"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[Bastage]

It seems that everytime I miss a Jazz game CJ goes off like crazy.

It's nice to see that CJ is finding a groove.

[MarkGrace]

Serious run to start the 2nd quarter.

[MarkGrace]

20 assists and 4 to's at the half.

[LiveCoug]

Jazz looking tired and letting Detroit back in this game.. Just finish it off boys...

[Bastage]

Detroit is a bad basketball team.

[Maximus]

I still cant believe you have zero confidence in the Jazz versus the Mavs, MG.

[MarkGrace]

I still cant believe you have zero confidence in the Jazz versus the Mavs, MG.

Why? Mavs are better than the Jazz. I have little doubt about that.

[Maximus]

Why? Mavs are better than the Jazz. I have little doubt about that.

I would say the mavs are better right now, but whoever has homecourt would win in a close series.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Jazz with b2b road wins? We can win the first round series, we only need someone to upset LA and the Mavs. I think we can take the Nuggettes.

[MarkGrace]

I would say the mavs are better right now, but whoever has homecourt would win in a close series.

If the Jazz had homecourt, I'd take the Mavs in 6.

[Maximus]

If the Jazz had homecourt, I'd take the Mavs in 6.

LOL based on their win streak with 5 wins over playoff teams, all with small MOVs?

If Jazz have homecourt and lose to Mavs, ill buy you pizza.

[MarkGrace]

LOL based on their win streak with 5 wins over playoff teams, all with small MOVs?

No, based on the fact that they are a better and more talented team.

Again, I'm never quite sure what your point is with looking at their recent wins or comparing common opponents. They'd be playing each other in a 7 games series. The Lakers have lost three of their last four, and their only win is a two point victory over the Raptors, yet I'm still confident they'd run us out of the gym in a series. I don't think there's anything to be derived from the evidence you are giving here.

The additions of Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson have changed the identity of the Mavs while also making them a complete team.

Prior to the trade, several issues were keeping the Mavs from being a legitimate title contender -- including their lack of perimeter toughness defensively, the inability of their complementary frontcourt players to impact the game offensively, and the inconsistency of their secondary scoring options in big moments. All were major concerns for coach Rick Carlisle.

All were addressed with the trade.

Butler is a perfect fit for three major reasons.

First, his ability to defend multiple positions at a much higher level than his predecessor, Josh Howard, takes a load of pressure off Dirk and point guard Jason Kidd. Butler can combine with Shawn Marion to give the Mavs a tandem that can make any wing tandem they face in the postseason work for everything they get.

Second, Butler gives them a true second scoring option whose production isn't based solely on making long-range jumpers. That will take pressure off Jason Terry and allow him to make his impact felt in fewer minutes and with less team dependence on his jumper's being there night in and night out. Butler gets his points in a variety of ways. He can post. He gets offensive rebounds. He draws fouls. He has a deadly pull-up jumper. And, best of all, he can score without having his number called.

Finally, Butler is rock-solid in the locker room and is a great chemistry guy. He is a quiet leader and a winner. There will be no "acclimation period" since the guy flat-out knows how to play with anyone. It also doesn't hurt that he must feel like he's been given a new lease on life by exiting the disaster otherwise known as the Washington Wizards.

Brendan Haywood gives the Mavs everything Eric Dampier has provided, plus the ability to finish plays around the rim and in transition, which Dampier struggles with. His length will be a huge factor against the Lakers if they meet in the playoffs.

Nowitzki and Kidd have been to three Finals between them but have never had a complete enough cast to bring home any hardware. This is the best team either has played on and, as Dallas' 13-game winning streak indicates, it may be good enough to grab the Larry O'Brien Trophy, if not an Emmy.

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/dime-100310/daily-dime

I just think they have a really nice looking squad post-trade and have little doubt they'd drill the Jazz.

[MarkGrace]

Here's an observation from Hollinger today that I agree with:

Dave (SLC) Can the Jazz get passed either the Lakers or Denver in the postseason? I think they can beat Denver, but I don't see how they beat the Lakers.

John Hollinger (12:38 PM)
I don't see how they beat L.A. either, i don't like that match-up at all for Utah. Denver, by the way, isn't a walk through the tulips for them either. It odd -- Utah is playing better than anyone in the conference, but you look at the season series and you realize how match-up dependent they are -- they really struggle against L.A., Denver and OKC, and they just crush everyone else.

I see it the same way he does: the Jazz are extremely match up dependent. I know, duh!, every team is, right? Unfortunately I just don't think we match up very well with the other top teams in the West. Despite the fact that we have a great record since whenever, we've already shown that the Lakers length on the interior gives us a huge problems (not to mention handling Kobe), and that Denver's muscle and athleticism consistently wears out our frontline.

With the new Mavs, I think you'd see something similar to what we've already seen with LA and Denver. So despite how those teams and the Jazz are playing against other competition, if you put them together in a series, I'm still inclined to believe we'd go out easy.

[old_gregg]

brandon jennings is a smug piece of thug trash

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

A year ago Saturday the Jazz season fell apart in a 2 OT , or was it 3 OT?, loss at Miami. The Jazz had the game won at least twice, at the end of regulation Milsap made maybe the dumbest basketball play in the history of the Jazz. That was a sad day.