Catching Denver

Posted by Brian McCann on February 18, 2009

As it stands today, the Jazz sit 6 games behind first place Denver, and 2.5 games behind second place Portland in the Northwest division. They are 1 game ahead of Phoenix (but tied in the loss column) for the 8th and final playoff spot. I have heard a lot of talk over the last couple of weeks that the Jazz will be fighting to hang on to the 8th spot in the west for the rest of the season. I would now like to officially go on record as saying that this most definitely will not be the case. Utah will most likely finish somewhere in the 4-6 range. Some might disagree, because the west is so tough, but this isn’t mid-April, and there is still a whole lotta ball to be played. The one thing we have going for us at this point is that Booz, and AK, and Brevin, and the assistant coaches, and the bear, and everyone else associated with the Jazz organization will be healthy in the next couple of games. Will it take everyone a couple of weeks to gel? Will it take Booz a few weeks to get back into game shape? Maybe, but just having them on the bench ready to go will be a huge self esteem builder. I’ve said it before, this game is 90% mental, and 5-10 of the Jazz’s losses this year have come from a mental collapse. Just give us three of those games back, and we are sittin’ pretty with home court in the first round.

Of course, you can make this argument for a lot of teams. Melo was injured for a few weeks, and McGrady is injured more than he’s not (I severely dislike the guy, but you have to feel for their fans-and we thought Booz was bad). The Lakers, Spurs, Blazers, and Hornets have all had their injury struggles as well, but none even come kind of close to the losses the Jazz have sustained, and I really think they are going to be out to prove something over the next 29 games. Let’s face it, this team had a lot of hype surrounding them before the season started…maybe too much hype. Things haven’t exactly gone their way, and you better believe that they feel like they have something to prove.

So, with that said, I think the Jazz have a legit shot at catching Denver, and stealing the division to land the 3 seed (no disrespect to my Portland brotha’s-you guys have had a great season, and I am not overlooking you, it’s just with everything the Jazz have been through, you are still only 2.5 games ahead of us, and I have a feeling momentum is about to swing in our favor). Call me crazy-Denver is obviously an improved team this year, especially since they dumped AI, but we just have to win six more games than them over the next 29. It’s a long shot, but it’s doable. The Jazz have the tougher schedule between the two; they will spend March and April primarily on the road, which hasn’t been exactly kind to them this year. But Denver does have some tough stretches. The key to the stars aligning the way they are going to have to for the Jazz to pull this thing off is Utah must, no matter what, take care of business. They play the Thuggs two more times (both nationally televised) this year, including the latter end of a back-to-back, in which Denver plays Portland on March 5, and then at Utah on March 6 on ESPN. The other game is at Denver on April 2^ndon TNT. Both of these are must wins for the Jazz. Denver also has the Lakers twice, Portland another time, Boston, and a rough road swing at the end of March in which they play at Phoenix, at New Orleans, and at Dallas all in five days.

Look, I know the Nuggies and their fans think they far enough ahead of us that we are not a real threat, and that they have already picked out the matching neck tattoo that they are all going to get to celebrate winning the division (one of Chris Andersen’s designs), but we are not out of it yet, and we certainly should not be having the old “fighting for the eighth seed” conversation-not when we have one of the best all-around players, and one of the top 15 overall players in the league coming back.

Don’t stick a fork in us just yet Denver…remember, the title is ours until we lose it.

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Caderade on February 18, 2009 said:

I think it’ll be tough for us to catch up with Denver, but we should definitely be able to end up in the 4-6 range. Call me crazy, but assuming we can’t steal the 3rd seed, I’d almost prefer to see us as a 6 or 7 than a 4 or 5. That way, we wouldn’t have to play LA until the conference championship, although we would have to win in Denver and San Antonio (which hasn’t happened this decade). Who knows? I guess we’ll play the hand we’ve been dealt.

Eddie Rodriguez on February 18, 2009 said:

WHO ever said the JAZZ will be fighting to hang on for the 8th and final spot in the western conference, Is stupid! STEPHEN A. SMITH would agree. For the JAZZ, finally the reinforcements are in sight. AK played phenomenal for coming off ankle surgery, last night against the GRIZZLES. He had 14 points and three steals, and his energy which isn’t a stat BUT outta be, was great. So this allegation against the JAZZ is retarded. No other team this year has face as much adversity as the JAZZ have this year, to lose core players for significant time and only be out of second place in the western conference by 5 games.. .. says something about our talent and depth and obviously are coaching! Thursday game against the defending champs, BOSTON CELTICS is definitely a statement game to the WESTERN CONFERENCE. Go JAZZ!

Montgump on February 19, 2009 said:

Utah is gonna get up there. New Orleans is probably gonna statrt to slip after trading Chandler and I know Houston is going to suffer without McGrady for the rest of the season.

Montgump on February 19, 2009 said:

Does anyone know if Boozer is playing tonight?

Johnathan Kendrick on February 19, 2009 said:

Montgump – He has not been cleared to play in thursdays game.

NBAfan on February 20, 2009 said:

I’m not sure that I understand where your holier than though attitude is coming from… “The Thuggs”, “matching neck tattoo”. I don’t see how any of that is relevant to the game. The Nuggets deserve to be where they are at right now, period. And if Boozer comes back and the Jazz are on the top by the end of the season, they will deserve it as well. But in the future please make your posts on the game about the game. And remember, the title is theirs until you win it. Don’t disrespect.

NBAfan on February 20, 2009 said:

Correction, holier than thou…

DWB on February 21, 2009 said:

NBAfan- It’s called humor, something you obviously lack.

LakerfaninLA on February 21, 2009 said:

NBAfan- Don’t take things too seriously. It seems like you are just being contentious

TrueBlueJazz on February 21, 2009 said:

NBAfan- Try not taking things so seriously. There are other Jazz blogs out there that are extreemly funny, and I happen to read them daily. This post has a little humor in it. If you can’t take that, go read the AP. Sports are full of personality and you have to be able to laugh at yourself. saying the “Thugs” is just comical because you have to admit, they are a little more rugged than most teams. I have heard them called the Thuggets in many NBA forums, not just this one. And almost everyone on the team has a neck tatoo, so again, this is just comically stating a fact.

I have great respect for the Nuggets, but when I read this blog, I want to see more posts that are humorus and look at the lighter side of sports like this guy has done. His posts are funny. If you take them too seriously, that is your perogative, but don’t shoot down entertaining writing. These posts MUST be alowed . The world is bad enough, we need to be able to smile.

LilaG on February 21, 2009 said:

I for one really like Mr. McCann’s posts. I think they have a great “real” feeling to them. Good job Brian, and good job Jazzbots!!

Lila

NBAfan2 on February 21, 2009 said:

i agree with NBA fan. Lets keep it classy. We don’t need any more of these kinds of posts Brian.

TrueNBAfan on February 21, 2009 said:

NBA fans1 and 2- You guys ever hear of Jim Rome, Rick Reily, or Woody Page? All three are highly respected, considered by some the best in their respective feilds, and all three are highly opinionated. I have heard Rome call the Nuggets the thuggets before-in fact I have heard it on several of these types of forums. Its just humor, and I’m not a real Jazz fan, but I love the game and appreciate good humor. This post is mild compared to some of the things the aforementioned sports writers write. No need to take it serious. I really enjoy the diversity on Jazzbots.

Jazzgurl on February 22, 2009 said:

TrueBlueJazz- I’m sorry but you’re wrong about almost every player on the Nuggets having a neck tattoo… there are only 2. J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin. The matching neck tattoo comment wasn’t funny… sorry.

CoolKenBoy on February 22, 2009 said:

Jazz are hot and there schedule is smooth sailing for at least 10 games. i see them winning at least 9 of the 10. One of them is Denver and it is a home game. Jazz will only be a couple games back

canadajazz on February 23, 2009 said:

It’s now Feb. 23 and the Jazz have already made up two games on Denver, with a chance to close it even tighter this evening. What seemed improbable on Feb. 18, when “Catching Denver” first appeared, now looks possible.
Especially if Denver plays the way they did against Milwaukee last night. Definitely if the Jazz play the way they’ve been going the last 2 weeks.
Let’s check the numbers again at the end of tonight. Go Celtics vs Nuggets; go Jazz vs Hawks!

jazzgurl on February 23, 2009 said:

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves kids… Denver did just get off of a SUPER long road trip of 8 games. And could very well go back to playing great now that they’re back home. But if the Jazz keep going at the rate they are going they will give the Nuggets a run for their money! But you never know with this game…

MesaAk47 on March 04, 2009 said:

“Jazzgurl” are you a jazz fan or nuggets fan?

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