They Still Had a Shot

Posted by Jeffrey Wank on April 16, 2009

Surrounded by rabid Lakers’ fans banging those annoying inflatable free-throw noisemakers, I attended the final regular season game last night and shouted “defense,” spurted random “woo” noises, and cheered as best as I could from Section 208 of the Staples Center, with the football field-sized championship banners hanging directly over my head. I thought that the Lakers might fold on the game, resting the stars for the majority, and possibly choosing to play the Mavs in the first round, but as the chubby Mexican man in the bathroom with the ill-fitting all-black Lakers’ jersey said to me, “The Lakers are going to make a statement tonight.”

I was hopeful that the Jazz would dig deep, and they did for the first three quarters. The first quarter especially, the Jazz were getting steals, chasing the loose balls, and playing with an energy and confidence that carried over from the trouncing of the Clippers the night before and the bad taste in their mouth from the Warriors’ loss. The game was well played and fairly evenly matched, until the Lakers starting hitting three-pointers like they were lay-ups, and the Jazz were missing lay-ups like they were three-pointers. At 7:11, the Lakers took a 20-point lead. Feeling secure, their stars were replaced by their scrubs, who could be stars or at least starters on other teams. Against the Lakers’ bench, Utah’s fourth quarter line-up cut the lead to 14 with some momentum changing baskets: threes by Korver and Kirilenko, back-to-back jumpers by Boozer, and a crowd-quieting dunk by Brewer. Then, in spite of the energy from the 1st quarter finally returning, Sloan gives up at 2:46 remaining and replaces everyone on the court except for Korver.

Williams couldn’t have sat further away from the huddle. I don’t think he was done with that game. As one of the few Utah fans in the crowd, I wasn’t done with the game either. I don’t know or really think that the Jazz could have cut a 14-point lead in less than 3 minutes, but I at least wanted them to try. They still had a sluggers’ chance. Maybe they could have gotten within 6 or so and had a foulers’ chance in the last few seconds? Mostly, I was sort of hurt that Sloan, who is all about energy, threw in the towel when his team was finally showing some. Again, I doubt they would have won in end, but to be able to bring any momentum into the Playoffs against the Lakers would have been something. By removing that unit that was finally clicking, even if it was against a Luke Walton rather than a Kobe Bryant is something.

For the first time in my lifetime as a Jazz fan (about 25 years), I was actually dissapointed in Coach Sloan. There have been numerous games this season, the Warriors blowout and Heat triple OT being the most recent, that I thought the team quit on Sloan, but last night and possibly for the first time in his double-decade reign, I thought Sloan quit on the team. His quotes after the game of “We didn’t give them much of a battle and knowing that we’re going to have to play them again, it looks pretty bleak. Hate to say that, but it’s one of those things… There’s a whole new season starting. Everybody’s healthy, so we’ll get everybody on the same page and see what it’s all about. We’re just like a little dent in the road as far as they’re concerned. They’re very comfortable playing against us, and obviously they should be” make me think that he is quitting on the season as well.

Yes, they are the 8th seed. Yes, they haven’t really beaten any playoff-quality teams on the road. Yes, the Lakers overcame Utah’s best efforts in the 1st half, but for the Coach to lose faith in his team is nearly unforgiveable. Denver and Golden State were 8th seeds as well. There is hope. My hope is that the Williams and Company will use Coach’s candid words as motivation to battle and overcome expectations. Atlanta impressed and almost shocked the NBA last year by taking the Celtics to 7 and causing David Stern to cringe that his evil plot of a Lakers-Celtics final wasn’t going to happen. All season, commentators and experts have said that the Jazz will be the darkhorse team of the playoffs and now is the chance to prove it. For Williams, it can be an opportunity to go to the next level against Kobe. For Boozer, it will be a chance to earn his salary and wear the Jazz uniform proudly 9which may not happen next season). For Sloan, it is a chance to match wits against a fellow hall-of-fame colleague. I realize he has coach almost 2000 games, but he should get for that challenge at least.

After the ostentatious purple and gold streamers came down from the rafters last night, I walked towards a crowd of loud Laker loonies shouting, “Jazz Suck!” at me. I shook the hand of one, an Asian 20-something in a USA Bryant jersey, and said, “At least, it should be a good playoff series.” Now, I say the same to you all, and I especially say this to Sloan.

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Jenn on April 16, 2009 said:

It is good to know I wasn’t the only person feeling this way about Sloan! I couldn’t understand why he would give up when there is some glimer of hope! I just don’t get it.

Kyle on April 16, 2009 said:

Sloan just needs to go! I have felt this way about him for a very long time. I believe that the majority of the blame lies on him for the Jazz never winning a title. Sure he played the game back in the day, and yes he may have experience. But none of this matters when you don’t manage players time and streaks well. For example, I was watching a game a few weeks ago right after Boozer’s return. Paul Milsap was on fire! He was dunking, cutting, and defending as if no one could stop him. So what did coach sloan do?! He sat him on the bench so that he could give Boozer his precious minutes. I watched as Boozer missed jump shot after jump shot, and then allowed players to run right around him for layups! They did end up winning the game, but just barely after losing a huge lead. But that seems to be the big story this year doesn’t it? The Jazz go up by 20 or so points only to end up winning by a few or possibly losing by a few. A coach has to understand who is on a streak, and who is going cold. In my opinion Sloan either doesn’t know and or doesn’t care……. I’m hoping it’s the first. But I recall having felt this way even back in the Stockton and Malone days. We need a coach that is a little bit smarter when it comes to this and I don’t think that Phil could take over. He has been under Sloans system for a while and I fear he may fall right in where Sloan left off. Bring some fresh blood in!

DeronWIlliams4President on April 16, 2009 said:

Wow, you articulated my thoughts, Jeff! (and of course by “atriculate” I mean typed ) Even if we came up short in the end we needed to show LA that we can still reach deep and fight against them.

Boondock Saint on April 16, 2009 said:

Win or lose I want to root for a team with a never say die attitude from the GM to the water boys. No buddy is going to argue that the Lakers aren’t a scary good team no matter how they acquired that talent. The Jazz, when they play like to their potential like we have seen glimmers of, are a scary good team. I just want to watch a playoff series, win or lose, where the Jazz give it everything on the court. They don’t quit, they hustle, they fight back, they take the ticky tack foul calls and missed calls and do what Deron did, ram it straight down their throats. Play through the pain, the ups and downs, just play the game like you love it. If our Jazz do that, win or lose, I’m going to be one VERY proud Jazz fan.

Dallan on April 16, 2009 said:

If sloan is truly giving up then maybe he is finally fed up with the team and is going to retire next year! That would be a win win for us. That way the sloan lovers would not be upset but we could get a different coach in here with a younger mind set and is willing to play and help our younger players get better! We have talent with someone to stubborn to use it. Honestly i dont think that DWill woud have played at all his rookie season if the front office would not have stepped in and said something. Sloan is stubborn. He may be a Hall of Famer but he needs to leave. GET HIM OUT!!

Betty on April 16, 2009 said:

I am so glad that someone else was disappointed in Sloan! I don’t think I’ve ever been so mad. How could he say those things? It sounds like he’s giving up before it’s even begun. I was surprised, disappointed, angry…I never thought of Coach Sloan as a quitter but that is what he showed on Tuesday night. It’s hypocritical. He’s been complaining about the team having no energy..no fight..no desire to win and he showed those same things before, during, and after the game. I know our boys can prove him wrong. I just hope he gives them that chance during the playoffs. I don’t want to see any of that nonsense again.

J R Stewart on April 16, 2009 said:

Road games can ’suck’, as I found out in Miami and Orlando (thankfully, I refrained in Portland).

‘Jazz Suck’ seems to be the favorite refrain.

Let’s hope the Jazz can win 3 in the ESA, so we can yell ‘Lakers Suck’ !

Jazzaholic

bob... on April 16, 2009 said:

sloan is smater than u give him credit for he is useing every word for motivational trust me he is on step 2 3 and 4 why were on 1 he knows his team better than we do..i never took him for a quitter and would need to see more than that to call him one..

Levi on April 17, 2009 said:

I hope Sloan’s words after the game were meant to anger the Jazz players, in such a way that they have more to prove in this series. I hope that’s what he was trying to do and that it works, otherwise, I have lost respect for Sloan. The Jazz are the underdogs, but there is no reason to give up.

The Jazz will be 1-0 come Monday morning. Let LA have a meaningless regular season victory. The Jazz aren’t gonna be just a bump in the road. I’m know Deron will not allow that, and I’m sure most the rest of the Jazz players aren’t about to give up either.

Linda McFarland on April 17, 2009 said:

Sloan doesn’t babysit the players, he coaches. Sometimes we have a hard time distinguising between high school players, even college players. These are professional players!! When you look at the other coaches in the NBA do you think they run around hugging and saying wonderrful things to the players? I’d bet you a lot that they don’t. One coach a year ago (can’t remember which one) wouldn’t let his player miss a game while his son was being born. No, give me Sloan any day over any present NBA coach. By the way, Coach Sloan had already signed a contract for next year before Larry died so get happy or it will be a long summer and a worse next year.

JayD on April 18, 2009 said:

I beleive that we all have the right to our own opinions , but come on , I dont think that Sloan was giving up on them , he might have been trying to get them excited for this next series with the Lakers though .I beleive that he knows what he is doing . I cant beleive that he wasnt in the conversation for COTY awards on the TNT crew . But I beleive that his time is coming .
I also beleive that this series is far from over , oh ye of little faith . I knew that they would end up playing the Lakers eventually so why not now . This would give them a big boast the rest of the way .
I say lets have some faith in our team and coaching staff .
Lets go Jazz !!!!!!

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