I hope I eat these words but I think the Jazz are done. They have finally met their match. The Spurs are far and away the best team in the league right now and they are playing like it. They are beating the Jazz at their own game. The Jazz have been competitive in spurts but the Spurs are able to turn it on and off as they please and do so as they see fit.
My prediction for the rest of the series is that the Jazz pull off a victory in Game 3 by riding the home court advantage to an emotional win. This will create a buzz to the series again but the Spurs will be back in full force in Game 4 and win a close one. They will then go home and close out the series in 5 games.
The Jazz have already exceeded expectation this year. Any win from this point forward is a bonus. It took Stockton and Malone about 7 years of playing together to get to the Western Conference Finals and it took them another five following that appearance to get to the Finals. What this young Jazz team has done already this year is remarkable. One of the fun things about this run is that I did not believe that the Jazz were capable of making it this far; especially the way they played at the end of the season. This is a lot more fun than expecting the team to get to this far and have them fall short which is what happened many times during the Stockton-Malone era in the early and mid 90s.
As Jazz fans I think it is important to enjoy this ride while it lasts. Rather than getting frustrated by the play and the inevitable result of this series, just enjoy the experience because it does not happen too often. As a Jazz fan I am going to take it "one game at a time." Any win from this point forward is simply a bonus. After they get one I'll hope for another but I am not looking beyond that first one. I'm simply going to enjoy the ride. Go Jazz!!!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Jazz Playoff Run is Shocking!
Shocking is the only word to describe my thoughts on the Jazz making it the Western Conference Finals. Who would have predicted this at the beginning of the season? The Jazz are going to be in the Finals of the toughest conference in the NBA. You could not have asked more of this team. It has already exceeded expectations and then some. Winning a game 7 on the road and finishing off Golden St. like veterans is something that is only done by the most experienced teams.
The amazing thing is it now has a realistic chance of making it to the Finals again. The Jazz split the season series with the Spurs and beat the Suns three out of four times. I do not actually believe the Jazz will make the Finals but I never thought it would make it this far. That makes it all the more exciting. Jerry Sloan mentioned in the post-game press conference when asked how this trip to the Western Finals compares to the others that this one was “not expected” of his team. His club was not supposed to get this far. Anything past the first round is just a bonus. When Stockton and Malone ran the show anything less than the finals was considered somewhat of a disappointment.
I hope the Jazz realize that it has a golden opportunity now to do something special. It jumped at the opportunity when Dallas lost to Golden St. and will now have multiple days of rest as the Spurs and Suns battle things out in an intense series. That series will most likely go the full 7 games which will give the Jazz a good rest before the Western Finals begin. This opportunity does not come easily; just ask Stockton and Malone. It took them years before they reached the conference finals.
The Jazz match up better against the Suns. I think the Suns run and gun style is vulnerable against a team like the Jazz. The Warriors just discovered that. The Spurs would wear the Jazz down by beating them at their own game. The Spurs just have too much experience. It is going to be fun regardless. Go Jazz!
The amazing thing is it now has a realistic chance of making it to the Finals again. The Jazz split the season series with the Spurs and beat the Suns three out of four times. I do not actually believe the Jazz will make the Finals but I never thought it would make it this far. That makes it all the more exciting. Jerry Sloan mentioned in the post-game press conference when asked how this trip to the Western Finals compares to the others that this one was “not expected” of his team. His club was not supposed to get this far. Anything past the first round is just a bonus. When Stockton and Malone ran the show anything less than the finals was considered somewhat of a disappointment.
I hope the Jazz realize that it has a golden opportunity now to do something special. It jumped at the opportunity when Dallas lost to Golden St. and will now have multiple days of rest as the Spurs and Suns battle things out in an intense series. That series will most likely go the full 7 games which will give the Jazz a good rest before the Western Finals begin. This opportunity does not come easily; just ask Stockton and Malone. It took them years before they reached the conference finals.
The Jazz match up better against the Suns. I think the Suns run and gun style is vulnerable against a team like the Jazz. The Warriors just discovered that. The Spurs would wear the Jazz down by beating them at their own game. The Spurs just have too much experience. It is going to be fun regardless. Go Jazz!
Friday, May 4, 2007
Golden Opportunity for the Jazz
Golden St. upsetting Dallas in the first round of the playoffs provides a golden opportunity for the Utah Jazz. If the Jazz can knock off Houston in game 7 it will have a realistic chance of making the Western Conference finals. Who ever would have predicted that the Jazz would have the opportunity to have home court advantage in the 2nd round of the playoffs?
The hardest part and most important part of it all is winning game 7 in Houston. This will not be an easy task. The Jazz have seemed afraid too win in the previous three games in Houston. They have put themselves in a position to win each game yet to let it fall away in the later part of the game. Nonetheless, this opportunity now is too much to let go by. A win in Houston would give the Jazz home court advantage in the 2nd round, against a #8 seed that acted like it reached its lone goal by getting out of the first round after knocking off Dallas.
This makes game 7 in Houston the most important game for the Jazz since they were playing against Jordan’s Bulls in the 98 Finals. Let’s just hope the take advantage of the opportunity.
The hardest part and most important part of it all is winning game 7 in Houston. This will not be an easy task. The Jazz have seemed afraid too win in the previous three games in Houston. They have put themselves in a position to win each game yet to let it fall away in the later part of the game. Nonetheless, this opportunity now is too much to let go by. A win in Houston would give the Jazz home court advantage in the 2nd round, against a #8 seed that acted like it reached its lone goal by getting out of the first round after knocking off Dallas.
This makes game 7 in Houston the most important game for the Jazz since they were playing against Jordan’s Bulls in the 98 Finals. Let’s just hope the take advantage of the opportunity.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
It's about Time
When I read that the NCAA was finally moving the men’s 3-point shot back a foot, the first thought that came to my mind was, “It’s about time.”
The 3-point shot should have been moved back long ago. This will be a great change for college basketball for a variety of reasons.
The mid-range jump shot
The current line at 19 feet, 9 inches has destroyed the importance of the mid-range jump shot. The line is close enough that it diminishes the mid-range game. Teams shoot a 3 or they get a lay up. There is very little else in the game. Moving the 3-point line back will decrease this disparity and will hopefully decrease the amount of 3-point shots attempted in a game.
Too many players can shoot the 3 at the current distance
If you go to your local gym and play in a pick-up game I guarantee there will at least one or two guys there that love to shoot the 3-ball but do nothing else. These players do not even step inside the 3-point line. They love the fact that they can shoot it. You make them take one dribble and they are no longer a threat. These same guys cannot hit a 17 footer to save their lives.
Now I realize that the change will not affect these guys. However, it will have the same effect on the college game. There are just too many guys that are considered 3-point shooters in college. Everyone shoots it. Hopefully this change will separate the pretenders from the pure shooters in college basketball.
The change will spread the floor
The college game has become cramped. The players have gotten bigger through the years but the zone of the floor that is used in the half-court has not. The distance change will create better spacing and allow athleticism to shine. It will bring back some finesse to the game and reduce some of the physicality that has increased in the game.
If I could have changed one thing about college basketball this would be it. I only wish the change would occur next season instead of waiting until 2008. It’s a shame we’ll still have to wait yet another year for a change that should have occurred over a decade ago.
The 3-point shot should have been moved back long ago. This will be a great change for college basketball for a variety of reasons.
The mid-range jump shot
The current line at 19 feet, 9 inches has destroyed the importance of the mid-range jump shot. The line is close enough that it diminishes the mid-range game. Teams shoot a 3 or they get a lay up. There is very little else in the game. Moving the 3-point line back will decrease this disparity and will hopefully decrease the amount of 3-point shots attempted in a game.
Too many players can shoot the 3 at the current distance
If you go to your local gym and play in a pick-up game I guarantee there will at least one or two guys there that love to shoot the 3-ball but do nothing else. These players do not even step inside the 3-point line. They love the fact that they can shoot it. You make them take one dribble and they are no longer a threat. These same guys cannot hit a 17 footer to save their lives.
Now I realize that the change will not affect these guys. However, it will have the same effect on the college game. There are just too many guys that are considered 3-point shooters in college. Everyone shoots it. Hopefully this change will separate the pretenders from the pure shooters in college basketball.
The change will spread the floor
The college game has become cramped. The players have gotten bigger through the years but the zone of the floor that is used in the half-court has not. The distance change will create better spacing and allow athleticism to shine. It will bring back some finesse to the game and reduce some of the physicality that has increased in the game.
If I could have changed one thing about college basketball this would be it. I only wish the change would occur next season instead of waiting until 2008. It’s a shame we’ll still have to wait yet another year for a change that should have occurred over a decade ago.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)