Beat LA! Beat LA! . . .

Posted by J R Stewart on April 16, 2009

It was so gratifying to Beat LA…

Oh, wait a minute. . . that was the Clippers, wasn’t it.

I got many comments, that I was being too pessimistic, with my outlook for the Jazz season, also an unamerican, Comie, pinko sympathizer, because I blogged that the Jazz most likely would finish 6th or 7th, back in February. It appears, I was overly optimistic. They actually controlled the number 2 seed! But, I digress…

Without the outstanding January-February, they wouldn’t even be in the playoffs. It was great luck to catch so many teams, at home, on the tail end of back-to-backs, missing at least one key player. Just as it was bad luck to have so many back-to-backs, against good teams, on top of the ever present road woes.

Because of the difficult schedule, for the last 6 weeks of the season, you just knew they were going to have problems, but I didn’t expect the ‘swan song’ we got. It was like 2 years ago, with the Rockets pushing the slumping Jazz into the 5th seed (yes, I know it was technically the 4th seed). However, they went on to win on the road, twice, and win the first and second round match-ups.

How about last year’s 2nd round match up with the Lakers? Close, but no cigar, nor any road wins either. This Laker team appears, not unbeatable, but better than that team.

The Jazz have problems with the Lakers because:

1. The Lakers are just longer and taller than the Jazz. (It’s nice to have high revenues and deep, luxury tax pockets!) Gasol, Bynum and Odom cause no end of match up problems. If the Jazz double, they pass it out for open 3 pointers. On defense, they cause just as much havoc for the undersized Jazz on the inside.

2. Kobe. The Jazz have to put so much attention on keeping Kobe from scoring a hundred points, that there are multiple open players for Kobe to dish it to. If they don’t stop his penetration, it will be like last year, with players waiving their red capes in front of him, and the fans yelling OLE! Toro! Toro! (now stomp your feet and pose for the charge, as the horns brush by) Oh, don’t forget the halfhearted touch foul, with the ‘and one’ to finish the play. Because of the attention given to Kobe, it takes only one extra pass to elicit a wide open three pointer from the opposite corner and groans from Jazz fans. If the NBA would only relax that silly rule, and let the Jazz play 6 players, there’d be no need to rotate.

3. The Jazz just have a hard time with the pick-n-roll, interior and 3 point defense. Well, so do most teams. Just watch other games and see how many times teams use the pick and roll to get on top of the basket or shoot wide open 3’s. The good thing is the Lakers run the Triangle, most of the time, and the pick-n-roll infrequently.

Other than match-ups, super star players and defense, there should be no problem. Well, making lay-ups, as of late, hasn’t been a strong point either.

Can the Jazz pull this one off?

Of course they can!

This is the NBA, where 7 unknown/undrafted, minimum salary players, with a substitute coach, can beat a playoff team.

3 times in the last 100 years, an 8th seed has upset the number one.

The odds are against it, but why not? The Jazz only have to play 4 games with extra hustle on defense, more confidence in their shooting and get a little luck here and there.

Anything can happen in the NBA. That’s why they play the games. That’s why we watch them.

There’s always a chance.

GO JAZZ!!!

Jazzaholic

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16 Comments

Boondock Saint on April 16, 2009 said:

Wow J.R. I really want to disagree with you….but I can’t. The Jazz have a chance but they are going to have to overcome every problem they have had this year and do it before Sunday. I just want to see them play their guts out and I can turn off my TV proud to be a Jazz fan. Just because its the Lakers and no one is giving them much of a shot doesn’t mean that you pack it in too.

Mal on April 16, 2009 said:

Great post J R. I laughed out loud when I read this:

“Can the Jazz pull this one off?

Of course they can!

This is the NBA, where 7 unknown/undrafted, minimum salary players, with a substitute coach, can beat a playoff team.”

I guess stranger things have happened, so why not think we can beat LA? Beat LA, Beat LA.

Shannon in Sacramento on April 16, 2009 said:

At this point, I don’t even care if we win the series. I’m just hoping for some hustle and some good defense to give me hope for next season. I just hope the Jazz have enough pride to not go down like Denver last year and get swept. Here’s hoping they will go down, at least, with a fight. AND, if they win the series, I just might faint in my living room!

karen on April 16, 2009 said:

Even if the jazz play their best basketball theres no way the refs are goona let them win.

Millsap is boss on April 16, 2009 said:

The Jazz are BOSS!!!!

Annie Whittaker on April 16, 2009 said:

JR you’re the best!

Eddie Rodriguez on April 16, 2009 said:

I like your break down of the problems the JAZZ face against the Lakers. Everything is so true. The JAZZ first off, should be grateful to play the LAKERS. If it wasn’t for the Amar’e Stoudemire injury, the SUNS most definitely would have won at least 5 more games, leaving the JAZZ out of the PLAYOFFS. Can you imagine? However I THINK if the JAZZ can be tough and consistently drive it to the paint we can get BYNUM, GASOL and maybe KOBE in foul trouble, just like they did in the first half of the recent JAZZ vs. Lakers game. I thought that strategy or style of play the Jazz where demonstrating in the first half was very good. If we can stay in the GAME we have the chance of stealing either game 1 or game 2, making this series very interesting. As for BOOZER and the pick-n-roll dilemma, that’s SLOAN issue, it’s his responsibility to recognize and identify that problem and to fix it, so hopefully the coaching staff realizes it and corrects it before SUNDAY. And as for KOBE. Screw him! He’s gonna get his. We just simply gotta PLAY hard nose defense for 48 mins. There professionals so hopefully they show it and at least make of series of this.

GO JAZZ!!!!!!

jazzaddict on April 16, 2009 said:

This is very true. This is the NBA, where 7 unknown/undrafted, minimum salary players, with a substitute coach, can beat a playoff team.” The only down side to this comparison is we are the team they beat! Unfortunately this makes me feel worse about our chances. Even if we get swept i just want to see them play hard. But just like Lloyd says in Dumb and Dumber “So your saying there’s a chance.”

Levi on April 17, 2009 said:

JR, your blogs never fail to make me laugh.

I am however, still optimistic. I believe the Jazz can pull this off if they play smart, tough, enthusiastic basketball. I don’t say that with any kind of sarcasm either. Even if the Jazz have been playing very very poorly as of late. I think the odds are against us, as they are with any team who faces the Lakers in the Western Conference, but I still think we give the Lakers more trouble than anyone except maybe Portland. That much is true on a good day for the Jazz anyway.

Boondock Saint on April 17, 2009 said:

@jazzaddict …Man I love that movie and that is the perfect quote for this playoff series.

Ardian Cuka on April 17, 2009 said:

Well, lots of things were said positive and negative about Jazz and the players, but one thing is very important, they all are good and healthy players, they can do whatever they want, they can beat any team they want. Now is playoffs season, what happen in the past leave it to the past, that’s learn from it and move forward. I believe that if Jazz go to play with a full heart and strong mind in the game, they can beat Lakers and go to finals and get the Title for themselves, Larry H. Miller, and the fans who supports them. Go Jazz, Go Jazz don’t get discouraged, we can do it, we can do it, we can win, that’s the motto.

J R Stewart on April 17, 2009 said:

So, I’m saying there is a chance. Possibly not as far fetched as everyone thinks. If Donnie’s small ball, 7 dwarfs can beat another team, why can’t the Jazz beat the Lakers? To do it 4 times? That’s not impossible either.

If the Jazz can steal one in LA, in game 1 or 2, panic and back biting could set in. Pill (as in bitter) could start whining like a spoiled child and Kobe could try to take over.

Inspired effort and a few lucky bounces…who knows?

GO JAZZ!

Jazzaholic

bigcrab24 on April 18, 2009 said:

GOD HELP US ALL!!! BEAT LA BEAT LA GO JAZZ!!!!!

JayD on April 18, 2009 said:

I too am an opimistic person , I beleive that this team is very capable of beating the highly favored Lakers . They will have to play with all their hearts , might , mind , and strength to get this one . The Lakers are good , but they may just have to much confidence , That could be our edge that we need .
I have said it before and I will say it again that faith can move mountains , so lets show that we beleive in our team . Then maybe they can beleive in themselves .
Go Jazz , lets beat these highly favored Lakers !!!!!!!!
Jay

Trey on April 19, 2009 said:

i have to agree with karen, as much as I want the Jazz to beat the lakers, I just can’t see the refs letting their darling lakers get eliminated in the first round.

Rey on April 21, 2009 said:

Go! Utah Jazz Team! praying is the best weapon to achieve your goals…!

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