Utah vs Portland – Deeper Than You Think
‘Getting The Point’ (Melissa Majchrzak - NBAE/Getty Images)
Portland is really eating up the league. They are playing terrific team basketball. They are stealing the Jazz thunder as the up and coming young team to beat. They look like they will be a solid team well into the future. Even worse for Jazz fans is the fact they look like they could become a dominant team in the future. Maybe even a dynasty. Something the Jazz were hoping to become.
It’s bad enough that Portland has pulled past the Jazz this year in the race for the division title and the playoffs. But trust me it’s worse then you might realize.
The Portland brass have done a phenomenal job building this team. Not only are they winning now. Not only are they young. Not only do they have a player in Greg Oden who has the potential to be a Hall of Fame player… They also will have a ton of cap room in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. Don’t think for a second that they are going to hesitate to offer Deron Williams and Chris Paul a long term max deal. You would be naïve to believe it’s not “Plan A.” Adding either of those two guards to the core already wearing a Blazer uniform would make Portland downright unbeatable.
Of course neither Utah nor New Orleans wants to let their young stars go. You will see both teams effort to sign the up and coming point guards to long term deals as quickly as possible. But don’t count out the trend for NBA players to take 1-3 year deals giving themselves a chance to become free agents sooner.
It would be bad for the Jazz if Paul went to Portland in a few years. It would be devastating if Williams was lured away. That’s why Utah Vs Portland is bigger then it looks. The best way to keep your guy is to win. Beat the other team. Win now, win tomorrow. It’s important for the Jazz to beat the Blazers on the court, in the standings, in playoffs, etc.
Anyway you look at it – the Utah Vs Portland battle is just beginning.
4 Comments to “Utah vs Portland – Deeper Than You Think”
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Johnathan:
You’re right on the money! (in more ways than one)
They’re actually in the luxury tax area next year, but then they clear $29 million off the books in 2009 and can go hunting.
Their draft maneuvering has been fantastic the last 2 years.
They have one bad egg left over from the Jail Blazers and Frequent Flyer Miles’ $9 million comes off the books in 2009, so even if they make a big splash in the 2009 free agent market, in 2010, they can go right back again for another free agent.
Jazzaholic
Kind of scary but true. It shows a lot of people who worry about hurting players feelings that NBA basketball doesn’t talk in $100 it talks many millions. You have to worry about what a young person who has money on their mind (and what young or old person doesn’t)will do when a LOT of money is offerred to join a team that is winning or take the choice of a lot of stress with a team that isn’t playing to it’s potential. This is big business folks, so if you can step up and be great fans and do all in your possibility to help the Jazz win and like playing for the Jazz, we has all better do it!!!!
I am a huge Jazz fan, a Carlos Boozer fan, and a Jerry Sloan fan, but I have to say that in last night’s game there were some huge problems. First of all, it quickly became obvious that Carlos was having an off night (completely understandable, and acceptable…it happens). The Jazz were still able to hold it together through most of the game. What really bothered me was when all of the sudden, within about 5 minutes of playing time we went from leading by 6, to losing by 10. I was paying close attention and almost every play went to Carlos, and every time the pass either never got to him or he in his off-night slump, didn’t go for it hard enough. The ball got stolen time after time, or when Carlos did get the ball, he would put it up for another miss (he ended the game 3/16 on field goals, and 0/2 in free throws). Then on the other end of the court he would not go for rebounds. This was 3rd period when Martell Webster outscored the entire Jazz team all by himself. Who was supposed to be defending Martell? Carlos!! My question is… Why in the world didn’t Jerry Sloan, who always goes on and on about how some players just “act too lethargic out there”, and “they need to go out and act like they want the playing time!”, left Carlos on the floor for that many minutes. He played almost the entire game, even when he was obviously not into it. As much as I almost always completely agree with Jerry on everything, I say we owe this loss to Jerry not “Waking up”, and making a badly needed substitution, when it was obvious that a superstar was having a bad night.
It has happened in a few of the games this year. Wish anyone could figure it out!?!?!?
It is sloan basketball at it’s best?
Happened last year in the finals when the team was getting wipped out and he wouldn’t call a time out.
But AK missed one shot and sat out an entire finals game????
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