"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[Hsaru]

This is likely the high point of the Jazz season and you people are wasting it by whining about Golden freaking State.

Save the angst for tomorrow, because it's going to be a long summer.

Losing a potential starter and a key backup in one night is an effin high point? What world are you living in? Worst night of the season imo.

[Blueintheface]

Ok, can the Jazz now avoid the sweep?

[MarkGrace]

Ok, can the Jazz now avoid the sweep?

Probably not.

[MarkGrace]

If we lose both picks this year, that means were essentially guaranteed two next year. Of course lower picks and weaker draft, but that's the silver lining for now.

(Is there an echo in here?)

[Blueintheface]

Losing a potential starter and a key backup in one night is an effin high point? What world are you living in? Worst night of the season imo.

Riley Nelson is the starting quarterback next year. Deal with it.

[UtahJazzFan88]

Riley Nelson is the starting quarterback next year. Deal with it.

Anyway, Shaq adding nothing to Inside the NBA as usual, I haven't heard him say anything postive about the Jazz, all he's been talking about is the Jazz getting swept and the Suns will win and talking up the Suns.

[MarkGrace]

Klay Thompson didn't play at all in the 4th. Rush was taken out about halfway through the 4th. Those were their two leading scorers. Freaking assholes.

[Hsaru]

Klay Thompson didn't play at all in the 4th. Rush was taken out about halfway through the 4th. Those were their two leading scorers. Freaking assholes.

I have never seen mid game tanking that bad, pregame benching guys tanking I have seen, but this... That is an embarrassment to the game.

[smokymountainrain]

Ok, can the Jazz now avoid the sweep?

I think if the big lineup plays 24+ minutes, the Jazz can extend it to six games. It's the only time the Jazz ever put their 5 best guys out there and they are hard to deal with.

[CardiacCoug]

I think if the big lineup plays 24+ minutes, the Jazz can extend it to six games. It's the only time the Jazz ever put their 5 best guys out there and they are hard to deal with.

That was a fun game. Who cares about draft picks? I wanted the Jazz to win.

Yeah that big lineup is interesting. It's absolutely dominant on the boards at both ends of the court and you have to think those guys will get even better when they have played together a little bit more.

It sure seems like defensively it could be exploited by a small lineup, but they really could just go zone against a smaller lineup and probably be pretty good defensively against a small team, too.

[Hsaru]

That was a fun game. Who cares about draft picks? I wanted the Jazz to win.

Yeah that big lineup is interesting. It's absolutely dominant on the boards at both ends of the court and you have to think those guys will get even better when they have played together a little bit more.

It sure seems like defensively it could be exploited by a small lineup, but they really could just go zone against a smaller lineup and probably be pretty good defensively against a small team, too.

Who cares about draft picks in a small market team? Everybody should...

Amazing how short sighted some people are, this year means absolutely nothing especially as an 8 seed, we have succeeded in developing the young players, getting more assets for the big push next year and in fa 2013 is what is more important than a curbstomping to SA.

[Non Sequitur]

Who cares about draft picks in a small market team? Everybody should...

Amazing how short sighted some people are, this year means absolutely nothing especially as an 8 seed, we have succeeded in developing the young players, getting more assets for the big push next year and in fa 2013 is what is more important than a curbstomping to SA.

Honestly, you're the worst kind of fan. Rooting for your team to lose. Thinking the season means nothing because we'll likely lose in the first round of the playoffs. Why not be happy that we played some good basketball at the end of the season to even make the playoffs? This was a nice season. We saw a lot of good basketball and got to see some young players improve before our eyes. At the GS game last night, fans were cheering against GS. Pretty hard to argue that that's not bush league. I don't understand how anyone can be an advocate of that kind of crap.

[Jacob]

The Spurs's 5th stringers could beat the Warriors on the road by 20 too.

Last time the Ws played the Spurs 5th string, the Spurs won by 31. Spurs 5th stringers on the second half of a back to back? Probably only win by 20,

[Eddie]

Who cares about draft picks in a small market team? Everybody should...

Amazing how short sighted some people are, this year means absolutely nothing especially as an 8 seed, we have succeeded in developing the young players, getting more assets for the big push next year and in fa 2013 is what is more important than a curbstomping to SA.

I don't think I've ever met anyone who wants to lose so badly today for a potential "maybe" better season in the future. Most folks I know use that line of thinking to console themselves.

First with BYU's QB situation - sure, maybe Heaps gets better next year. Maybe he doesn't. Who knows.

Now the Jazz draft situation. Sure, maybe they get some good picks that develop into something. Maybe not. Who knows. Maybe developing the guys who are already on the team and trying to win with them is an OK plan too.

[MarkGrace]

As Suns Set, Young Jazz Take Next Step
By Spencer Ryan Hall
TrueHoop Network

The Kevin O'Connor Rebuilding Master Class gave a free seminar to the entire NBA on Tuesday night. "How to Rebuild and Stay Relevant" is the working title and the Phoenix Suns provided a telling contrast to prove his thesis.

It was all on display: The results of fleecing trade partners, keeping salaries manageable, mixing affordable veterans with promising young players, maintaining a winning culture and building for the future.

On the vet side, Al Jefferson (18 points, 16 rebounds) returns to the playoffs for the first time since his rookie year in Boston. It was fitting that he scored eight straight points down the stretch to put the game away and couldn't keep the smile off his face when he was finally taken out of the game to a standing ovation.

Paul Millsap moved over to the small forward spot and abused the Suns with 26 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block. In his vacated power forward spot was the other side of the O'Connor rebuilding equation: Derrick Favors, with five blocks in the first half to go along with his totals of 13 points and 11 rebounds. Gordon Hayward quietly had a career-high eight assists to go along with 11 points.

The genius of O'Connor is the fuzzy math surrounding the rest of the roster. I'm confident no one could have guessed that castaways Josh Howard and Jamaal Tinsley would be playing crucial minutes for a playoff-contending Utah Jazz team. No one even knew starter DeMarre Carroll. Those in the Jazz front office deserve a lot of credit for creating a winning environment when many in the fan base were loudly aboard Team Tank.

When asked when the Jazz players first thought they would make the playoffs, Favors responded quickly: "Game 1."

Said Jazz coach Ty Corbin, "We need everybody that we have. The guys have been great all year supporting each other, making the right plays. I've changed the lineups and rotations at different times, the guys just come out and play and make the most of the minutes on the floor. We're going to need that to continue to get better."

The future is much murkier on the other end of the court. Steve Nash is a free agent this summer and has spoken openly about evaluating all of his options, while the rest of the roster is mired in big contracts without the talent to back it up.

"Phoenix feels like my team," Nash said. "It has the feel -- and you don't always get it in professional sports -- but it feels like a high school or college team. I spent so many years here and had so much success here. It's a special place for me, no question.

"I'd like to play three years. I feel great and I don't feel like there's any reason why I can't continue to play at a high level and contribute the way I've been. I want to keep going.

"The feeling is to have a great game tomorrow night and finish with a winning record. Then I'll try and put together a picture of what opportunities are out there and what situations will fit me well. Phoenix will be one of those for sure, but I'll take my time to evaluate what opportunities are out there for me."

It will be a shame if this is the way the Nash era in Phoenix ends -- not with a bang, but a wimper.


Thanks to O'Connor's plan, the Jazz are in full throat.

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime"]Daily Dime - ESPN[/ame]