A little late, but let’s get going.

• 9:00 - If you had the first Boozer “Aaaaahhhhhhhh!” at the nine minute mark, please collect your prize.
• 7:24 - It’s the Chicago 1st ward against the Salt Lake 14th ward.  Nobody’s hitting anything.  It looks like a bunch of Deacons out there.  Jazz and Bulls a combined 2-15.
• 6:14 - CJ for three.  He’s making his case as well.
• The Jazz should be blowing the Bulls out by now.  This is classic “Jazz playing down to the level of their opponent” play.
• 4:26  TO by CJ.  Will Sloan let him live so see any more minutes?
• 3:05 - Ugly shot by Wallace.  He gets paid how much?
• 2:21 - Who’s coming in for Willie?
• 1:40 - Nocioni banked that?  He was parallel with the backboard.
• 1:35 - Looks like it’s still Hart.  Hell.

2nd Quarter

• 10:38 - Bulls 10-0 run.  I blame Hart.
• 10:10 - Jazz shooting 33%.  Sweet.
• 8:43 - KK ties it up with a three - 31 all
• 7:29 - Pick up your prize if you have 7:29 for Boozer’s first “AND-1!” call.
• 6:38 - Korver with some great 2 on 1 defense.  He prevents the fast break layup.
• 5:52 - Booze picks up his third foul.  He gets called for the hook.  Must be channeling Carmelo.  Except the Jazz get called on those.
• 4:50 - Millsap converts the three point play.  41-37 Jazz.
• The Bulls seem to be a strictly one-on-one team.  I don’t see any passing or movement.
• You know how the fade-away jump shot is impossible to defend?  Joe Smith was falling away (Millsap was guarding), AK came over late and still blocked Smith.
• 2:43 - Jazz go zone.
• 2:18 - KK fails at the Harpring patented “catch the ball in the air and shot the reverse without touching the floor” shot.
• 1:04 - Utah ladies gasp as KK gets knocked to the floor.
• 1:00 - Ugly game, Jazz still have ten point lead, 47-37.

Halftime

Jazz lead 49-39.  It’s been ugly though.  They’re only shooting 40%.  The Bulls are shooting 42.  The difference has been the Jazz shooting 15-17 at the line compared to the Bulls lousy 4-12.  Nobody is having a good game.  Okur and Boozer are a dcent 3-5 & 3-6 respectively.  Korver is 1-6 and Williams is 3-8.  Let’s hope they put this one away in the third.  There’s no reason for the starters to be out there for this game.  We’ll see though.  The Bulls put away the Warriors a couple nights ago.  I guess they play with the nothing to lose attitude.

The biggest story I think is Pace & Thurl’s comments on the 98 finals and the Jordan push-off.  They both stated that it wasn’t a foul.  More on this after the game.  Traitors.

Third Quarter

• The fans over at Blog a Bull are commenting on the game
• Man, the Bulls don’t draw the crowds like they use to.  Just goes to show how many fair-weather fans they had.
• 10:09 - Booze picks up his fourth.  Jazz up 12.
• 9:20 - Man, they’re laying bricks out there tonight.  They’re going to crack the rim.
• 8:27 - Williams to AK alley-oop dunk.  Jazz up 57-43.  TO Chicago.
• 7:04 - Duhon lays out Williams and there’s no call. 
• 5:40 - Joe Smith brings the Bulls back within 7.
• 5:30 - CJ will the oop from Williams and the foul!
• Bricks the free throw.
• You’re right Danielle, this is a pretty boring game.  Those two oops to AK and CJ have livened things up a bit.  Let’s just hope it’s a boring win.
• 4:42 - Millsap fouls Smith on a jumper.  3-point play by Smith cuts it to 6.  61-55.
• 4:00 - Wallace, shooting 40% from the line, nails two.  Amazing.
• 3:44 - Phenomenal defensive play by Williams on the fast break.  Great swat.
• 3:35 - Millsap gets his fourth foul.  AK comes back in at the 4 with Booze and Millsap out.  63-59 Jazz.
• 2:09 - Jazz with only a 4 point lead, 65-61.  TO.  Price will be in.
• 1:52 - Two more FTs from the Bulls.  Now just two point lead.
• 1:30 - AK just may save us in this game.
• :38 - Jazz two-for-one.  Price gets to the rim and scores.  See you Hart.
• :6.6 - AK with the block on Smith for a shot clock violation
• :1.6 - Price puts the final nail in Hart’s coffin with a three at the buzzer.  That pushes the lead back to 7.

Price scores the final 5 points to give the Jazz a bit of a cushion.  We’ll be able to see Booze and Millsap back in.  The Jazz seem to be looking past these last two games for the All-star break.

Fourth Quarter

• 11:32 - Price with the steal!  Loses it right back.
• 10:59 - Breakaway Price dunk!
• 10:23 - Boozer jumper to push it back to 76-65.
• I’ve been a Sloan defender for the most part, but if we see Hart again, I can’t defend that.  What Price brings and what Hart brings is night and day.  Hart should only see time with Williams in foul trouble and Price and AK are out.
• 9:49 - Korver gets in on the alley action.  Throws a sweet pass to AK for the dunk.
• 9:05 - Another Price 3!!!!!!
• 8:17 - Boozer gets another and-1.  Perfect pick and roll from Price.
• 8:07 - Williams will check back in at the next dead ball. Price should get a huge O.
• 7:07 - Price stays in.  KK out.  Sloan has heard the fan.
• My web host just went down.  Sweet.  See you on the other side.
• 4:48 - Bulls not going away.  They’re playing hard still.  Jazz still up 88-78.
• 3:43 - Price is playing D on someone trying to post him up.  Can’t tell who.  Thabo?
• 3:30 - Jazz up 92-78 on Williams layup.  The Jazz should be able to hold on.
• Just got back up.  5 minutes of downtime.  Someone must have kicked the plug on the server or switch because my web hosts site was down too.
• Portland just lost again.  We’ll go up four on them.  Where’s your Roy now?
• Price is human.  Misses a three.
• 1:51 - Hammer dunk Booze.
• :50 - Memo trying to crack the rim.  That’s like the third in a row off the front of the iron.
• :26.3 - Jazz up 94-85.  Let’s call this one.
• :12.2 - Chick dig the free throws.  Or maybe just KK.

A win is a win even when a win is ugly.  The Jazz won’t start another streak with play like this though.  We have the final game Wed against @Seattle.  Recap coming.

• Nice early fast break by AK and Brewer
• Boozer will not be able to guard Artest tonight.
• Salmons is getting the start over Moore tonight.
• 6:50 - That is the ugliest shot I have ever seen by Bibby. Looks like AK got a piece. It ended up going off the top of the backboard.
• Jump-shots are just not falling.
• 6:04 - A 3 from AK. If AK keeps shooting like this, Horny needs some bonus pay or a coaching job.
• You’re crazy if you want to trade AK. He’s all over the place on D and makes amazing passes. Is there a bigger play-maker on the team besides Deron?
• 3:12 - Zone by the Kings. Brewer just got put on his back with an amazing stuff by the Kings.
• 2:37 - Is Millsap’s shooting strategy just to throw it at the rim and then get the offensive board and put-back? Because it’s working.
• 2:00 - Martin can go to the rim any time he wants.
• :58 - Martin for 3 and nine points already.
• :21.6 - Now that’s how you beat a zone. Good passes from Hart to Harpring to Hart to Booz for the dunk.

11 points in the quarter for Martin. He’s picking up where he left off last time. The Jazz have had some good plays on offense and have shown flashes of above average defense.

2nd Quarter

• What would it take to get Brad Miller?
• 11:01 - Harpring just put a Ronnie Lott hit on Artest
• 10:14 - KK for 3. He’s starting to come around.
• 9:26 - Artest is all over Okur. The man can guard almost anyone.
• K K K meeting in Ohio as Drake played Creighton. Korver’s brothers played each other.
• 7:07 - I like seeing Williams push it. But then Korver goes and does his best Collins impression by fumbling the great pass from Deron.
• 6:30 - Lots of lay-ups all of the sudden for the Kings. The Jazz do not get back on transition D at all.
• 5:34 - An inbound steal by Memo and he’s left alone for a three. MONEY! Man, Boler’s been dying to say it.
• I must be Korver’s kryptonite because whenever I see him play, he doesn’t hit anything
• There’s the bell guy that rings after every free throw. Got him on camera.
• 3:15 - Turnover from the Kings. Brewer is back in. We seem to be better defensively with him in there.
• 2:20 - Thunder! and Lightning! I don’t understand this call from Bolerjack. He’s saying it when Boozer makes a shot.
• :47 - First FG from Bibby. The Jazz have played pretty well on defense on the perimeter. The Kings have just been making difficult shots.
• Last second shot from Bibby fell, but after the buzzer.

HALF-TIME UPDATE

The offense has been where it always is. They’re shooting 52% and 4-8 from down town. Bad news is that the Kings are shooting 52% as well. I don’t think our record is good when the opposing team shoots over 50%. They’re only 8-13 from the line though. They’re going to have to start making those as Sac is 13-16 and it has definitely kept this one close.

Boozer’s had a perfect first half going 6-6 from the field and 6-6 of guards going by him to the hoop. Some photos from the first half: Flickr3rd Quarter

• Back after some technical and progeny difficulties
• 10:00 - AK another three. Are we going to see more of Horny the coach?
• 8:48 - Miller walks to the Great Salt Lake and back and no travel call.
• 8:45 - And Deron gets the foul on a great block. Amazing. Martin with 19 now. Isn’t he due for an ankle sprain about now?
• 8:09 - Great outlet pass from Booz and fast break dunk from Deron. 68-63 Jazz.
• 7:48 - First mention of possible double-double from Boler
• 6:58 - Is their a bigger dagger then playing D for 23 seconds and then having the opponent nail a three?
• 6:21 - Another three for the Kings. This time from Miller. Man!
• 6:00 - Boozer 10-10 from the floor. Doesn’t Malone have the record for for most field goals in a perfect shooting game? It was like 16-16 or something. I think it might have just got passed recently. Either of you two want to look it up?
• 5:41 - Williams is probably the odd man out in the All-star game? Is that the small market effect? Maybe we’ll have a late injury withdrawal and he’ll get in like Okur.
• 4:44 - Smart foul by Bibby on AK. We can’t hit FTs tonight.
• 4:03 - Artest gets away with a delay of game after kicking the ball and a foul on the other end over AK’s back.
• 3:50 - Make up call? AK pushes in the back to get a board.
• 3:40 -MONEY!
• Why does Artest remind me of Rodman?
• 2:31 - There’s the D. Great block by Millsap!
• 2:30 - And a layup from Boozer on the other end. All of the sudden it’s a ten-point lead. Booz is now 12-12.
• Somebody take out Martin. Criminy!
• I’m way behind with my DVR. I think I’m going to skip ahead here in a minute to catch up.
• 1:12 - 13-13 from the floor for Boozer. Better sit him to preserve that record.
• :42 - Boozer and Millsap and other get a lot of easy putbacks after missed shots by hanging out around the basket. But it costs the Jazz on the other end in fast-break points as they’re still under the hoop and the PG for the other team is crossing half-court.
• :35 - Udrih botches the layup and Millsap gets the foul because he was within the zip code. He ducks out of the way and gets hit with the foul.

Great push in the third to build up the lead. At home they should be able to hold the lead. I’m FF to the fourth now to catch up to live.

4th Quarter

• 8:49 - Artest is playing the part of Rodman well. He’s getting into the heads of the Jazz players with his antics.
• Hmmmmmmmm, McRib. Supposedly it’s going away for the last time, again. Just like those Disney movies go to the vault, never to be seen again.
• Harpring has football mentality? Has he played football again?
• 7:52 - How does Artest get away with so much provocation? Harpring gets a good pick on Martin and gets a foul. Then Martin puts his leg in Harp’s crotch and Artest puts his hands right in Matt’s face.
• 7:35 - Great D on Artest from Boozer. Didn’t think I would be saying that.
• 7:04- Artest with a delay of game and trying to put his elbow into Korver. Then he goes into the camera row after the ball. Thug. With all the fan jawing going on, prepare for another Palace incident.
• 6:54 - Catch, shoot, bang seems to be Boler’s call of choice for KK.
• 6:29 - Martin 29.
• 5:45 - Have we traded for Miller yet? Another three.
• 5:35 - 110-100 Jazz.
• 4:34 - Booner describes a hard foul from Artest in which he had no intention of going after the ball, a clean foul.
• FINALLY! Artest tossed! See ya chest-thumpin’ moron. He was throwing elbows after AK’s free throw. Thug. Does google bombing still work?
• 3:54 - Martin jumps 5 feet into Korver to draw a foul. KK was falling backwards as it happens. Worse call in sports.
• 3:09 - Clutch Williams J to push the lead back to 9.
• Next game at Houston in HD, just not over the air yet.
• 2:33 - Nice anticipation steal of Miller. Two FTs coming. 123-111.
• 2:00 - Play of the game. Williams with the dribble, head fake, and laser from the top of the key to Brewer for the dunk.
• 1:37 -Spencer Doobie.  Best name of the night.  Maybe the ref Spooner challenges him.
• Martin with 17/17 from the line.  Amazing.
• :44 - Worst circus shot from #7 Jones that I’ve ever seen.  Tried to do the up and under reverse and throws it high over the backboard.
• :32 - Thanks goodness Boozer got that double-double finally.  I was getting worried… for Boler.

Solid win over the Kings.  They clamped down in the fourth and made the plays they needed on defense to make sure the Kings got no closer than 6 in the fourth.  Full recap coming.

Let’s see how much I can live blog this tonight. It’ll be a little more raw than usual as I try to get as much in as I can.

1st Quarter

• Good to see AK back in effect.
• A lot of green in the seats. But we have CeCe here

• Magic are the anti-Jazz. They’re 16-7 on the road.
• No Bolerjack. There goes the Money and Double-double calls
• 5:50 - Another three from Memo.
• 5:13 - Have to admit that AK taking jump shots hasn’t been scaring me as much lately. He’s looked pretty good.
• 5:16 - First TO. The Jazz are shooting 75% already and holding Orlando to 36%. And it’s no coincidence that we’re doing well because Memo is on.
• 4:19 - The pick and roll defense tonight for the Jazz has been the best I’ve seen it this year. They’re getting a lot of strips and Williams is fighting through screens a lot better.
• 3:38 - Another amazing alley-oop from Williams to AK.
• 3:12 - Hart and Harpring in. The KJZZ guys were uncharacteristically tough on Hart in the pre-game. They think that the Jazz are going to go get another PG before the trading deadline. They haven’t been impressed either with him. And you have to remember, the only reason he has a contract is because of his last 23 or so games last season with the Clippers. Why that happens in the NBA, I don’t know.
• Random side note, wouldn’t a live blog be more live in a chat type window? Then you could really see what I was thinking. No editing.
• 2:12 - Howard is 0-3 so far. How about them apples? Great D so far.
• 1:18 - Who has a higher arcing shot, Boozer or Darryl Griffith?
• 33.3 - “Get that sh* out of there.” Heard after a Jazz block. Fan or player?
• Harp showing no sign of the new baby curse.

The second team did pretty good in maintaining the lead after Williams and AK came out. Great first quarter. They’ve played great D and the offense has been solid as usual.

2nd quarter

• 9:42 - The Turk(oglu) from Turkey becomes unglued and gets a T
• 9:39 - Four fouls on the Magic in about three seconds.
• 7:30 - The Jazz have no chance of getting starters in the All-star game as long as we have the likes of Kobe, T-Mac, etc. And the fact that we don’t have the fan base.
• 7:15 - Another oop. Did we see this many in the whole Stockton to Malone era that we’ve seen in the past few games? And is AK the best passing non-PG in the league?
• Holy crap. How is Orlando going to afford bringing in any more players in a couple years? They have 35-42 million committed to Lewis and Howard alone.
• 2:41 - The Jazz can’t pull away despite shooting 61% to 39 for the Magic. 51-47 Jazz
• 1:47 - Great help D on Howard. He’s getting the ball a long ways away from the basket.
• 1:32 - Man, a great block by Howard. The man is a freak. How can you be that tall and be able to have a vertical where he could probably high jump the backboard?
• :27 - Maybe that’s why Deron doesn’t drive more. He hasn’t gotten a call tonight going inside.

Halftime Update

The Jazz Bear replaces Thurl at halftime and the ratings go up. I would have preferred Pace to go, but I guess it’s a start.

This isn’t a game against the hapless Pacers or depleted Suns. The Magic are a very good team, even on the road. So this is probably a better measuring stick of where the Jazz are now. And you have to like what you’re seeing. The offense hasn’t been in doubt, but the defense lately has really picked up and it shows.

Memo of course has been the biggest reason for the good play in the last five games. So should he keep it up in the second half, we should see the Jazz put this one away.

3rd Quarter

• 11:32 - No getting back again.
• 9:24 - Orlando within 3. Please take a TO Sloan. Nope.
• 8:35 - Offense is off right now. The Magic are disrupting their cuts and passing lanes.
• 6:45 - Two Ts from the Turks. This one on Memo after he gets called for pushing off.
• 6:27 - Boozer just took Lewis out. I love it! Where has this been from Boozer all year? I’d love to see him develop a mean streak like this. You can bet Lewis will think twice next time he comes into the lane.
• 6:00 - Flop doesn’t get the call from his namesake.
• 5:10 - Great block from AK and Boozer can’t finish on the other end. Misses the dunk and almost falls on his can.

• 3:00 - Get out of the way Collins! Brewer made a couple nice moves but ran into the tree and had to bring it back out.
• Great local commercial for Bailey’s moving. Deron is trying to call someone from the team to help him move. Even Sloan gets in on the act at the end. I can’t remember the last commercial Sloan was in. I’d like to hear what Sloan would really say in that situation. Probably something to do with Deron getting paid millions of dollars.

• 1:30 - Howard is holding on to the ball looking for the pass. All the while he’s doing the Hammer dance and shuffling his feet. He’s probably moved a good foot in about 3 seconds.
• :28 - 12-13 from the line for Howard. He’s a career 60% shooter. How does that always happen against the Jazz?
• .04 - Hart finally gets one of his patented three point, end of quarter heaves to go. It still doesn’t make up for the dozens of terrible ones before.

But that Hart three does give the Jazz a bit of a cushion going into the fourth. That was a pretty poor third quarter. The fourth hasn’t been kind to the Jazz, but they’ve been playing well as of late. They’ll need to pick up the D again though like they had in the first half. The Jazz are shooting 55% compared to the Magic’s 43 and are still only up five. With it being this close, we could see a lot more Korver in the fourth.

Fourth quarter

• 11:20 - You can start making those threes any time now KK. Your honeymoon is almost up.
• 9:28 - Howard with a nasty dunk over Millsap. Ouch.
• 8:26 - Boozer just gets called for the offensive foul for using his shoulder a bit. Something everyone else in the league gets away with, including Howard’s dunk just a minute ago.
• 7:50 - Another basket for the Magic because the Jazz can’t get back.
• 7:18 - BS! Boozer just gets called for the defensive foul on the exact play he just got the offensive call for. Consistency has got to be the worst part of officiating.

• 6:44 - Memo! Three! Money! (There you go Boler. I got your back) Oh, and Boozer and Deron with the DD.
• 5:38 - Another turnover by the Jazz. They’re looking like the 6 game slide Jazz right now. A three from the other Turk has tied it up.
• 5:25 - Howard starting to miss the free throws finally.
• 5:01 - Nice move from AK and dish to Boozer. The dunk and the foul!

• 4:49 - Great D from AK leads to a turnover.
• 4:35 - Memo! Three! - It’s the Memo of fall 2006!

• 3:59 - Memo with the tip
• 2:44 - Bad - Memo’s fourth fifth foul. Good - Howard misses fourth straight FT
• 2:33 - Great D by Memo on Lewis. He didn’t let him get off a good luck at a three.
• 1:59 - Turkoglu clears KK out with a forearm and gets the basket.
• 1:10 - Two free throws from Okur puts the Jazz up 109-100. That should about do it.
• 1:04 - Memo fouls out. But he’s the story of the night and the reason for the Jazz win.
• 1:01 - The longest minute in sports. It’s a free throw game for the Jazz as the Magic will hack now and go for threes.
• :46 - Only a five point lead and AK at the line. Sorry for the curse with the 1:10 comment. No prob, AK makes both.
• Crap. KK fouls Redick on the three attempt.
• :37 - 112-108. KK will have to redeem himself from the line.
• :20 - It’s been eight minutes to play the last 40 seconds.
• :15 - Boozer’s fouled out. Magic back at the line.

And that will do it. The last minute takes 13 actual minutes to play. Korver made all his free throws as well as AK and Deron. Memo the hero this game. Recap coming later.

• 11:46 - Can any of the Jazz players stay on their feet with a pump fake on the perimeter?  The jump into the defender is Manu’s patent move.
• 8:03 - The Jazz are shooting 60% and yet still only lead by 1, 82-81.  The Spurs are only shooting 42%.  The difference?  25 FT attempts v. only 12 for the Jazz.
• Timeout - Highlights of the last time the Jazz won in SA.  Take another drink for the reference.
• 7:28 - Boozer likes the high-fives.
• 7:15 - Man, U suck.  See what I did there?
• 6:42 - 85-84 Spurs.  First lead since early in the first.  Offensive boards are killing the Jazz.
• 5:50 - That’s an MVP play.  The dribbling it and not passing it to Deron, not so much.
• Timeout - 54-18 advantage in the paint for the Jazz.  Amazing.
• 5:25 - Another back-breaking offensive board and a three for the Spurs
• 3:50 - Another three, another offensive board for SA.  Parker makes the two.
• Timeout - Haven’t been able to hear the miced coaches until now.  Fascinating insight from Sloan going to commercial.  “Let’s go!  Come on, let’s go!”
• How can it be this close?  Or should I say, how can SA have the lead?  91-87.  19 turnovers, that’s how.  8 by Boozer.  Ouch.
• 2:37 - Ginobili with the block of the night on Booze.
• 2:03 - Okur is terrible at defending the pick and roll as Manu gets a free ride to the basket.
• 1:30 - Big miss by Bonner.  Gives the Jazz hope.
• 1:20 - Boozer’s only attempting his 3rd and 4th FTs.  There’s your difference.
• :59 - Parker picked a lousy time to get hot.  Good D by the Jazz on this trip.  Clutch shot by Tony.
• :43 - Big miss by Booze at the line.  Did you know that the Jazz haven’t won here since ‘99?
• :41 - Timeout.  96-94 Spurs.
• :30.8 - Manu gets to the line again.  Four-point game.
• :23.8 - Williams on the foul line.  Misses the first.  Haven’t had a field goal in six minutes.  Makes the second.  Three point spread.
• :17.1 - WILLIAMS!  THREE!  One-point game.
• :17.1 - Two Manu free throws.  Only a three point game.  101-98.  Timeout.  Watch for the foul so that the Jazz can’t get a three off.
• :15 - Offensive on Booze.
• 13:9 - Bonner 1-2.  Four point game.
• 5.2 - Fitting that Manu grabs the last board to put the game away.

More on this ugly second half later.

Boozer is dominating as expected.  He’s already got 23 & 14.  Millsap has only played 5 minutes.  Can’t figure that one out.  And say what you want about Sloan’s rotations, but as far as knowing which lesser players to play, he’s usually right on.  Right now Miles is playing pretty well.  Let’s hope that Jazz keep up this play in the fourth.

• 11:07 - Nice D from Deron taking the charge from Mr Longoria.  Tony has to sit now with three fouls early.
• 10:00 - Deron for two.  Let’s hope the Jazz can go on a nice run in the third without Parker to put this away.
• 9:16 - First reminder of the 16 straight losses.
• 8:56 - Vaughn will not be intimidated!
• 7:55 - Okur gets the roll.  No three-point attempts yet?
• 7:26 - Aahhh, the first flop for Manu.  I was getting worried.  And two F bombs from Sloan.  The NBA should designate the movie rating on fans’ tickets.  The area behind the Jazz bench would be NC-17.
• 6:20 - Home cookin’.  Manu gets the clear lane to the basket call even though Okur got his hand on the ball.  How can one player keep his team in the game like that?
• 5:30 - Man, that was some nice D by Manu.  It looked like Brewer clearly had him beat on a backdoor and he was still somehow able to pickoff the pass.
• 4:55 - Someone tell AK that he has to call the bank to make sure they’re open before taking that kind of shot.  What would have been 3 feet off, goes in off the glass.
• 3:51 - Spurs have the best record in the last 10 years of all the major sports.  Is the NHL suppose to be on that list?
• 3:40 - Brewer with what seems like his 10th dunk of the night.
• 2:40 - Boozer with another turn-around.  There’s your MVP.
• 2:19 - Timeout - 70-68 Jazz.
• 2:04 - How many more points could Malone have had if he could finish with the left like Boozer?
• :43 - No FG from Longoria since 7:03 in the first.  Has to be the surprise that of the night