Friday, April 30, 2010

Jazz Win! Jazz Advance!

The Jazz proved me wrong tonight... as well as during this series. I didn't believe we could beat the Nuggets without AK and Okur. And low and behold, we did it. What a remarkable series! Boozer was a destroyer. Millsap was dynamite. Matthews came through like a 10-year vet. We wouldn't be denied, even while encountering adversity. That's heart and toughness! Now... we've got the Lakeshow. Let the fun begin!

As Good As It Gets

"He's as good as it gets," Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups said at shootaround prior to Game 5 in Denver, "He can do everything. He really doesn't have any weaknesses. I think that's the ultimate compliment that you can pay to a player is to say that he doesn't have any weaknesses and I think he's reached that point now." via ESPN.com

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Game 6... Buckle Up.

The Jazz came up short last night despite a superstar showing by its two premier players, Boozer and DWill. Each were phenomenal. DWill finished with 34 points and 10 assists while Carlos Boozer had 25 points and 16 rebounds. Each player has simply dominated their respective position and provided the team with significant scoring output. DWill's series performance has been so amazing that he's been receiving impressive accolades and acknowledgement as the best point guard in the NBA. We, as Jazz fans, can undoubtedly agree that we have the best point guard in the game. No question about it.

The disconcerting part of this series (if there was ever anything dissatisfying with our play... because we're playing remarkable, outstanding ball while being shorthanded) is that we're heavily reliant upon our stars to be great. Our supporting cast has been terrific, while also being extremely limited. Last night, we played an awesome game and yet still lost to Denver because our back-ups and secondary players just weren't good enough. Denver's were better.

We've witnessed incredible performances from Paul Millsap, CJ Miles, Wesley Matthews, and even Fes. Yet, when we don't get those same remarkable performances from them, we're very susceptible to losing. Thus, for Game 6... buckle up! Can the supporting cast get it done and push the Jazz over the top to win the series? We have one final home game to finish this thing off. Go Jazz!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Boom Bitches!

And one more video for tonight. Kosta dropping knowledge on the Nuggets.

Let Us Now Praise Famous Men

In preparation for tonight's slugfest, I found a few Youtube videos of past Jazz greats (see sidebar) to help pass the time before tipoff. Enjoy.

Raul with a sick between the legs pass. Actually, it's kind of lame, in a Spanish way.



Blue Edwards with a vicious Greek throwdown. His taunt was not appreciated by the crowd.



Some insightful commentary from "Cavs' analyst" Donyell Marshall:



DeShawn Stevenson's adams apple introducing your Dallas Mavericks.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Hearts On Fire


I'm still floating on cloud nine after the Jazz beat the Nuggets last night. The victory was so improbable. It was the most courageous and gutty performance that I've ever seen from a Jazz squad. Minus Kirilenko, minus Okur, no more Ronnie Brewer... Playing guys like Ronnie Price, Kosta Koufos, and Othyus Jeffers key minutes in the 4th quarter... Completely and utterly shorthanded... On the road, after losing a heartbreak game 1... And the Jazz win the ballgame. Unbelieveable! It sure helps when we have the best point guard in the NBA on our side. Deron Williams is one amazing ball player! Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, I'm proud of this team. They're playing with tremendous heart. Go Jazz!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Memo Tears Achilles

This postseason hasn't gone our way. Unfortunately, the bad news continues to haunt us. Memhet Okur tore his achilles tendon last night against the Nuggets in Game 1. I could tell when he fell to the floor on his drive to the basket that his season was over. It didn't look good. Memo will have surgery to repair his achilles tendon in the near future.

On a personal note, I can relate to Memo's injury. I tore my achilles tendon one year ago in April. The recovery was horrendously brutal. Memo will be on crutches for at least a month, be placed into a walking boot for three additional months and then slowly work therapy until he can walk, jog and run again. I started slowly jogging 6 months after my injury happened and played pick-up basketball 8-9 months post injury. In my opinion, I could see Memo playing ball in a Jazz uniform in January 2011 at the earliest. Wow. What a tragic turn of events! Time for Fes and Koufos to step into significant roles. Go Jazz!

Friday, April 16, 2010

No Kirilenko vs. Denver

The SL Trib is reporting that Andrei re-injured his calf (for the 19th time) yesterday in a light workout, and is OUT for at least the 1st round of the playoffs.

Things are look ominous for our Jazz: No Andrei, potentially no Boozer, Memo has achilles problems, we saw Fes & Koufas on the floor together vs. Phoenix which proved to be a surreal viewing experience, and we have no home court advantage.
We've seen better days.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Torn

On a night for honoring the late Larry H. Miller and with so much at stake for the team, the Jazz got walloped and laid a huge, gi-normous egg.

What was that?!

We had a chance to pursue the path of "least resistance", acquire home-court advantage and essentially seal our opportunity to make an exciting run through the playoffs... however, we got crushed and allowed it all to pass away.

I can't tell you how furious I was last night watching the Jazz. I had to change the channel on multiple occasions to allow Goose and Maverick from Top Gun to calm my anger. It just wasn't the performance I was expecting. Yet, to expect otherwise was naive of me. We were shorthanded (which "calls out" the combined toughness of Boozer and Kirilenko). Our second unit was aweful. And we really didn't have a chance from the out-set. Phoenix just plain-and-simply manhandled us.

Now, we start with Denver, with the winner having the right to face the Lakers. What a terrible playoff road! We have a combined record of 2-6 against those two teams this year. I don't really like our chances against the Nuggets without homecourt, even with Boozer and Kirilenko healthy. Let's just hope that the Jazz are able to make this post-season exciting and entertaining for us. Make me a believer!

I hate to do this though... Denver in 6.

Monday, April 12, 2010

And It Comes Down To This...

52-28...

Two games left...

#3,4,5 spots up for grabs...

Go Jazz!

Utah Jazz:
@ Golden State
Phoenix

Denver Nuggets: Memphis, @ Phoenix

Phoenix Suns: Denver, @ Utah












Friday, April 9, 2010

Our Jazz


Two good national articles on the Jazz as we head toward this year's playoffs -- one by Booner's favorite, Steve Aschburner (nicely sketched above), and another that's the first in a multi-part Greg Miller series on ESPN.com. Next up in the latter: how Larry's son uses Twitter.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Fear Factor

The Jazz are coming down the stretch, and I'm getting worried about where we're going to place for the playoffs. Infact, there are a number of things that I'm concerned about regarding the Jazz as the season winds down. And I'd like to call them... "the fear factors" to our playoff season hopes...

The LA Lakers: I fear the enemy. Let's just hope that we don't get the fortune to play them until the last possible chance... in the Western Conference Finals (that is... if we get there).

Our Defense: How many points did we give up over the last two games? We're back to playing our old, vintage "swiss cheese" defense.

Road Games: The Rockets absolutely destroyed us last night. It was over before the game began. I suppose we could blame the loss on the overtime thriller against the Thunder, but, we had so much at stake that I wish we could have played much better against the Rockets.

Our Injury Report: AK47 has been out for some time now. Last night, Memo felt soreness in his achilles tendon. Not good. Even Fes came down with a case of the "black lung"... actually, a sore throat. Will our team ever get better for the playoffs?

Kevin Durant: On second thought, perhaps it might be best if we end up in the 4/5 match-up afterall. Who wants to face Kevin Durant in the 1st round? Not the Jazz!

CJ Miles: Such a liability on defense! While he's been more consistent this year on offense than in times past, CJ can't guard anybody of hoop talent. Kevin Durant absolutely lit up the Jazz and CJ Miles...

Lamar Odom: Mr. Kardashian absolutely has our number. We can't guard the guy. He always has his best outing versus the Jazz. I'd like to compare his season stats to his Jazz stats. I bet they look stunning! We make Odom look like a superstar. My offseason wish... Figure out a way to neutralize LO.

4/5 Match-up: The West is tough. Virtually every match-up is scary. However, can you imagine playing a tough team like Phoenix and then moving on to LA? Brutal! I guess every road leads to LA eventually. Perhaps Phoenix is the most entertaining destination.

Our Bench: Koufos, Jeffers, and Sundiata Gaines await...

Greg Popovich: Just because he's a dry, straight-faced, awkward coach. I prefer Sloan's brutally honest, no-nonsense approach better.

Kyle Korver's Charming Good Looks and Goodie-Boy Appeal: There's no way he's ALL that and box of chocolates. Please!

Our Chances: I doubt our ability to stay healthy and play consistent, steady basketball. We'll need our depth to step up and make big contributions (Millsap, Korver, Miles, Ronnie Price...). I'm hoping we can overcome our obstacles and make a miraculous run through the playoffs.
Go Jazz!