Utah Jazz vs Dallas Mavericks Overtone: Where former Jazz PGs go to retire

The Dallas Mavericks are a veteran team. And the way we know that, is that three of its prime guards are former Utah Jazz players (let alone that two of its players have been bona fide Jazz killers for what feels like ages now).

Basically, it’s the bad, the neutral, and the loved one.

The bad is Deron Williams. Or the good, just in whichever camp you choose to strike down. Some people will remember him as the captain of the Baby Blue brigade that made multiple play-off appearances and got the Jazz to the Western Conference Finals.

Others will see him as the person who drove the last guy standing of the Stockon and Malone age away.

And there’s probably the one person who dislikes him from throwing a ball to our current franchise star’s head.

He did a bit of everything. He did that too.

Then there’s the neutral, Devin Harris. I’m not sure if there’s anyone who has a grudge against the guy thrown in with the Derrick Favors deal, and I’m not sure if there’s anyone whose most prized possession is a Harris Jazz jersey.

He was, on all accounts, serviceable. He was quick in the fast break, and had a decent 3pt percentage to be enough of a threat downtown. Plus 5+ apg, which might’ve been a bad passing game for Stockton, but the closest guy to that on the current Jazz roster is George Hill with 4.3.

As a stop gap (the Jazz traded their franchise point guard away and someone had to fill that hole), he was perfectly okay.

The loved one, is Wes Matthews. Jazz fans seem to love their hard working underdog stories, their 2nd round or call-up guy turned to fame and glory (to then accept a big pay check somewhere else, but that’s all right). Recent examples are Paul Millsap, a current Hawk, and DeMarre Carroll, now a Toronto Raptor.

And Wes Matthews.

Who played one season for the Jazz.

But he made an impression in that one season, with his tenacity and hard work making him a crowd favorite. Not to mention his not too shabby shooting from outside, which he would continue in Portland and now in Dallas, always being close to 40%.

Now all three of them play with the Dallas Mavericks, who are not enjoying their season of discontent.

However, I will never bet my house on the Jazz winning against a team with Dirk Nowitzki and J.J. Barea.

I know current records say otherwise, but there’s something about them two…