Upper Bowl Jazz Fan

Jazz lose badly to Los Angeles Lakers – 4/2/10

// April 3rd, 2010 // No Comments » // Game Summary

Well, there goes the dream of going 6-0 to finish the season.  But it was just that: a dream.  The Jazz enjoyed the #2 position in the West for all of 24 hours.  It’s not too late to get it back though.

We noted that the Jazz, in one way or another, all reverted to their bad selves in long stretches during this game.  Memo lost his shooting touch.  CJ Miles was bricking all manner of terrible shots and playing absolutely terrible defense.  Boozer, somehow afraid of the softness of Pau Gasol, wouldn’t attach the rim and settled for some poor midrange shots.

Deron Williams took it upon himself in the 2nd quarter to get the Jazz back in the game and he did a pretty good job doing it.  However, it seemed like down the stretch Williams made the pass (perhaps as a good PG should) instead of taking the shot himself.  Instead of taking advantage of the Lakers’ main weakness (the point guard position) Williams seemed content to try and facilitate others.  Only he and Wesley Matthews shot .500 or better (of those who played more than just a couple minutes).

The one bright point of the night was Matthews smothering defense on Kobe Bryant.  Kobe finished 5 of 23 from the field but was sent to the line a shocking 18 times, where he converted 15 of his attempts.

The Jazz really missed Andrei Kirilenko because he could have at least disrupted Lamar Odom, who always seems to have a spectacular night against the Jazz.  Odom missed only 3 of his 14 shots, was deadly from downtown, and was a matchup issue all night.

The Jazz just need to shake it off and win their remaining 5 games.

Jazz embarrass Golden State Warriors – 3/31/10

// April 1st, 2010 // No Comments » // Game Summary

For 2 straight games, the Jazz scored 40+ points in the 1st quarter against an up-tempo team.  The difference between the game against the Warriors and the game against the Knicks was that the Jazz continued strong against the Warriors.

The Jazz have dominated the Warriors in the past few years and the key has been the Jazz bigs taking it to the smaller lineups the Warriors employ.  Thankfully, Boozer, Okur, and Millsap remembered that as they absolutly hammered the Warriors for 25/13, 18/10, & 19/11 respectively.

As I was watching Deron Williams absolutely carve up the Warriors defense (finishing w/ 19 assists in only 31 minutes of play) I wondered what kind of numbers he would have playing for such a team.  One thing I love about D-Will is he will get up and run and play transition basketball as good as anyone else and then slow it down for methodical half-court play.  Such versatility is extremely rare among point guards.

As the Jazz were up nearly 30 it was nearly unbelievable to see CJ Miles foul out in only 24 minutes.  It’s interesting to look a little more into it that while the entire Jazz team could play a little easier against the Warriors since they couldn’t buy a bucket, CJ couldn’t help but foul…and foul a lot.  For that matter, neither could Boozer or Okur who both finished w/ 5 fouls apiece playing 29 minutes.

Something I never thought I would see in this game was Kyle Korver on a fast break dunking the basketball.  I’ve never seen Korver dunk.  It was surreal.  The only attempt I saw was a failed one a month or so ago where Korver barely laid the ball in on a fast break.   That was embarrassing and Korver knew it.

At almost the same point in the year last year, the Jazz lost at home to a 7-man Warriors team as a precursor to being handed their hat in the first round of the playoffs against the Lakers.  It was nice to see this Jazz team show GS the exit and give them the beat down they deserved this time.  I think this is a better Jazz team…

Jazz beat New York Knicks at home – 3/29/10

// March 31st, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Before this game started, Jazz fans were excited to be able to hand the Knicks another loss hoping to improve the Jazz’ chances in the NBA draft this summer.

The Utah Jazz own the rights to the New York Knicks 2010 draft pick thanks to a trade that was completed back in 2004.  NY traded the Phoenix Suns for Stephon Marbury and included this pick (which was protected up until 2010).  Shortly after, Phoenix packaged this pick together when they sent us the decaying corpse of Tom Gugliotta.

The Jazz dodged a big bullet against the Knicks…in my opinion.  While the Knicks are clearly an inferior team, the Jazz had a hard time closing them out even after scoring 44 points in the 1st quarter alone.

Deron Williams came out firing tallying 14 points and 8 assists in the first quarter.

After the explosion in the 1st quarter the Jazz only managed 43 points in the 2nd and 3rd quarter combined. As the Jazz players described it, they got sucked into the Knicks style of play which doesn’t work for the Jazz.

Al Harrington tied up the game at 84-84 late in the 3rd and Jazz fans everywhere gasped in horror.  Not only were the Jazz in danger of losing to a very bad team at home, but the thought of the team that is going to help the Jazz so much, in the upcoming draft, winning another game to have a better record (and conversely, a worse draft pick) was almost too much for the heart to handle.

CJ Miles and Kyle Korver are co-winners of the award for “Worst Defense” all night long.  NY provided some matchup issues for the Jazz.  Korver was constantly guarded by Eddie House who is 6’1 (175 lbs) compared to Korver’s 6’7.  Korver was unable to keep up w/ him and House got easy looks frequently.  Since Korver’s game is so one-sided (3-point baller) he was unable to take advantage of the height disparity by posting up or getting good looks.  Korver went 1-9 from the field…funny enough as he is only a few games away from setting the record for a single season’s 3 point percentage, he caught the ball at the end of the half and then “accidentally” took too much time off the clock before he launched a half-court shot.  Lowering that 3P % just wouldn’t be fair…right?

CJ’s numbers were only barely better scoring 9 points but needing 9 shots to do so.  He accrued 5 fouls in only 31 minutes of play.  As the Jazz were amounting a final run to seal the game Williams was able to beat his man off the dribble, then passed to CJ just inside the 3 point line only for Miles to jack up a contested very-long 2 pointer which nearly air-balled (not kidding, it barely touched the front of the rim).  Not what we need out of a starting SF right now.

Thankfully, the Jazz pulled out a W, took over the lead in the NorthWest division, and are in the home stretch…they need W’s from here on out to keep the NW division lead and to sneak into the #2 position.

Jazz roll over short-handed Wizards

// March 27th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Game Summary

Things are as they should be again.  That was an upsetting game yesterday that no one ever wants to think about again.  Except when we think about having lost to the Clippers, Kings, Timberwoves (twice), and the Pacers.

Just to put that in perspective: The Jazz would be #1 in the West had they won those games. *sigh*  That’s a depressing thought

But anyways, props go to Memo for this game for showing another glimpse of the Mehmet Okur we used to know and love shooting 64% from the floor, making both of his 3 point attempts, tallying 22 points and 11 rebounds.  He also played some fairly good defense against Andray Blatche who has been enjoying a mini-breakout since he was thrust into the starting lineup after Brendan Haywood was traded.

Blatche attempted a mind-blowing 22 field goal attempts (making only including 3 3-pointers (he missed them all).  As I recall, he was unguarded for all of them.  I would have never guessed that he shots the 3 ball at a rate of 36% on the season, which isn’t half-bad.

Carlos Boozer had a torrid 2nd half scoring 18 of his 22 points.  Not sure if it makes up for his lazy defense in the 1st quarter or two.  He had 6 assists which reinforces my long-standing idea that he’s an underrated passer.  However, his 6 turnovers prove that he’s not that great after all.

Overall, this is what we should have seen last night against the Pacers but what’s done is done.  The Jazz handed the Wizards their 14 loss in a row which means they have officially mailed in the rest of the season and are really hoping for that top 3 pick in the draft this summer.