Game 24

So…Game 24.

Even though it was on TNT and therefore was not commentated by Boler and Booner (or as DJ accidentally called them a few weeks ago, Boner), we could not escape the “Matt Harpring comes from a football family” and “double double” commentary.

DWill is obviously still hurting. You can’t tell as much when he’s dribbling or driving, but it’s very evident when he’s taking the ball to the hole. He’s been getting blocked A LOT the past few games, and since it physically hurts me to see it, I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be for him.

In the last five games, DWill is shooting 31% (21-68), and 2-15 from 3-point land. Tonight (I don’t know why I say “tonight” when the game was in the morning for me), he was 5-16. Dare I say it? I thought he was playing a bit selfish or at the very least, not smart. He was taking shots that normally fall, so it’s not a question of shot selection. Knowing that he’s not 100%, that he’s struggling from the floor, that his shot is not falling, he should have focused on getting his teammates good shots instead. Today was the first time I ever found myself cringing every time he shot the ball. Yikes. How long til he’s healthy again? It’s been two months since that fateful pre-season game in Chicago.

Memo was the player of the game, which the Jazz won by the way, and had at least one “I’m going to kick you in the crotch, slow motion, smooth as butter, don’t mess with the fauxhawk goatee combo, Turkish delight jumper” aka Kung-Fu jumper.

Is it just me? I think something’s wrong/off with Andrei. He was there, but he wasn’t there. Whatever it is, I pray it gets resolved ASAP. We’ll go from close wins to blowout losses if AK’s not AK.

As for the Blazers, they reminded me of that one [original] Dream Team game in which the opposing team gave up and only shot 3s. The Blazers took 27 shots from downtown, but fortunately for us, only connected on 6.

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Notes, Videos, and Other Stuff:

–China, get online and vote! China, get online and vote Yao, and especially Yi and Sun Yue into the starting lineups of the All-Star Game…proving once and for all that the All-Star Game is a complete joke and way past its expiration date.

–I don’t think DWill (or Booz) have played enough or played enough injury-free to warrant All-Star team selections. If the Jazz are to be represented, it should be AK wearing whatever ugly-ass uniform they come up with this year. I see Ronnie B in the dunk contest though…at least he should get an invite. The Jazz have been around for 35 years and granted I’ve only been a fan for the last 16 of them, but I do believe that he is the sickest dunker the Jazz have ever had.

–During the last game, they showed an interview clip of Jerry on his first night on the job as Jazz head coach. There was something so familiar about the way he looked…and I came to the realization that Jerry circa 1988 = Jim from “The Office.” It’s not as evident in this clip ( first 15 seconds), but you can still see it.

–LBJ paid homage to the Mailman two nights ago:

The original can be seen here:

at the 0:50 (the Mailman did it in the Olympics), 1:02, 1:18, and 1:22 marks.

I was originally going to say that LBJ’s wasn’t as pretty as the original, but had more power. It turns out that I’d just forgotten how freaking strong and complete brute force Karl was and likely still is (I know. How could I? Shame on me).

Inane Throughts from My Rambling Mind

I could be powerfully evil. Or evilly powerful. Whatever. I might have powers.

Five days ago, I wrote “Screw you, Rose” in a post about Jazz injuries. And what happens? Four days later, Rose is “injured” in a bizarro incident with a very Monta-esque explanation.

“It was a silly incident,” Rose said. “I was cutting up some food and I laid on a knife getting lazy in bed. I went to go get a bottle of water, came back, forgot the knife was there, then sat down and sliced my arm.

He was cutting an apple in bed? What? Whatever.

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So, more on injuries because that’s the recurring nightmare theme of the season so far.

We’ve had players injured in: pre-season games (DWill), post-surgery recovery (Harp), pre-season golf cart accidents (Collins), shootarounds (Fess, Harpring), chronically and/or [due to long hours] on planes (Memo), and of course actual games (AK, Booz and now for the nth time, Knight).

Of course, there have also been a ton of injuries that our tough guys played through, i.e. AK’s scraped up knees (hence his knee braces and gauze pads), Sap’s sprained toe, and DWill’s strained hip flexor.

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As I see it (listed in no particular but probably alphabetical order):

Jazzmen working their way into the rotation/minutes (injuries permitting): Almond, Knight (as primary backup at PG), KK2, CJ (possibly), Sap

Jazzmen working their way out: KK, Price (at PG)

Jazzmen working their way towards the front of the bench towards the coaches: Harp, Collins

Token Jerry’s doghouse* player: Fess

Unchanged: Booz, Ronnie B, AK, Memo, DWill

*Unsure whether the doghouse must be filled at all times.

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Random note 1: AK has been absolutely phenomenal in getting to the line this season. Clark laid it out in full detail in a great post on this.

Random note 2: As we all know, basketball is full of intentional or unintentional double entendres/sexual innuendo like “he has a quick release,” “he is really stroking the ball tonight,” “he is driving to the hole hard,” and anything having to do with penetration. I just realized the other day that Boler’s “Down she goes!” deserves the top place on that list.

And that’s it for this post.

Games 21 & 22 – I am not a happy camper

In the aftermath of Game 22 at PHX, had to go watch an old game that the Jazz won to get the bad taste out of my mouth and escape the black cloud hanging over my head. It only half did the job, because nothing can get rid of that taste/cloud except for the next win. How wonderful, therefore, that the next game is not for three days. Really should just tell everyone to stay away from me because my mood is as foul as Carlos going over the back…

So, first Game 21:

The Master and the Student

The Jazz kicked the Raptors’ asses back to Canada on national television (it was even on TV here). Pretty much every Jazzman played great, including Harp* (though of course that did not stop most Jazz fans from bitching about him) and KK2 (5-5 for 10 points in 6 minutes, including a beautiful monster putback). I like how KK2’s not afraid to get in front of huge guys (Amare, Shaq) barreling down the lane and going for the block or simply playing D. The thought of Booz doing that is laughable because it would never happen in…well, I would be a Kobe and Lakers fan before that would ever happen.

*Jerry said after the game, and I agree with him, that some of the younger guys have a lot to learn from Harp when it comes to playing physical and how to use their bodies. Most of the younger guys and Booz rarely if ever body up on D and generally keep several feet away from their man. This situation, of course, ends with open shots, and 1s, or stupid fouls. Big surprise that the Jazz are so awful defensively.

As for Harp, I feel for him. He obviously wants to play and his heart and hustle have not diminished, but it seems that he’s at a point where his body won’t cooperate with him and he can’t keep up, especially in fast-paced games like the one against the Suns. I still think he is useful in certain matchups in certain games though, and can see him in a player/coach role for the younger guys.

AK was back…which I believe had something to do with the blowout nature of the game. The Jazz offense just flows so much silkier smoother when he’s playing. DWill is the heart and soul of the team, no question, but AK is like how the world is so much brighter when the sun’s out. Memo played great as well, which I was 100% happy about even though I benched him on my fantasy team.

As for Sap, and this goes for both games, I don’t think there’s any longer any question that he is an adequate replacement for Booz should Booz be gone next season for whatever reason. No, he will never be as talented offensively as Booz, but he definitely can replace Booz’ production and I love seeing him use his strength boarding and throwing the ball down instead of doing cutesy little finesse layups that too often roll off the rim. It’s not that much of a stretch to say that the Jazz could not afford NOT to have Sap on the floor in every one of the last 8 games (since Booz got injured) if they wanted to win. And since our coach is named Jerry Sloan and not Don Nelson, I assume that was the goal.

Sap has racked up double doubles in all 8 of the games and is averaging 18 ppg on 56% shooting, 12 rpg, 3 apg, 1.6 spg, and 1 bpg. While he gets more phantom fouls called on him and more no calls on the other end than anyone else in the L, he has gotten to the line as often as Booz in the last 8 games, and is shooting a higher FT%–which he has obviously worked to improve in a way reminiscent of another Jazz PF from LA Tech–while turning the ball over less. And oh yeah, he gets paid about 11 million less (though that will change VERY soon, and that scares me).

So. I’m just sayin’.

All right, Game 22:

CJ was on fire against the Suns again, but the flame went out when it counted at the end of the game. The Jazz jacked up too many shots, including 21 3’s, and no one went after boards except Memo and Sap (25 of the Jazz’ 37 boards). Not exactly a recipe for success there.

Knight is leagues ahead of Price in backing up DWill. In keeping with Jazz trends this season thus far, Brev caught an elbow to the throat and had to be sent to the hospital at halftime after tasting blood. In case anyone’s keeping track, this is his third injury of the season. More on this in a subsequent post.

This game was also on TV. I’ve had enough of Chinese commentators, so I put the TV on mute and tuned in to Hot Rod on the computer at the start of the game…but not before the Chinese commentators said that Sap’s brother plays in the “CBA”–which folded only 7 years ago due to Isiah’s excellent management skills and decision-making abilities. Seriously, how do these clowns keep their jobs? There’s no way that fans here are as ignorant as they are (well, unless they’re all bandwagon Lakers “fans,” which, sad to say, could be the case).

Incidentally, I thought the NBA had a minimum age limit. Explain to me, then, why the Jazz played against awkward, adolescent Eastern European boys two nights in a row. I give you:

Exhibit A: the Raptors’ Roko Ukic

Exhibit B: the Suns’ Goran Dragic

Both look like the token pimply nerds with inhalers you find in TV/movies.

*Memo and Fess did not sit with the bench when they missed games so no pics; the above are mostly from jazzcrap.com

The Jazz are so injured that some of the players are on their second injuries. Fess strained his back during the shootaround prior to the last game and Sap sprained his toe (to go along with the scratched cornea he suffered a few months ago). Larry is still in a wheelchair and continues to have medical issues, and even the Bear (seriously!) is injured and wearing a boot around.

So right now–
Boozer–strained hammy quad
Collins–elbow issues; out til January
Fess–strained back
Harp–strained back while recovering from ankle infection while recovering from ankle surgery
AK–ankle issues; previously suffered dislocated finger
Knight–sprained finger; previously suffered strained groin
Korver–still not 100% after spraining wrist (as is evidenced by his 81.3 FT%)
Sap–sprained toe (but is probable for the next game)
DWill–still not 100% from ankle sprain (screw you Rose)

Is Memo 100%?

Who’s healthy? Ronnie B, Ronnie P, CJ, KK2, and Almond. If you put Ronnie B at PF (he did play some in the past few games), that’s a complete 1-2-3-4-5 lineup. And those are arguably the 5 guys that need the most [opportunity for] PT (along with Fess). Hmmm…

First time I’ve seen a Jazz player in tights. DWill in tights. Tee hee.

On a completely irrelevant but still [Jazz-] related note, has anyone else noticed that you put a few pounds and years on Matty, and you get Bolerjack? (also from jazzcrap.com; I couldn’t find any pictures of Boler that weren’t 20 years old)

Matty and Boler also both played football. It had to be said.

Two notes:

[Sam Mitchell's firing and replacement] is the 222nd [coaching change] in the NBA since current Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan succeeded Frank Layden on Dec. 9 1988.

and for something truly astounding–

Barely more than a month into the 2008-09 NBA season, the Jazz already have lost 66 man-games to injury and personal leave.

That’s more than double what future Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone missed in their 37 combined seasons playing for the Jazz.

Game 18

In two words: Miserable Fail.

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AK got injured again. This time it’s his ankle…so in other words, a new injury. To sum it up, Boozer, Matty, Collins, Knight, and AK are injured. DWill, KK and possibly Memo are not at 100%. To sum it up even more, the Jazz are dropping like flies and quite possibly on the verge of calling up the entire Flash team.

That, however, still doesn’t excuse today’s game.

Game 12 Quote and Note:

AK on the Jazz’ injuries:

“I don’t know how to translate, but in ancient time there was one marshal, or general,” Kirilenko said. “His name was (Pyrrhus). He had a huge army, and every time they’d be losing people.

“He’d see target, and not have anybody to fight.”

It’s called a Pyrrhic victory — one that comes at quite a cost — and it’s a reference to King Pyrrhus of Epirus, whose army suffered irreplaceable casualties while defeating the Romans during the Pyrrhic War at Heroically in 280 BC and Asculum in 279 BC.

For the Jazz, it meant beating the Bucks and improving to 8-4 on a night both starting point guard Deron Williams (sprained ankle) and veteran reserve point Brevin Knight (strained groin) were out — and, on the same evening starting center Mehmet Okur returned from a five-game absence, having All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer go down to injury as well.

“It’s good to keep winning, but we need to stop losing people,” Kirilenko said. “It’s not good.”

I love AK in general. That he is smart and well-read–even though he’s been playing professional basketball since the age of 16–makes me love him all the more.

Unlike most injured players, Deron Williams isn’t sitting directly behind the bench, but right on it, usually to the right of assistant coach Scott Layden. We also now have evidence of how much he’s getting caught up in the games.

With 5:25 left in the second quarter Wednesday, referee Eddie F. Rush came over to the bench and admonished Williams. Rush didn’t issue a technical foul but made it clear to Jerry Sloan and his staff that he didn’t want to hear another word out of Williams.

What did Williams say? I asked after the game and Williams said he told Rush, “That’s a terrible call,” after Paul Millsap was whistled for a loose-ball foul on a rebound. Even if that’s all that was said, Rush still didn’t take kindly to it.

And this makes me love DWill all the more.

Game 13 Quote:

HE SAID IT: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on Sloan, the only current NBA coach who’s been with the same team longer: “He’s in a different league than I am, both as a player and as a coach.”