tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66613631672408194012024-03-13T23:12:52.938-07:00The Cowhide GlobeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger560125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-78056763067638223402018-02-06T10:45:00.000-08:002018-02-06T10:47:05.615-08:00Donovan Mitchell in the Dunk Contest!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-61H3oq3mLzHssH70ryEag9a0eG2sgHZefdmNVmsImSIHbfQyaSdWyse_j9awMpwCUzQMQEfSmuxLsR8nPJyqwA60Q-cJhELMa60xkSwdB-uqB205IpBQBM3fFZGxroBEOTYrPzFeQ24_/s1600/DonovanDunk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-61H3oq3mLzHssH70ryEag9a0eG2sgHZefdmNVmsImSIHbfQyaSdWyse_j9awMpwCUzQMQEfSmuxLsR8nPJyqwA60Q-cJhELMa60xkSwdB-uqB205IpBQBM3fFZGxroBEOTYrPzFeQ24_/s400/DonovanDunk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
After watching some season highlights of Donovan Mitchell recently, I was caught in awe at how unbelievably amazing he is. I guess I must've been taking it for granted or had just grown accustomed to his domination during the doldrums of the NBA season but Donovan Mitchell has defied all expectations for any Utah Jazz fan, and then some. Only partially through the season and he's got two 40 or more point outings in his rookie campaign and averaging nearly 20. Sheesh! Not to mention his overall contribution to the team on both sides of the ball. Now, he has been given the nod to join the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Could he be the first Jazz Starter to take home the prize? Who knows. However, there is a great advantage to being a dunker under 6'5'' and Donovan is fully aware as he alluded to in a recent interview. It is apparent that he is excited and as soon as he received the invite, he began his research and may be planning to bring out some material that went overlooked in previous competitions due to the prior dunker being too big. If I've learned one thing this NBA season, it's that I don't have to temper my expectations for Donovan Mitchell. He Amazes!Mailman Delivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411982444144508911noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-5052112837620956202017-12-13T08:37:00.000-08:002017-12-13T09:24:37.040-08:00Would you rather...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPi8TsQmXjunCqyZsdISU_GDzdxfpwGWD9XAxQ-2v_-s2exO421BG7oQ3cEVUrpW2blT_bO5QnziJ4mZWjWTk8LOxFKq2QfzQ4HXDIxjzc7R7m99KK1Agp6b_I3iDRtw02JlNE94gfEc1/s1600/20171010_donovan_mitchell_dribble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPi8TsQmXjunCqyZsdISU_GDzdxfpwGWD9XAxQ-2v_-s2exO421BG7oQ3cEVUrpW2blT_bO5QnziJ4mZWjWTk8LOxFKq2QfzQ4HXDIxjzc7R7m99KK1Agp6b_I3iDRtw02JlNE94gfEc1/s400/20171010_donovan_mitchell_dribble.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDI9NE01aTnzFthyphenhyphenfKCcvOS8ZSHmUQo6vP7wMNd8m3dajRUadPh6RpfXLfLt5V8hRpoqSNcdOnsKjzIYea6Sz55cpLfq_B5wty3PSzhMp9BETV50-jOtD0DPgyGKgw7weBIkEpXque9pWB/s1600/070417hayward4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDI9NE01aTnzFthyphenhyphenfKCcvOS8ZSHmUQo6vP7wMNd8m3dajRUadPh6RpfXLfLt5V8hRpoqSNcdOnsKjzIYea6Sz55cpLfq_B5wty3PSzhMp9BETV50-jOtD0DPgyGKgw7weBIkEpXque9pWB/s400/070417hayward4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After one third of the season, there is much to be excited about regarding the Utah Jazz. So far, we have overachieved in a big way while ending up just under .500 (I know, not all that exciting and for some of us, a little depressing that that is what we consider overachieving) and the league is buzzing about Donovan Mitchell. Although we are in for murderers' row and likely to see that winning percentage come down drastically, I thought it might be worthwhile to consider our preferences for leading point scorers between this year and last and get some input. At this moment in time, <b>would you rather have Donovan Mitchell</b>, 27 games into his first season with the unknown remainder of the season looming, including honed in scouting reports and first year fatigue, <b>or would you rather have Gordon Hayward</b>, a tried and true veteran poised to carry the team to the second round of the playoffs (albeit with significant reliance on the shoulders of Joe Johnson to carry a big part of the load, at least the playoffs part)?<br />
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<u>Statistics Points FG% 3P% FT% REB AST STL TO</u><br />
Donovan Mitchell 17.3 41.0% 37.4% 84.2% 3.0 3.2 1.4 2.4<br />
Gordon Hayward 21.9 47.1% 39.8% 84.4% 5.4 3.5 1.0 1.9<br />
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<b>Notes:</b> Donovan Mitchell's stats represent all 27 games he has played in the NBA and Gordon Hayward's represent the entirety of the 2016-2017 season. The real question is, what are we to expect from Donovan Mitchell throughout the remainder of the season? Does he continue to step up and plow through the glass ceilings placed over him or does he reach his breaking point and come back down to Earth? Will his season trajectory exceed the production of Gordon Hayward's 2016-2017 campaign? Obviously, we're talking about a Western Conference All-Star. Those are big shoes to fill and the side by side comparison shows both how far Donovan has to go but also how far he has come.<br />
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<b>Other Considerations:</b> How refreshing is it to have a guy like Donovan Mitchell that you can unabashedly love? From the moment he was drafted, he has said and done everything right by Jazz fans and continues to wow and impress on a daily basis. Also, Did Gordon Hairweird ever really embrace Utah? After five minutes in Boston, it certainly appeared that he had one foot out the door from the minute he stepped into a Utah Jazz uniform several years ago.<br />
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I hope Donovan Mitchell continues to take on the challenge of the NBA and makes this article look foolish by season's end.
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<b>So, for the rest of this season, would you rather have Donovan Mitchell and his potential going forward or the 2016-2017 production of Gordon Hayward?</b><br />
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Feel free to comment.<br />
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Mailman Delivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411982444144508911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-86552538359656239012017-11-21T12:01:00.000-08:002017-11-21T12:01:07.137-08:00Road Wow's and Woe's<br />
While on their recent 4-game East Coast road trip, the Jazz outscored their opponents 419-416. Moral victories. However, the Jazz finished that road trip with a 1-3 record, actual victories. At least the Jazz are heading in the right direction...back to Salt Lake City. First, let's review their glorious journey through mega-metropolitan's like New York City, Philadelphia and Orlando!<br />
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<b>Game 1: New York Knicks L 101-106</b><br />
Not a bad loss, not a bad loss indeed. This game was essentially a tale of two halves. The Jazz outscored the Knickerbockers by 10 in the first and were outscored by 15 in the 2nd half. Rodney Hood came off the bench to drop 30 in 32 minutes including 6-12 from beyond the arc. The Jazz overall hit a season's best 17-35 three balls. The game came down to a bounce of the ball and it bounced the Knicks way. Again, not a bad loss to a potential playoff team. But let's be honest, complimenting the Knicks on being an 8th seed in the Eastern Conference is like glamorizing over the 8th fastest turtle on the Galapagos Islands.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Extra Hair Gel:</b></span> the line on this game was Knicks -4. Well the Jazz were down 6 with less than 2 seconds left when Rodney Hood banks in an uncontested three, swaying the bet with no effect on the outcome of the game. But this 'bad beat' wasn't finished. Rodney Hood committed a "foul" almost simultaneously with the horn. A foul didn't need to be called, I'm not even sure it was a foul. There's more contact on a jump ball. Regardless, a foul was called and the Knicks hit both free throws and the bet swayed back again for the Knicks to cover. A roller coaster of emotions in an otherwise meaningless event for a select few out there, you know who you are.<br />
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<b>Game 2: Brooklyn Nets L 107-118</b><br />
Every now and then when I think the sky is falling, I like to put myself in another fan's shoes who's rooting for another team. In this process I compare players straight across, position by position. With that said, there is nobody on the Nets I would want on my team. Nobody. They shouldn't win a game, like ever. Yet here we are, losing...to the Nets. In using another sports' analogy, the Nets had a punchers chance. They threw a haymaker in the first quarter. It landed square on the Jazz's chin and the Jazz never recovered. The Nets outscored the Jazz 39-25 after one, and we're on to Orlando.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Extra Hair Gel:</span></b> Raul "nothing but" Net-o scored a career high 22 points. He didn't start despite Ricky "the Matador" Rubio not playing. More on Neto coming soon.<br />
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<b>Game 3: Orlando Magic W 125-85</b><br />
First off, why did the Jazz go from Brooklyn to Orlando, only to take Space Mountain back up north to Philadelphia? Whoever does the NBA scheduling needs to work part-time for Uber to find the shortest routes. Back to the game. Back to Neto (not pronounced "Neat-o" despite popular belief). The Brazilian baller had a +/- of +44, 2nd highest in Jazz history. That stat is neat-o, I know that much. The Jazz played their best defensive game sans Gobert, allowing only 37 points in the 2nd half and just 38.3% shooting for the game. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Extra Hair Gel:</span></b> Derrick Favors had arguably his best game of the season, 25 points on 10-12 shooting, 5-5 from the charity stripe, and grabbed 11 boards with two blocks. This was Favors' third double-double of the season, his 2nd since Gobert went down. He's been close, but Favors should average a double-double as the starting center. He's a good enough offensive rebounder that grabbing 10 boards should come standard for every Jazz game, like a program or Joe Ingles pissing somebody off on the opposing team. It's likely that a minute restriction is causing this statistical unproduction as Favors has only topped the 30+ minute milestone 4 times out of 18 games. <br />
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<b>Game 4: Philadelphia SeventySixers L 86 - 107</b><br />
"If only Gobert was back." Jazz fans can say this for every game, but this one against Philadelphia in particular rings all too true. Joel Embiid is so freaking good. Ben Simmons is so freaking good. Together they are really freaking good. The Jazz didn't have a chance. Shooting 35.3% while allowing 51.8% backs up that claim. Gobert V. Embiid is going to be an all-time rivalry for years to come...if they ever play against each other. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Extra Hair Gel:</span></b> Nobody on the Jazz looked impressive this game. However, the attitude from Jazz rookie and new fan favorite (in Gobert's absence) Donovan "Spida" Mitchell was something to get excited about. Late in the 4th with the Jazz down by 13, the 6'3" Mitchell took the ball up for a layup and was promptly swatted by the 7' Embiid. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Cblockquote%20class=%22instagram-media%22%20data-instgrm-captioned%20data-instgrm-version=%227%22%20style=%22%20background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BbvYNXshbeD/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Embiid blocks Mitchell, stares him down and baits him into getting a technical. 😂😂😂</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by House of Highlights (@houseofhighlights) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-11-21T02:20:33+00:00">Nov 20, 2017 at 6:20pm PST</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>" target="_blank">The big man immediately stared down Mitchell as Mitchell got up off the floor to run down the other end of the court. Not a fan of the stare down, (which you're 7' dude, bench yourself if you don't block that shot) Mitchell shoves Embiid who may or may not have taken a dive. Either way, Mitchell got a technical foul on the play. </a> I love it. Outside of Ingles I can't think of anybody else who has a technical in recent year. Gordon Hayward wouldn't push over Embiid. One knock on Hayward is the fire never appeared to be burning. Let's see if teammates rally around Mitchell going forward. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Takeaways and Turnovers:</span></b> <br />
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<ul>
<li>In every one but the Philly game, the Jazz hit over 10 three's. They did hit nine against Philly but needed 28 attempts to get there. </li>
<li>Rodney Hood is making a strong case for 6th man of the year. Since being asked to come off the bench, Hood is averaging 21.3 ppg in that role. </li>
<li>The Jazz are 2-5 with Hood off the bench recently, but this season is not about wins and losses, it's about growth. Trust me Jazz fans, we need that motto more than we need Gobert back. In my opinion, the Jazz have had a better roster than 3/4 teams they played on this road trip, yet won only one of those games. Learning how to play with and around the best offensive weapon, Donovan Mitchell is going to be a process. Trust the process. Our process, not theirs. </li>
<li>The Jazz are 1-7 on the road. That's no bueno.</li>
<li>The Jazz ranked <a href="http://stats.nba.com/teams/defense/?sort=BLK&dir=-1" target="_blank">7th in defensive rating</a> according to NBA.com, they are also 2nd in steals, 4th in blocks, 2nd in fast break points allowed. Can we get these to translate to wins?</li>
<li>Ricky Rubio's hair still looks remarkable.</li>
</ul>
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<br />Quin Snyder's Hair Gelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458352378630753740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-49574987094095532842017-11-14T15:35:00.001-08:002017-11-14T15:36:24.243-08:00L.A.G.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/707/417/hi-res-8d6e3d2c8fadf5e3a58dbb769da4a8b8_crop_exact.jpg?w=900&h=600&q=75" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/707/417/hi-res-8d6e3d2c8fadf5e3a58dbb769da4a8b8_crop_exact.jpg?w=900&h=600&q=75" width="320" /></a></div>
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Life After Gobert<br />
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Bleak!<br />
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<a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2743873-rudy-gobert-reportedly-out-4-6-weeks-after-knee-injury-diagnosed-as-bone-bruise" target="_blank">Reports are out that Gobert is out 4-6 weeks!</a> <insert favorite four-letter word here><br />
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Let's do the math, in four to six weeks it will be December 10 to December 24. I'm thinking the Jazz will express caution on their $102 million investment and you likely won't see Gobert back until after Christmas. Fear not fellow Jazzonians, the product of the Miller's only have 20 games from now until Santa Gobert comes down the chimney, sharing gifts of swats, deflections, frankincense and murr.<br />
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The Jazz, 6-8, could be in some serious trouble by that time. Here's a list at current big men and rim ravagers foaming at the mouth with the absence of Gobert:<br />
Kristaps Porzingas<br />
Joel Embiid / Ben Simmons<br />
Giannis Antetokounmpo<br />
Nikola Jokic 2x's<br />
Blake Griffin / Deandre Jordan<br />
Anthony Davis / Demarcus Cousins<br />
John Wall<br />
Russell Westbrook 3x's<br />
James Harden 2x's<br />
Kyrie Irving<br />
Lebron James<br />
Lamarcus Aldridge<br />
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Just to name a few.<br />
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All in all it appears Gobert could miss between 15-22 games. At which point the Jazz will be in a very precarious situation. Do they throw Gobert back in the lineup on iffy knees that officially have a questionable history and make a run at the playoffs in a stacked conference OR rest him for much longer than expected and subsequently work your way up to a higher lottery pick?<br />
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For now, the Jazz are going to rely heavily on a relatively unproven rookie to garner the scoring load, oft-injured Derrick Favors to become the defensive replacement at the rim and hopefully some better wing shooting in the future.<br />
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The positive person in me thinks the Jazz will surprise many teams during this stretch and stay at or around the 7-8 seed. The realist in me thinks the Jazz will suffer many losses they normally wouldn't have had with a healthy Gobert in the mix and close out the hopes for the season almost as quickly as it began.<br />
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For now, brace yourselves. Winter is here and the Jazz wall has collapsed.<br />
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<br />Quin Snyder's Hair Gelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458352378630753740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-49411703116657799872017-10-24T23:57:00.000-07:002017-10-25T18:51:27.448-07:00One Season Summed Up In One Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images.performgroup.com/di/library/sporting_news/6e/92/ricky-rubio-quin-snyder-ftr-102417jpg_1tsvk1lyc3cnz19ujcr7l5dlct.jpg?t=1321777895&w=960&quality=70" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.performgroup.com/di/library/sporting_news/6e/92/ricky-rubio-quin-snyder-ftr-102417jpg_1tsvk1lyc3cnz19ujcr7l5dlct.jpg?t=1321777895&w=960&quality=70" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let's get the elephant out of the room once and for all before we move on to less interesting Jazz topics: Ricky Rubio's hair is absolutely majestic in all it's glory.<br />
Now, back to basketball.<br />
Seven days, four games, and the summary of 2017-18 Utah Jazz season in a nutshell. Let me know if any of this sounds familiar:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Jazz are fantastic at home, 2-0. The Jazz's plus/minus at the new and improved VSHA or Delta Center if you're over the age of 30, +19. The Jazz's two road games...you guessed it, 0-2. The plus/minus for those affairs, -21. </li>
<li>Rodney Hood's injured. Since drafted, Hood has only played in 58% of his regular season game opportunities. </li>
<li>Jazz fans are stoked about the potential a relatively unknown rookie shooting guard with tremendous athletics but doesn't shoot very consistently at all and turns the ball over wayyyyyy too frequently has. Other examples: Alec Burks, CJ Miles, Ronnie Brewer, and Deshawn Stevenson. Through week 1, Donovan "Spida" Mitchell is shooting 26.7%, 18.8% from downtown and is averaging more turnovers (2) than he is rebounds (1.3). I do love his upside though.</li>
<li>The Jazz will run a thousand million pick & rolls per game, every game and until the end of time. </li>
</ul>
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Fast forward these four games into the next 78. Would it surprise any Jazz fan if they finished .500 and somewhere around the 8-9 spot in the Western Conference? This is another patented Utah-Jazz-pre-Gordon-Hayward-the-All-Star. Prior to last season, the Jazz finished between 36-43 wins in five of the previous six seasons. </div>
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On the bright side because nobody likes a Debbie Downer of mediocrity, here are a few guesstimated, cool Jazz facts that have yet to be foreseen in the early going:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Ricky Rubio will lead the league in assists. Right now, he's only at 7.5 assists per game. Rubio finished 5th last year averaging 9.1 assists per game. Like I mentioned earlier, Rubio is going to run a million trillion pick & rolls per quarter, every game and even during post games. He'll get 4-5 assists just on alley-oops alone. Rubio is also the best ball handler on the Jazz roster by far, so the offense is going through Rubio's <strike>hair </strike>hands another million trillion times. </li>
<li>Rudy Gobert will lead the NBA in blocks. The Jazz will probably lead the league in blocks as a team with a healthy Favors. Gobert should win defensive POY, but the award won't go to somebody not in the playoffs. Unfortunate because he deserved it last year. #politics</li>
<li>Joe Ingles will lead the league in 3-point shooting percentage. Not that cool of a guesstimation but I feel confident about it.</li>
<li>By years end, the nationally televised NBA announcers will be gushing over the Jazz's frontcourt domination. Seriously. They should be considered in the top-3. The Pelicans with Anthony Davis and Demarcus Cousins, the Clippers with Blake Griffin and Deondre Jordan, and the Jazz with Ekpe Udoh and Jonas Jerebko. Typo: I meant Gobert and Derrick Favors, stupid autocorrect.</li>
<li>The Jazz will make moves before the deadline. A contending team (and probably Joe too) will want a clutch veteran they can rely on for a playoff push. I like Rodney Hood to stay if healthy. "If." The Jazz need to move up a few spots from their usual 11-14 draft slot they always land. </li>
</ul>
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For now we get to enjoy the Jazz and Rubio's hair in all their glory. They'll beat teams they shouldn't, like the Thunder. Struggle with teams they should smash, like the Nuggets. Play lock-down defense particularly at the rim. Have one of the slowest offenses. Finally, the coolest fact you did not already know about the improved arena; it's equipped with a meat locker behind the Jazz's bench for Rodney Hood's ice bags. </div>
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Quin Snyder's Hair Gelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458352378630753740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-15682116805062434992017-10-24T18:22:00.000-07:002017-10-24T18:23:36.076-07:00Hello 2017-2018 Utah Jazz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyBLdvJvSLkL_jpeXw5vvfkG9RgBn_T54w4kZrGxOgD4xNU9_4rMN5ONQfHvZwEtUbQYXFRXZZexxRUCTAgImtqZ24izUv-V1F5y-58xiKk70D3J4q2UTnLxrW1cRlaw28PX2f3XVUZzg/s1600/Favors+v+Millsap.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="839" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyBLdvJvSLkL_jpeXw5vvfkG9RgBn_T54w4kZrGxOgD4xNU9_4rMN5ONQfHvZwEtUbQYXFRXZZexxRUCTAgImtqZ24izUv-V1F5y-58xiKk70D3J4q2UTnLxrW1cRlaw28PX2f3XVUZzg/s320/Favors+v+Millsap.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
The NBA season is officially under way. It sure is nice to be getting a little action again. After three games, there's still a lot left to be desired in terms of what to expect for the season but it appears that the silver lining is pervasive thus far. The Jazz have effectively exceeded expectations with Rubio bringing the passion that stifles on defense. Intriguingly, from the outside looking in, Gobert appears to be the underachiever when it comes to the defense. But I don't know. Have my expectations been blown out of proportion and I expect Rudy to make a visible impact on every play? Or is it that we've never had a backup center with the prowess of Epke Udoh that has taken my attention off of the stellar anchoring of the D that Rudy provides? Maybe it's that Rubio has been such a pest that I have tunnel vision for what's happening on the perimeter. Could it be the excitement surrounding Donovan Mitchell and his spider senses? In any event, I knew the Jazz defense would be great, I just didn't know it would be this incredible. I'm excited to see them take it to the limit.<br />
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A few notes from the games thus far:<br />
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<u>Denver</u></div>
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The first game of the season was a thriller. Denver controlled most of the game up until the end of the third quarter and it appeared to be a Jazz fan's worst nightmare. The stellar offense of the Nuggets was outshining the defense of the Jazz and many fans became anxious waiting for something to happen. Then came Joe Johnson and Alec Burks. If the Jazz are going to be effective on offense this season, somebody is going to have to step up every game. This time, it was Alec Burks, showing what he is capable of after Joe Johnson got the ball rolling. Burks showed glimpses of his former self that has had Jazz fans hyping for years. Can he continue to shine or will he break out only on rare occasions? We will see. This game, he took control and led the Jazz to victory.</div>
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<u>Minnesota</u></div>
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The game in Minnesota was exhilarating. It went back and forth as a game of runs. Toward the end, Rubio gave the T-wolves fans a bit of seller's remorse as he single handedly brought the Jazz back from down 5 to take the lead with only a minute left to go. Unfortunately, Father Time let Jamal Crawford off the hook for a quarter of basketball where he torched the Jazz with a load of 4th quarter points and a dagger three, right at the end when the Jazz were a possession away from a 3-0 season kickoff. Ultimately, the Jazz couldn't overcome. </div>
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A thought on the last play of the game...I worry that with Joe Johnson, the rest of the team becomes too reliant on his late game heroics to create any of their own. The last play of the game, when the Jazz were down by 3 with five seconds to play, Joe Ingles (who has been phenomenal from 3 so far this season and all of last) had a fine look from behind the arch but was determined to run the play to Joe Johnson, only to lose control of the ball, essentially squabbling the opportunity. I wonder what would have happened if he were able to make the read and take the shot. Could we all have been praising the $52 million man?</div>
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<u>OKC</u></div>
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Finally, the Jazz gave the latest version of the Big 3 a thorough whooping. The Jazz were successfully doubling the score of the Thunder for most of the first half. It was a joy to behold. I came away from this one wondering where to give credit. Obviously, the Jazz defense was outstanding yet again but Westbrook was utterly pitiful. Just pitiful. He scored 6 points. Probably as few as he's scored in years but there's no way of knowing for sure. He went 1/4 from the free throw line. It just felt like he may have been off of his game but we can certainly give credit where credit is due to Rubio and the Jazz for knocking him off his rocker. I think the strategy of the game was to let Mr. Inefficient Carmelo have whatever he wanted and play white on rice with Westbrook and George. It was very effective. The garbage minutes were all the Thunder had to keep the game within 10. The Jazz dominated. </div>
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Tonight, the Jazz face off against the Clippers and this will be another test. The Clippers without Paul seem to be a much more cohesive unit and potentially a bigger threat with the additions of Beverly, Gallinari, Teodosic and Lou Williams. All they need to do is rid themselves of the gaping hole who is the coach's son and they could really be scary. I love watching the face off of giants between Gobert & Favors and Jordan & Griffin. It should be fun.</div>
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Mailman Delivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411982444144508911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-6803982944164879412017-10-17T09:36:00.000-07:002017-10-17T09:36:07.317-07:00The Cowhide Globe is Back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4ebg39JHZgOBE7sYQ90bbpP4SzhrTaPhYBAP8QTHU502FAuWEQSojxCSTEyOe9hqp7sCXCzWRVXAMTq7ovSeSDoQLp1UrILlUZmU6i5Q2YRstv4Yp7jbIIHQe87FAXe5aBbKAb9gmrA3/s1600/Hot+Rod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4ebg39JHZgOBE7sYQ90bbpP4SzhrTaPhYBAP8QTHU502FAuWEQSojxCSTEyOe9hqp7sCXCzWRVXAMTq7ovSeSDoQLp1UrILlUZmU6i5Q2YRstv4Yp7jbIIHQe87FAXe5aBbKAb9gmrA3/s1600/Hot+Rod.jpg" /></a></div>
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For several years now, Jazz fans have been deprived of one thing more than any other. </div>
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Sure, we've had our ups and downs. We've gone from the playoffs to the lottery and back to the playoffs again. We lost a legend, traded an all-star, struggled through mediocracy, polished anew the Jazz Brass, replaced the Milkman to start from scratch with a Mad Scientist, pushed and pulled assets with many names in many directions, picked in the lottery, pulled off a coup in the draft at the end of the first round, developed an all-star just to see him walk, and we're hardly scratching the surface! </div>
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All the while, we've missed the priceless commentary that would have magnified the intensity of each of those moments, only available via the Cowhide Globe. But, alas, the baton has been passed.</div>
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That's not to say that the insights of Draft Guru, Pasty Gangsta, Booner and the like could ever be replicated. We do hope that their contributions may continue to grace these pages. We've missed the perspective that is true to Hot Rod, John, Karl and Jerry. However, we will do our best to keep the commitment to the tradition alive. </div>
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It's high time for some unadulterated perspective on the Utah Jazz. A narrative for the most avid of fans, from the most avid of fans. We don't pretend to have the inside scoop. Only that which is available to all. We are the Utah Jazz basketball outside/insiders. </div>
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Long Live the Cowhide Globe! </div>
<b></b>Mailman Delivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411982444144508911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-86459188695250272162010-11-10T19:21:00.000-08:002010-11-10T19:37:19.924-08:00How Bout Them Jazz!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-frHPS_iSU8i4kEToysiU50ZXDkgukFNmMHmgziDR2rJ8FiWRsOQTO8VuO3_WT3wFrwVkQ3K5zQwLLhH31YORPmfxNWqbCbI2LL2qxbNrQrpXuj0OoW5EK7Du43mh3L8Dn5N2F1SM6jtJ/s1600/stufflean.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 233px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 365px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538127349621923666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-frHPS_iSU8i4kEToysiU50ZXDkgukFNmMHmgziDR2rJ8FiWRsOQTO8VuO3_WT3wFrwVkQ3K5zQwLLhH31YORPmfxNWqbCbI2LL2qxbNrQrpXuj0OoW5EK7Du43mh3L8Dn5N2F1SM6jtJ/s400/stufflean.jpg" /></a><br />The Jazz did it again. Another comeback... another victory! <a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=301110019">The final score was 104-94.</a> Even Stuff the Magic Dragon couldn't handle our magical run. Take that Superman! Stuff it, Stuff!<br /><br />Our trio of DWill, Paul Millsap, and Al Jefferson led the charge for the Jazz. Deron was impressive directing traffic. He took over when he had to make plays. DWill finished with 30 points and 14 rebounds. Paul had 23 points, while Big Al came up with 21. <br /><br />These guys are proving to be a solid combo of talents for the Jazz... Perimeter general, all-around stat-sheet stuffer, and deep post scorer. With the way Paul is playing, the sky is truly the limit. Al isn't too far behind him either. All in all, I'm discovering that this team is really fun to watch.<br /><br />It doesn't get much better than this... an east coast run. Let's hope we can continue our impressive play into Atlanta.Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-84607189084888907472010-11-09T19:53:00.000-08:002010-11-09T20:24:18.968-08:00Take That!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsJ-t791hGSmkvbwJ0y269745W77-hgOcRMYzIIVIRO9tyEUBrzBpGxGtPNB5oGMD8vGOqOUI-fV0CMEhsGkb_sCDiyXpQcVouylL-3Os9U6oSVt1_wUFAUvhUDVEB4MZRxlR6tlxucfW/s1600/lebron_james_miami_heat_home_jersey.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537764395655621138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsJ-t791hGSmkvbwJ0y269745W77-hgOcRMYzIIVIRO9tyEUBrzBpGxGtPNB5oGMD8vGOqOUI-fV0CMEhsGkb_sCDiyXpQcVouylL-3Os9U6oSVt1_wUFAUvhUDVEB4MZRxlR6tlxucfW/s320/lebron_james_miami_heat_home_jersey.jpg" /></a> You know it! In arguably one of the greatest games of the decade, <a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=301109014">the Jazz stormed back from 22 points down to white-wash the Big 3 and the Miami Heat in Overtime.</a> Quite possibly the most unbelievable spectacle you've ever seen in basketball, the Jazz did without Deron Williams in overtime (fouled out) and took a line-up of Millsap, Fesenko, AK47, CJ, and Ronnie Price to the finishline and defeated the Big 3, with Arroyo, and Haslam. I was a Witness to this marvelous, unprecedented phenomena! <br /><br />Can you even fathom such a miracle? Could someone even fabricate a storyline so truly indescribable as this one?<br /><br />Millsap was the player who looked like the true superstar tonight. Big Paul went off for a career high 46 points and carried the Jazz to victory's bliss. <br /><br />To think the Jazz haven't beat the Heat in Miami in over 7 years, and to come away with a victory over the Big 3 while being so shorthanded is absolutely phenomenal. Frankly, I could care less about what we've done so far in the season. That game right there was an amazing shot of adrenaline and I'm excited for what the Jazz can do next. I can only imagine that it'll serve as a tremendous boost of confidence cooler. So, with that being said, I'll say this to the opposing prognosticators, bandwagon observers, and the NBA's blue-bloods... Stick it, Heat! Take that, Big 3! Screw you, NBA! The Jazz will not be denied. Kudos to Millsap. Way to go Jazz! Keep up your surprising, winning ways. I now dub the new Big 3 to be the mighty Paul Millsap, the resilient Ronnie Price, and the strangely comical Fess.Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-38295587795705887272010-11-04T16:57:00.001-07:002010-11-04T17:05:39.313-07:00Some Quick Jazz ThoughtsWell we're 2-2, with wins over a crappy looking Thunder and the definitely crappy Raptors. Overall though I think things are more positive than negative:<div><ul><li>AK has put on some weight, and it's not just due to his stylish new haircut. He also looks much more alive on the court. </li><li>Big Al is out of shape and lost in the offense, but he's still putting up good numbers. It's hard for me to even see how he scores. . . he reminds me a bit of the Mailman in that you watch the game for awhile and think, "He's not doing much" and then look at the box score and he's put up 23 and 11. </li><li>Millsap has been a BEAST in some early games. Fun to watch.</li><li>Miles looked terrible -- absolutely terrible -- against Phoenix. Airballs, fouls, missed assignments, travels. Woof. He's put up good stats since then but he's a veteran of the system now. . . it was shocking to watch him stumble around like that. </li><li>I like Jerry's early confidence in Hayward. It's a good sign. </li><li>Our bench is not deep, and it's stocked with a lot of new guys. Injuries, particularly in the playoffs, are going to devastate us. </li></ul></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-32977691338101942502010-10-22T08:37:00.000-07:002010-10-22T09:09:26.095-07:00Diamond Discovered<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmO2xsDETV30j_MulXg2CXbgRIwEkzGBFrscClBjN9b5QqsuyHa1hCbJXgZl1pjP8x3-nuw5PS-bocZajX-riG_5xUicst_eXqgftLceJiiD1AwCg6idZ0GQ4VbW598tlaW-hgNo9gQJdK/s1600/jevans.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 328px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 279px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530895331382211986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmO2xsDETV30j_MulXg2CXbgRIwEkzGBFrscClBjN9b5QqsuyHa1hCbJXgZl1pjP8x3-nuw5PS-bocZajX-riG_5xUicst_eXqgftLceJiiD1AwCg6idZ0GQ4VbW598tlaW-hgNo9gQJdK/s400/jevans.jpg" /></a> The Jazz have done it again. Their 2nd round drafting prowess has proved miraculous. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700075482/Utah-Jazz-thrilled-to-keep-2nd-round-pick-Jeremy-Evans.html?pg=1">Jeremy Evans has been a welcome addition to the Jazz roster </a>after playing his way onto the team during the pre-season. Nobody expected it to happen. No one had heard of him coming out of Western Kentucky. But, here he is... making all of us (so called) draft experts look bad. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700070774/Utah-Jazz-Second-round-pick-Jeremy-Evans-stands-out-with-athleticism-and-hoops-IQ.html">The pogo-stick leaper has been electric during the pre-season.</a> He's played to his strengths (rebounding and garbage-man hustle plays) and provided the team with a boost of athleticism that has been desperately needed. It should be interesting to see if he'll be able to break the regular season lineup. I can't wait to see his 1st alley-oop dunk!<br /><br />The Jazz need to be calculated and intelligent as they move forward with Evans. We ought to sign him to a low-cost, 3-year deal, similar to what Millsap got when he was drafted. Evans' has the abilty, athleticism, and attitude to contribute and improve our team. I'm excited to eventually see how he progresses.<br /><br />It was a sad day to see our <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700075278/Utah-Jazz-Sundiata-Gaines-Othyus-Jeffers-among-four-players-cut.html">reserve hopefuls get cut from the team</a>. Sundiata, Othyus, Demetris Nichols, and Ryan Thompson all gave strong pre-season showings. It was the most competitive group of hopefuls that I can remember trying out for the Jazz. Sundiata was unfortunately stuck behind 3 solid guaranteed contracts at PG. Othyus had trouble shooting from the perimeter despite showing skills, activity and toughness in other aspects of his game. Nichols had two strong pre-season shooting nights. And Thompson was the one with perhaps the most "potential" of the group. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jazz keep each one of these guys on speed-dial for the next time an injury hits our team. Frankly, I like each one of them, especially Othyus and Ryan Thompson.Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-16031989099681510052010-09-29T21:45:00.000-07:002010-09-29T22:01:51.178-07:00Re-Birth<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ECFKqMTaFgeQO_IO6GQqklrmIbz7tpwUs2rQiNPI7qboxaAxJKGZB8ssj48tP83cMcvSm9fVTHHMf1SxeqLAg21mqoV-ogjNhgE3Vlh60Oh_47tjq638pTxYOJR5WB_NggkgAd9eK7Bc/s1600/deron_williams.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 225px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522563307950775746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ECFKqMTaFgeQO_IO6GQqklrmIbz7tpwUs2rQiNPI7qboxaAxJKGZB8ssj48tP83cMcvSm9fVTHHMf1SxeqLAg21mqoV-ogjNhgE3Vlh60Oh_47tjq638pTxYOJR5WB_NggkgAd9eK7Bc/s400/deron_williams.jpg" /></a> I feel refreshed and excited about the Utah Jazz season. While football season still reigns supreme during the fall, I can't help but look forward to <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogs/jazznotes/50379649-62/guys-guy-think-cuts.html.csp">our new Utah Jazz</a> come October. The new logo returns, our uniforms are back to the old-school style, half our roster has changed, and <a href="http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2008/10/slamonline-top-50-deron-williams-no-11/">Deron Williams </a>seems happy about it. There's just such a new sense of enthusiasm about the Jazz. <br /><br />I can't say that the "newness" of our team will translate into more wins or a better season, but I think we'll have more fun cheering on our team and following our progress and improvement. I like our roster. Al Jefferson brings an exciting element of power under the basket in replacement of Boozer. <a href="http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/slamonline-top-50/2010/09/top-50-al-jefferson-no-25/">I'm looking forward to seeing him play in a Jazz uniform.</a> Gordon Hayward should be able to contribute and get some immediate court time. It'll be fun to see him progress as a Jazzman. It's great to have Raja Bell back in a Jazz uniform. Watson and Elson should at least play some important minutes in reserve for us. And frankly, I like the rookies we brought in to fight for a roster spot. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rc6Oihko4E&feature=player_embedded">Jeremy Evans and Ryan Thompson could be welcome surprises </a>for our youth movement (or for our passionates fans in Orem). Othyus and Sundiata could have a battle on their hands to keep their positions. There's a lot to look forward to this season. I welcome the excitement and fresh start. Bring on training camp, pre-season, and the start of the new-age Utah Jazz.Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-66725280891607696122010-09-24T16:29:00.000-07:002010-09-24T16:42:34.111-07:00Potential Blockbuster<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6QdeK-D_8ycSrbVh1ytWygCc6DewokH-ddYfz3UF4sSzhCKrBXCMYSRCfxLo17stLl97aCSc_hOJUn1qNqKxGePcxqyZtyqtixcH2cSLGLYz5ZHBIfJYJ7CdYD6J94k7kt7o27UWUTvvs/s1600/AK.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 272px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520626966334717394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6QdeK-D_8ycSrbVh1ytWygCc6DewokH-ddYfz3UF4sSzhCKrBXCMYSRCfxLo17stLl97aCSc_hOJUn1qNqKxGePcxqyZtyqtixcH2cSLGLYz5ZHBIfJYJ7CdYD6J94k7kt7o27UWUTvvs/s400/AK.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700068223/Utah-Jazz-Teams-involved-in-serious-discussions-regarding-possible-Kirilenko-trade.html">Could Andrei Kirilenko be on his way out of Utah?</a> Reports are scattered throughout the major news streams about a possible blockbuster deal that would send <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-netsanthony092410">AK47 to Denver in a 4-way trade</a>. The Jazz, in turn, would receive Boris Diaw from Charlotte. The main attraction from the trade would be Carmelo Anthony joining the New Jersey Nets with Devin Harris shipped off to Charlotte and Derrick Favors to Denver to join AK. Could this trade actually happen? As a Jazz fan, it looks like a total salary dump. I'd rather have AK than Boris. Though, there's not a huge difference in performance from the two players. In addition, I certainly wouldn't enjoy watching Andrei suit up for the Nuggets. Regardless, it looks as though the Jazz make-over could be on full display this coming season. New additions abound on the Jazz roster. <div></div>Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-50246659062370666062010-09-20T18:13:00.001-07:002010-09-20T21:25:21.390-07:00Watson Joins Jazz?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6mwnW0nXM5V-hLLwplFG-sib8b1OpfEZY6z__6Yb-7wHT_qkclRvU88FQyS4Yqzdyq-rugPBJI10FlY98OkxT7r1M10mE5jzPX6PKaEcKeB7f7vC_uHrlkdrhysm53OyVoejntS5UrhW/s1600/jim-o-brien-earl-watson-2009-10-23-20-40-2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 335px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519168837534845506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6mwnW0nXM5V-hLLwplFG-sib8b1OpfEZY6z__6Yb-7wHT_qkclRvU88FQyS4Yqzdyq-rugPBJI10FlY98OkxT7r1M10mE5jzPX6PKaEcKeB7f7vC_uHrlkdrhysm53OyVoejntS5UrhW/s400/jim-o-brien-earl-watson-2009-10-23-20-40-2.jpg" /></a> I'm not sure how confident we can be about someone's twitter post being a true, viable source of legitimate Jazz news... But... we'll go with it anyway. Apparently, there's a rumor suggesting that <a href="http://twitter.com/SpearsNBAYahoo">Earl Watson will sign with the Utah Jazz</a>. I'd imagine it'd be for the vet minimum. He apparently worked out for the Jazz last week. I think Watson would be a terrific addition. He's the kind of blue collar, unheralded worker that would fit nicely into the Jazz scheme. Hopefully, the rumor is true. <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogs/jazznotes/50322210-62/watson-jazz-assists-points.html.csp">The SL Tribune just makes it official.</a>.. Watson will join the Jazz. <div></div>Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-59114234398727786462010-09-09T13:04:00.001-07:002010-09-09T13:09:23.318-07:00Elson Signs with Jazz<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogs/jazznotes/50253731-62/elson-jazz-andrews-expected.html.csp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515007321243733554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mUb53c0HYDmWQkPfMdI5MWWgpLbelije3bKpvCHDHfwQwSMNoY9qkTppPnqyAQag1ear_9p2HPoD_OcC3JHE3jzEt5pidrPz7SNi6VCyXgl1ttM11f5oQlzbJCrx9hYPAeNlj7Llcw6Y/s400/francisco_elson.jpg" /> Francisco Elson has signed with the Utah Jazz.</a> He's expected to play limited, but meaningful minutes for the Jazz while Mehmet Okur recovers from his achilles surgery. What then does this mean for Fess?Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-1740854055302084762010-09-01T12:22:00.000-07:002010-09-01T12:35:24.869-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67LW8pXT4He8v4DTvf9bv9d0Lv5_gr46JaZ24tErMFnfK8v42wthqQhjSOUX1t3PHZGrgiEeZ7QcNnRPhTLBIs8hHNzrofGFcXZrC2vrIxHYMAYj1VJWE34cHG65vRWaKgkmN7T3xW-j8/s1600/DWill.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 259px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 194px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512027799023091890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67LW8pXT4He8v4DTvf9bv9d0Lv5_gr46JaZ24tErMFnfK8v42wthqQhjSOUX1t3PHZGrgiEeZ7QcNnRPhTLBIs8hHNzrofGFcXZrC2vrIxHYMAYj1VJWE34cHG65vRWaKgkmN7T3xW-j8/s400/DWill.jpg" /></a> Did LeBron set a trend? <a href="http://dimemag.com/2010/08/why-deron-williams-will-leave-utah-for-dallas/">Dime Magazine thinks Deron Williams will leave to Dallas </a>during the 2012 free agency period. As a Jazz fan, this will be the most feared possibility. And frankly... I think the liklihood could be high... that DWill eventually leaves. Perhaps he wouldn't go to Dallas, but maybe Orlando, New York, or somewhere else. Let's sure hope not...<br /><div></div>Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-22563890268751518022010-08-29T10:22:00.001-07:002010-08-29T10:52:20.833-07:00The Missing Piece at Center<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oKIovQhup9iOstl_u8zN44txyyKjhDblPuiphLV5rCHvxhsjztVEL7dFPL_48JmExEusq6YSjbs8x8RhGtJn9q4o4KKYd8ODWVcElULAe2ma__uA9jsfmO3r9eSSEBFInNH7u7atYBN2/s1600/antetomic.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510883635335072690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oKIovQhup9iOstl_u8zN44txyyKjhDblPuiphLV5rCHvxhsjztVEL7dFPL_48JmExEusq6YSjbs8x8RhGtJn9q4o4KKYd8ODWVcElULAe2ma__uA9jsfmO3r9eSSEBFInNH7u7atYBN2/s400/antetomic.jpg" /></a> Our boy from Croatia, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/fiba/boxscore?gameId=300830917">Ante Tomic, got a chance to showcase his talents </a>against Team USA yesterday. In his debut side-by-side with these NBA stars, Tomic produced a solid line of 12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Tomic impressed me with his agility, skill level, and size. He was clearly Croatia's primary target in the post. While <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/fiba/recap?gameId=300830917">Croatia got dismantled </a>and Tomic did have trouble holding ground in the post (he's still very weak), it was apparent to me that he'd eventually have a terrific future playing in the NBA someday. Could Tomic be the missing piece at center to our Utah Jazz future? We may have to hope that he joins our ranks in SLC next year in order to give DWill an extra motivation to remain a Jazzman.<br /><br />Until that time comes, we're still waiting upon Kyrylo Fesenko, the Fess, to agree upon our qualifying offer. <a href="http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?STORY_ID=17164">According to this article from Hoopsworld</a>, Fess has had some opportunities to go elsewhere but nobody has committed to him based upon his restricted FA status. I'm not certain how much better Fess will get, but for now, we're in dire need of another center. Apparently, <a href="http://twitter.com/hoopshype/status/22301116078">the Jazz have also looked at Francisco Elson </a>as a possible fill-in center prospect. Are there any other centers out there who could possibly make a difference to our team? The center prospects are definitely numbered (DJ Mbenga? Earl Barron? or perhaps just maybe... wait for it... our long lost former Jazzman, Jarron Collins).<br /><div></div>Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-82484057897659900542010-08-12T22:13:00.001-07:002010-08-12T22:16:14.625-07:00Hall Of Famer<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700056034/Utah-Jazz-Karl-Malone-to-be-praised-with-Dream-Team-mates.html"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 325px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504758326416183810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Im-egDHSaxTt9l6d1ZrSahNMi54PYzY11jIaU8dLy0B74R35_6F3gIILKI4wZh7ENEI5exLtZkq1cmBA1u8q-Wh34YK03tl3CufAAOud2qYJPnf_TwrNnq3nktHAJK0EdKVOmiDOziW3/s400/malone.bmp" /> The Mailman's time has come</a>. Welcome to the Hall! <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WFXAmBBK8w">If only he was still playing...</a>Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-28684579832049915802010-08-08T20:48:00.000-07:002010-08-08T21:23:14.141-07:00The Awakening of My True Jazz Fanship<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GPclrDGNkBex3O_dwEGNlRw54dMnS4tIk1HwAdr0jWpRppPucrC_ZE7y1Dxw5L3zDokGUnPAiaQicN_mXex3Uc1D_1vJTru4Eb9dsDWPshV2sGZhLN7857ZV14vbhlm8Ag54e15iaVNx/s1600/frank+layden.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 323px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503252219433296162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GPclrDGNkBex3O_dwEGNlRw54dMnS4tIk1HwAdr0jWpRppPucrC_ZE7y1Dxw5L3zDokGUnPAiaQicN_mXex3Uc1D_1vJTru4Eb9dsDWPshV2sGZhLN7857ZV14vbhlm8Ag54e15iaVNx/s400/frank+layden.jpg" /></a><br /><div>This weekend, I was able to attend a fundraising golf tournament which included a "Who's who" grammy list of Utah icons. Some of the Jazz brass were in attendance, along with Senator Orin Hatch and several other prominent folks. However, the figure that I reveled in the most was the presence of Frank Layden. I wanted to take the opportunity to shake his hand and talk about the Jazz, yet, felt the rush to get onto the golf course and start my round of 18. I didn't get that opportunity to meet Coach Layden (What a legend he is!). </div><div> </div><div></div><div>Thinking about that missed opportunity, I thought about what I'd say to Frank Layden if I had another chance to meet him. And if I could, this is what I'd say to him... "Coach, 'Thank You' for turning me into a true Jazz fanatic. Your 1988 playoff team was the team that awakened me to my true Jazz fanship. Because of you and that team, I've been a dedicated and devoted Jazz fan ever since." While I grew up enjoying Ricky Green and Darrell Griffith, nothing turned me onto the Jazz more than John Stockton, Karl Malone, and Frank Layden. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm2g8Cy4t8I">The Jazz became a serious franchise in 1988 when we laid a tremendous scare into the back-to-back Showtime Lakers.</a> It was then that our team and organization jumped onto a path of NBA relevance and competitiveness. We became a serious contender from that point forward. And for it, I'd like to thank Frank Layden... the funniest, goofiest Coach to ever walk the sidelines of an NBA court. Here's to you, Coach!</div>Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-26001760984347104802010-08-05T10:42:00.001-07:002010-08-05T11:21:05.916-07:00Ryan Thompson to Fall Camp<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TAK4fYBbMvTl8fk2ezWIwdVtvGJFdvzvvHbBwrxDYuzX_WmjVyeUakHEufoaYcui2TKNQdCxK8LktAccn0baHbHAUsXlTFIh8G_oIsW4DbSwjdX26EzxGMgWRPqxtO7AF_MGayzKY0CX/s1600/ryan_thompson.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 296px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501991341490125074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TAK4fYBbMvTl8fk2ezWIwdVtvGJFdvzvvHbBwrxDYuzX_WmjVyeUakHEufoaYcui2TKNQdCxK8LktAccn0baHbHAUsXlTFIh8G_oIsW4DbSwjdX26EzxGMgWRPqxtO7AF_MGayzKY0CX/s400/ryan_thompson.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/user/comments/700053746/Utah-Jazz-Ryan-Thompson-to-attend-veterans-camp.html">Ryan Thompson has accepted an invitation to participate in the Utah Jazz fall camp.</a> He played for Sacramento during the Summer League and had an amazing Portsmouth Tournament prior to the NBA Draft (despite not getting drafted later). He's an intriguing player... someone who I thought the Jazz would really consider drafting in the 2nd Round. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDrekgIMAEw">I really like this kid</a>. He's got great ability and may have a chance to make the roster. He'll be in a battle with Othyus Jeffers to make the team.</div>Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-6295595958524691412010-08-01T20:15:00.000-07:002010-08-01T20:47:15.714-07:00Staring Into Space... On the Roster<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgqim99RLQwaGNkOdL_hLzNgQNZzxhXWxx-J54UqJJiPRpjWDjjTkIWeawHTAj5kuxB68qcQ0NEZIq7DXVCrOhAxP_4ugQziIOJrwOgHpQC7M9CC4NmVC4b79vTnPsRgor19TX9gCnvaS/s1600/benchwarmers.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 280px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 196px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500646233106157746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgqim99RLQwaGNkOdL_hLzNgQNZzxhXWxx-J54UqJJiPRpjWDjjTkIWeawHTAj5kuxB68qcQ0NEZIq7DXVCrOhAxP_4ugQziIOJrwOgHpQC7M9CC4NmVC4b79vTnPsRgor19TX9gCnvaS/s320/benchwarmers.jpg" /></a> The Utah Jazz will be a luxury tax payer next season. This is something we can expect will happen. With the addition of Al Jefferson to the roster, <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/50024290-87/million-jazz-miller-tax.html.csp">the Jazz will pay $73.7 million for 9 players.</a> The luxury tax line is set to be $70.3 million.<br /><br />With that being said, how do you suppose the Jazz will choose to fill out the roster? <br /><br />Cheaply!<br /><br />As the Jazz continue to add players to the roster, their salary commitments will only rise further past the luxury tax line... meaning additional moves will cost double. Who can we add to the roster for next to nothing?<br /><br />The Jazz are slowly moving forward in negotiation will Kyrylo Fesenko. His salary committment ought to raise that luxury level up to $1-2 million more. Sundiata Gaines and Othyus Jeffers will most likely return based on the fact that they're relatively cheap and sitting on non-guaranteed contracts... $700K per player. And thus, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCkyqYs5uyU">we can expect more </a>of this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpcpaJM5deM">fanatically stellar play!</a> I'd expect Jeremy Evans to become <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjJY80MoJ60">our cheap 2nd Round artistic project</a>. If I were a D-League star looking to find a roster spot, now would be a perfect time to try-out for the Jazz. I wonder if I should get in shape! It's time to uncover the cheap hidden gem.Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-62897926295589192392010-07-24T10:43:00.001-07:002010-07-24T10:50:48.665-07:00Happy Birthday, Mailman<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8X1Wb75TkJuZ88xGRI1TNtmwvd0HNougOiSg8-pH3la2FmNJ4u4eMgp4slHAe4VwNWzk2WLz82uzdQ5keEsJPffR5RxxsOTndvjvaM1TbJKqpk36VgDAv0gM7mxMWrpMaAyi_WeCq8cek/s1600/mailman.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497530090385637922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8X1Wb75TkJuZ88xGRI1TNtmwvd0HNougOiSg8-pH3la2FmNJ4u4eMgp4slHAe4VwNWzk2WLz82uzdQ5keEsJPffR5RxxsOTndvjvaM1TbJKqpk36VgDAv0gM7mxMWrpMaAyi_WeCq8cek/s400/mailman.jpg" /></a> It's only fitting that the Mailman's birthday is celebrated on the same day as the Days of '47 celebration in the state of Utah. <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700050477/Malones-surprise-Hall-presenter.html">The Mailman was one of the great men </a>to come through this state. No question... he was a warrior.<br /><br />"I hope someday somebody will walk up to my kid without me there, and say, 'Let me tell you about your dad.' And I hope it's not anything sports related."<br /><br />"A strain... What's a strain?" <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700050488/Off-the-court-means-more-to-Mailman.html">Good article from the D-News</a>.Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-77906204456032875262010-07-23T12:00:00.000-07:002010-07-23T12:55:18.482-07:00The Way I See It...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPADvi57XDZNl6X-O635LqghGb107AH03JuOahAzaxUzFAGwvpvV_SO5dDJK9CfW53PXcRF8YsJD3ONbc_zbLhoersNqzxAoNBOlxwxOMuHluKcKdO740pITPydv-NQgVzmyESnKzvvcJ/s1600/jazz.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497178698847972050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPADvi57XDZNl6X-O635LqghGb107AH03JuOahAzaxUzFAGwvpvV_SO5dDJK9CfW53PXcRF8YsJD3ONbc_zbLhoersNqzxAoNBOlxwxOMuHluKcKdO740pITPydv-NQgVzmyESnKzvvcJ/s320/jazz.jpg" /></a> The NBA free agency period is slowly starting to wind down and most players have made their intentions as to where they're going to play. Miami was the big winner this summer, while teams like Chicago and New York made a postive dent. It seems like the discrepancy between the "haves" and the "have-nots" has continued to widen. The Lakers seem to retool with an additional set of players to compliment their currently stacked roster, while teams like Golden State and Minnesota remain in stagnant mode. The West will once again be brutally tough and competitive for our Jazz. Here's how I see it shaking out... Everything hinges on the health of star players.<br /><br /><strong>1. LA Lakers</strong> - Out goes Jordan Farmar and possibly Shannon Brown. In comes Steve Blake and Matt Barnes. The core remains remarkably the same... Kobe, Fisher, Artest, Odom, Gasol and Bynum. How do you stop this team? I envision another 3-peat on the horizon. Yuck!<br /><strong>2. Portland TrailBlazers</strong> - The rise of the Blazers will start this year. They're big... Oden, Camby, Pryz, Aldridge. They're athletic... Batum, Roy, Matthews. They're deep... Bayless, Fernandez, and Babbitt. And they're experienced... Dre Miller. This team is ready to blow up.<br /><strong>3. Dallas Mavericks</strong> - I don't know what to think of the Mavs. They're a solid regular season team with limited ability to win in the playoffs. With Dirk, they'll always be competitive. Perhaps this is the team that will drop out. But, I don't see it. Kidd, Marion, Butler, Terry and their youth (Beaubois and Jones) will keep them in the hunt.<br /><strong>4. Utah Jazz</strong> - Al Jefferson should have a huge year. He'll replace Boozer admirably. Millsap will get more opportunity. And we have the best point guard in the NBA. The Lakers always await us though...<br /><strong>5. OKC Thunder</strong> - OKC made the right moves this summer. They got bigger with Aldrich and added depth shooters with Daquan Cook and MoPete. Westbrook, Harden, and Green will improve and Durant will be an MVP candidate.<br /><strong>6. Denver Nuggets</strong> - Still much of the same for the Nuggets. Perhaps with the return of Coach Karl, the Nuggets could regain higher positioning in the West. However, nothing has changed with their team. Al Harrington will provide some additional bench scoring.<br /><strong>7. San Antonio Spurs</strong> - Tim Duncan won't allow this team to fall out of playoff contention. Despite getting older, the Spurs will still be a solid team. Perhaps they can improve with better continuity and the addition of Tiago Splitter from Euroball. However, Phoenix absolutely destroyed these guys in the playoffs last season and causes me to think... they could be done.<br /><strong>8. Houston Rockets</strong> - The Rockets will be the deepest team in the NBA. From player 1-12, they're very solid. With a healthy Yao, Houston could actually rise up to #4 or #5. Scola, Martin, Battier and Ariza will keep them in contention without Yao.<br /><strong>Others:</strong><br /><strong>Phoenix </strong>- On first thought, losing Amare will be devastating to the Suns. Who will they play in the post? However, on second thought, Turkoglu, Childress, and Warrick were solid additions. This was a deep and talented team to begin with. Even without Amare, Phoenix could sneak into the playoffs.<br /><strong>New Orleans</strong> - The Hornets still have Chris Paul<br /><strong>LA Clippers</strong> - The Clipshow could easily rise from the ashes. They could be the most improved team from last year. Blake Griffin will make a huge difference.<br /><strong>Memphis</strong> - This team has improved over the summer. With a few breaks, the Griz could outlast another injury prone team for a playoff spot.<br /><strong>Sacramento</strong> - Youth. The team of the future.<br /><strong>Minnesota</strong> - A long ways to go...<br /><strong>Golden State</strong> - A longer ways to go...<br /><br />Go Jazz!Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-41488623534644350962010-07-19T08:43:00.000-07:002010-07-19T08:44:53.474-07:00HaywardFrom today's <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/print/700049283/Koufos-may-be-on-move-2-again.html">D News</a> (not exactly sure why this wasn't the lead, instead of a piece on Kosta Koufos maybe getting traded from Minnesota to Cleveland): <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; "><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="boldText" style="font-weight: bold; ">PROPS FOR HAYWARD:</span> Jazz newcomer<span class="boldText" style="font-weight: bold; "> Gordon Hayward</span> was rated as the No. 1 rookie in summer-league play in the online Courtside Analyst's last data-based rankings (as of July 15).</p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Two players with NBA experience — third-year Memphis center <span class="boldText" style="font-weight: bold; ">Joey Dorsey</span> and Denver sophomore <span class="boldText" style="font-weight: bold; ">Ty Lawson</span> — ranked ahead of Hayward overall.</p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">But the Jazz's No. 9 pick in last month's draft was rated ahead of the likes of top pick <span class="boldText" style="font-weight: bold; ">John Wall</span> (10th), <span class="boldText" style="font-weight: bold; ">Evan Turner </span>(9th),<span class="boldText" style="font-weight: bold; "> DeMarcus Cousins</span> (5th), <span class="boldText" style="font-weight: bold; ">Wesley Johnson</span> (13th) and<span class="boldText" style="font-weight: bold; "> Derrick Favors </span>(15th) in the rankings that factor in a variety of statistics and results.</p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">"The best rookie so far has been Utah's Gordon Hayward," wrote the author, tywill33. "He was exceptional in the Orlando Summer League."</p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6661363167240819401.post-41736139158173219552010-07-15T11:41:00.001-07:002010-07-17T10:02:18.215-07:00To Offer or Not to Offer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vSEFVn5rQbfHcxdzhsUQg4kxm2kLiRszYooexn5tDM96g4OCvi_Jg5R1-P-a16yT47Ii3gdYLuQ37J-28jXa2zCOReJ_VOVkDBe67F6mCOv8koQaZLt6YrTvNVFre40EkGGCcDfqkyzX/s1600/wes+matthews.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 277px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 224px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494205067752351826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vSEFVn5rQbfHcxdzhsUQg4kxm2kLiRszYooexn5tDM96g4OCvi_Jg5R1-P-a16yT47Ii3gdYLuQ37J-28jXa2zCOReJ_VOVkDBe67F6mCOv8koQaZLt6YrTvNVFre40EkGGCcDfqkyzX/s320/wes+matthews.jpg" /></a><br /><div>According to Wes Matthews... <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/07/14/portland-bound-matthews-surprised-jazz-didnt-match/">he was never offered a contract.</a></div><div></div><div>"They said that I was a priority, but they never made me an offer. They never offered me anything. I'm sure that if they would have made an offer, it would have been a fair offer and I might have taken it."</div><div></div><div>As a restricted free agent, the Jazz used the strategy of having Wes Matthews find his market value to determine his offer rather than offer him a contract outright. What should the Jazz do in situations like this one? Like Millsap, Wes Matthews was a restricted free agent. We had the opportunity to match any contract he came up with. The Jazz, I suppose, didn't want to bid against their own qualifying offer... and it came to bite us in the behind. Would Matthews have accepted a low-ball offer from the Jazz? I don't think so... but we'll never know. How should the Jazz have negotiated through this scenario?</div>Draft Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03119001539960595745noreply@blogger.com3