The Utah Jazz | as seen by Basketball John

Technology is great except when it doesn’t work.  Or if the user doesn’t work.  Just like when you have a poor golf game, it’s always the clubs, right?  That happened over the weekend as I was out of town and set the DVR to record the Jazz/Lakers game.  Turns out all I got was three hours of sitcom repeats of a Mr. Frasier Crane.  Anyway, I “watched” the game on the phone but could never listen/watch the game.  So anything that I could add outside of what you’ve already seen is null.  But I’ll give some ideas on where things are going, some links, and some other big news.

• New Orleans has just gone up 2-0 on the Spurs.  It’s far from over, but don’t the Jazz have to be using that as some incentive for beating the Lakers?  NO is playing crazy right now and you would think most teams would not want to play them.  Except that the NBA is all about match-ups and we all know how the Jazz play against the Hornets.  If I’m a Jazz player, I’m thinking, “Wow, we have a chance to play the Hornets in the WCF?  We could actually make the Finals if that’s the case.”  Suddenly I’m concentrating a little more, hustling a little more, sending Kobe to the floor.
• How many losses this year have been just because of one bad quarter?  And in particular the second quarter seems to have been the worst.  We’re either leading or within a point or two after 1.  Then it goes in the crapper.  It’s got to be the rotation, doesn’t it?  We usually have Price-Korver-Harpring-Millsap-Okur on the floor.  They’re not terrible on the floor, but when you have Price-Brewer-Harpring-Millsap-Boozer, they’re -10.  Look at this lineup, Williams-Korver-Harpring-Millsap-Boozer.  They’re -26 together.  The common player here?  Harp.  Even Hart has a better +/- than Harp.  Harp gets a lot of credit for toughness and he’s decent on the offensive end, but his lack of D is what kills us.  You know who doesn’t suck to have in there?  CJ Miles.  Harp’s got two years left.  So he’s not going anywhere at least for next year.
• With only one game tonight (5/6), how come the Jazz and Lakers aren’t playing?  This scheduling is confusing.  I know it’s all about what nights make the most profits for the league, but why do we have to wait three weeks for a series to be decided?
• Other than the Kobe factor, tell me how a Utah/NO WCF doesn’t make for one of the most intriguing series in the entire NBA.  The old NO team v. the new.  Williams/Paul.  Has there ever been a more compelling PG match-up in the playoffs of the last decade?  Tell me that wouldn’t be a knock-down, drag-out, seven-game series.
• Now that the Jazz have their bearings about them, we’ll see a better game against LA tomorrow.  I’m repeating my same plea to Boozer as I did in game 6 against Houston.  We need you Booze.  Come on.

Other links

• If you do not set this as your desktop wallpaper right now, you are not a Jazz fan.
• You’re getting your American Idol fix Friday whether you want it or not.
• Hornacek compares duos
• In case you haven’t heard David Locke’s outburst on a Lakers fan.  Classic stuff
• Biased has a game 1 recap and MUJ has a love affair with Kobe
• CB Jack from MUJ is going to be on ESPN 710 with Mason.  I emailed Lee from The Dream Shake and he stated that the ESPN guys filling in for Mason that day trash talked us afterwards for being too civil.  When I wrote that they were hoping for a Springer-type of conversation, I was joking.  He’s on at 3:15.
• This is how you take the blame as a leader, whether deserved or not
• Wouldn’t it be great if Fisher got cheers this time instead of boos?  That would take care of any bad Karma.

And finally, a big announcement coming tomorrow.  I’ve kind of been in limbo for while with things and now I’ll be able have a bit of direction.  So stay tuned.

Put your best guesses in the comments.