Jazz are embarrassed by Houston Rockets – 4/7/10
// April 7th, 2010 // 4 Comments » // Game Summary
I feel the need to warn you. I’m not in the greatest of moods after seeing the Jazz get destroyed by the lowly Rockets tonight. This post could be a little, um, critical. Ok, I’ll be honest: this will likely be my most cynical column yet. I feel the need to vent and I will do so here. So if you want a warm fuzzy feeling then go here.
I knew that the Jazz were going to be a little tired after playing an intense game last night but nothing prepared me for the utter lack of effort the Jazz showed up with.
Was the entire Jazz team not aware that there are only 3 games left in the season and our position as #2 in the West would only last if they won the game? Showing up was not enough. And with Phoenix, Denver, and Dallas all winning tonight, our perch at #2 was short-lived…again.
As of late, the Rockets have been a terrible defensive team. They’ve given up more than 110 points in 3 of their last 5 games. In fact, the last meeting between the Jazz and Rockets the Jazz scored 133 on their way to an easy victory.
Would it kill Carlos Boozer to try and disrupt a shot or even try for some blocks? I mean, HONESTLY! There is no one in the league with worse help defense. When you can hear what the players are saying on the court you can always hear Booze barking little commands to other Jazzmen. That could be a good thing if it weren’t while Boozer was standing there with his hands at his sides allowing the opposing team to give him a wedgie while scoring easily.
Deron Williams was definitely off. He pushed harder last night than I’ve ever seen him play but he was not getting it done very well tonight. It didn’t help that he constantly was guarding Aaron Brooks who is significantly faster than DWill. Why did Sloan not go w/ a smaller lineup to deal with the Rockets fast guards? WHO THE HELL KNOWS.
When their guard rotation is Kevin Martin, Aaron Brooks, and Kyle Lowry-all of whom are under 6’4-it would do well to either exploit those matchups like crazy on offense. Since the Jazz couldn’t do that, at the very least they should have put in Price or Gaines to guard some of those smaller faster guys. But, Sloan couldn’t be bothered by such things and remained his old stubborn ass-self.
Fesenko missed yet another game for the most BS reason: sore throat and migraines. I cannot count how many games he has missed for ingrown hairs, tummy aches, sore throats, headaches, and who the hell knows what else! Can you not give the kid some pills? Some Halls lozenges and and a freakin’ oxycotin would have solved his problems tonight! Why do I get the feeling that all his “injuries” are just synonyms for “hangover.” Give me a break!
Why, in the name of all that is holy, can Kyle Korver not dribble a basketball? He knows he’s a professional basketball player right? He can only catch and shoot? The only times I’ve seen him catch and then do something else, it either ends up in a travel or 3 or 4 dribbles and then an awkward pass. If he worked on the rest of his game as much as he works on his shooting he’d be incredible. But no, apparently he is fine NOT expanding his game.
Why can Ronnie Price NOT shoot the basketball well? He, amazingly, went 4 for 6 tonight from the field but on the season he’s putting up an incredible 29% from 3 point range and under 40% from the field.
Ugh, just 3 games remain, and 2 on the road. The Hornets are up next. Thankfully, they’ve been a train wreck lately and Chris Paul is out for the rest of the season with a mysterious thumb injury. However, that sounds like just the recipe for the Jazz to not show up again and lose to a bad Hornets team.
Ok, my rant is done. I love the Jazz but can’t stand it when there is a lack of effort. If you just get outplayed by a better team, that’s another story. Sadly, this was not the case tonight.
