yeliz cooks good food,

and Yao Ming knows what my *ss tastes like.

What, this was supposed to rhyme?"

* Also of note, he used to say that a lot during interviews back in the day