Video from ESPN: Who will be the last 2 teams to make it into the playoffs as the 7th and 8th seeds in the Western Conference? 

Will the Jazz will sneak in with the 7th or 8th seeds? If not would you be disappointed?

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:7719243

Gordon Hayward vs Kevin Durant

Utah’s Gordon Hayward shuts down Thunder’s Kevin Durant
Salt Lake Tribune:http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/53758836-87/hayward-durant-shots-thunder.html.csp

Utah Jazz-Oklahoma City Thunder: Report card
Deseret News:http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765561614/Utah-Jazz-Oklahoma-City-Thunder-Report-card.html

Jazz vs Thunder

Utah Jazz   97

OKC Thunder  90   FINAL

http://www.nba.com/games/20120320/OKCUTA/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100680#nbaGIboxscore

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “These guys have continued to work hard, stay together and depend on each other and support each other. We have had a few great wins of late here.”

Yahoo Sports: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2012032026

Salt Lake Tribune: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsjazznotes/53764240-62/bell-corbin-jazz-watson.html.csp

I love watching the Utah Jazz games. I was talking to some of my friends the other night about the game over the Lakers and how impressed I was with the young guys and how they stepped up and showed they were not intimidated by them. Burks could care less who Kobe was, and Kanter showed he was willing to push back against Bynum. Then we looked forward to the Jazz next game; Oklahoma City Thunder. I had mentioned that even if the Jazz were to lose, and I thought they would, I wouldn't care as long as they showed a good effort and the young guy's continue to get the minutes they deserve. I must thank my dad for texting me. He knows I never watch the games live, but he was so excited that he couldn't hold back his excitement and said "GO TO GUY PM". The PM stood for Paul Millsap. Millsap played great. He has been playing great. I had mentioned to my dad that I didn't think Millsap was a go to guy. He is starting to prove me wrong. I also will be the first to say that I don't like Miles on the floor, but 2 games in a row he has done a pretty good job against 2 really good players in Bryant and Durant. 

I have said this before, but you know the "superstar" on the opposing team will always get his numbers, but even though Westbrook got his, Durant didn't.  But what's even more impressive, the Jazz (knock on wood) have learned how to play a full 48 minutes and can close games even if the other team makes a final run. KEEP IT UP JAZZ!

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

We Are Up and Running Again

Sorry there have been NO posts as of late, but we are starting up again. We have a lot to talk about with the Jazz winning 4 of their last 5 games, and 2 of those were against the Lakers and the Thunder. The Jazz are a deep team, and now with the young guys getting more minutes with all the injuries and with Al Jefferson attending his grandma's funeral. Are the Jazz just now hitting their stride or will Coach Corbin go back to the guys who have been hurt? Tinsley or Watson? Bell or Burks or Hayward? Jefferson or Kanter or Favors? Who gets the minutes and who will be on the floor at the end of games for the Jazz? Favors has shown he can score, but can he do it under pressure like Jefferson can? Jefferson can score when we need him to, but can he play good enough defense and get a crucial stop like Favors can?  Now with the news of Josh Howard possibly missing the rest of the season, who takes his place in the starting line up? Hayward has been very impressive coming of the bench knowing he is going to get more touches and shot attempts. Do we just figure CJ Miles is going to get the job? Does DeMarre Carrol start to get more playing time over Evans?
So many questions, however, no matter what happens , I can see the future of this Jazz team is as bright as ever. The young guys have shown they are ready to play!

Jazz vs Suns:  http://youtu.be/nckG1aIDTnE  Loss 111-120
Jazz vs Timberwolves:  http://youtu.be/1hycXrJNpT4   Over Time Win   111-105
Jazz vs Warriors:  http://youtu.be/hMSP7apwMPE   Over Time Win   99-92
Jazz vs Lakers:  http://youtu.be/JE-Qsto7hLI  Win  103-99

This is a sick play by Hayward you have to watch: http://youtu.be/uzRYE0_AaK4

Jazz vs Pistons

 105 - 90  FINAL
http://www.nba.com/games/20120312/DETUTA/gameinfo.html

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2012031226


This was a good game for the Utah Jazz. I was a little worried there for a while. A small part of me, very small, was telling me that Rodney Stuckey was going to win this game for the Pistons. Thankfully in the 4th quarter, the Jazz, along with the play of one Al Jefferson took over. Jefferson was questionable for tonights game after the passing of his grandmother on Sunday, but I'm glad he played tonight. Just go look at his stat line. 14-18 from the line with 12 boards. It was good to see Favors as well. Every game, although he's not scoring a lot, is starting to look better and more comfortable on the floor. He's a solid player when he get the ball and just goes up as high as he can to put the ball in the hoop. I wish I could say the same for Kanter. I know he is a rookie and all, but he looked more comfortable at the beginning of the season. Now he looks lost and uncomfortable, and timid playing just 9 minutes and 2 points and only 1 rebound.

I did, however, feel a sense of relief as I was watching the game. Suddenly CJ Miles decided to show up. I know his numbers are insanely different when you compare his HOME games to AWAY games, but thank you for actually hitting a shot tonight.  With the trade deadline only being 4 days away, I still wonder what the Jazz plans are with CJ Miles. For far too long, people have been waiting for this guy, and for too long we keep telling ourselves to be patient and that he is worth the risk "for now", but I say enough is enough. We have to let him go.

My other big beef about tonights game comes two-fold. We heard about this "internal matter" situation with Raja Bell. My thoughts were he was upset about not getting enough playing time. When was the last time you actually saw him out on the floor at the end of a game? Now you have Corbin saying everything is good, and suddenly Bell is on the court, when the game was close, and he then finishes the game? You have got to be kidding me! Maybe Corbin is wanting to be liked by Raja rather than being respected. At the end of the game you need to either have Hayward in the game or Burks. Those guys will actually do something for you. And some might say he was out there to guard Stuckey, but he did all game long and couldn't do anything.  27 minutes, 0-2 shooting, 0-1 3Pt shooting, 1-2 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 fouls, and 1 POINT was Raja's line. I know we got the win, but I have no clue why Corbin had him out there.  You could have given Burks at least 10-12 of those minutes.

I love this picture of Earl Watson. I have to say, since the change in the line-up, I have noticed a difference in the play from the Jazz bench. I don't think it's where it was at the beginning of the season, but I do feel it has gotten much better the last few games. Is it Hayward, now taking on a more offensive role now? Or is it Derrick Favors looking more aggressive lately? What ever it is, I know a lot of it has to do with Earl and his toughness, and leadership. When a guy is scoring at will on you, he showed its time to dig deep and go after him and rough him up

Jazz vs Bulls

Jazz 97
Bulls 111     FINAL      http://www.nba.com/video/games/bulls/2012/03/10/0021100598_uta_chi_recap.nba/index.html




On a night where the Jazz were going to have 2 of their starters MIA, you would think reigning MVP Derrick Rose was going to have one of those nights where it would be boring and embarrassing to watch. Instead, as the Bulls also were missing 2 of their starters, we had to watch as there were 3 ex-Jazz starting for one of the best teams in the NBA.

I am still a Ronnie Brewer fan, and I don't hate or like Korver. I do however miss his shooting, but I really hate/dislike Carlos Boozer. Going into this game you already knew Millsap and Boozer were going to go at each other, and then you knew Korver and Brewer wanted to prove a lot to the Jazz as well. But really you can't get mad at the Jazz about Korver, he decided on his own to leave the franchise. I sure hope, after watching the game, that either Burks or Hayward learned their lesson. We want them to do what Korver did to them.

For half of the game, the Jazz played well. They need to learn to play all 4 quarters the same. During the 2nd and 3rd quarters the Jazz failed to keep the game close and the Bulls ran away from there.
The players who impressed me during the game were; Paul Millsap, who loves to go right art Boozer, except Boozer feels the same I'm sure and he showed it. I also like the play of Josh Howard and Alec Burks. I sure hope he gets more time and every Jazz fan needs to push for it as well. I've said it before, but if they are going to Have Hayward come off the bench, then put Burks in the starting line up.

Before the game, one of the 2 Jazz starters out of the line up, was Raja Bell. Coach Corbin, determined not to tell anyone as to why, but would only say Raja was not with the team. Raja Bell's reason for not playing was listed as "Internal Matters". This could mean a number of things, but if you are anything like me, I'm always asking myself why Raja is even in the starting line up when he can't even finish a game (coaches decision). I think it has a lot to do with his lack of minutes at the end of games. Maybe he will get so angry, he request a trade.







THE STAT: The Jazz outscored the Bulls in the paint 62-42 (their starting "bigs'' -- Josh Howard, Millsap andAl Jefferson -- had 57 points) but the Bulls outscored the Jazz from 3-point range 21-0. Utah missed all three 3-pointers it attempted.


QUOTABLE II: "(Korver) showed who he is and that's why we loved him when we had him." 
-- Corbin, who was an assistant coach with the Jazz while Korver played for Utah.

Jazz vs 76ers

Jazz 91


76ers  104    FINAL      

http://www.nba.com/games/20120309/UTAPHI/gameinfo.html

Quote of the game:"They are just physical. They had their hands on us. They took us out of our rhythm a little bit. They made the guys on the wings catch the ball one or two steps out. We started getting it into the paint and they really did a good job of funneling to the ball."

-- Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin on the Sixers' defense.  

Agree or Disagree? The Jazz didn't go inside enough to Jefferson, who leads the team in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. Jefferson could have had more opportunities, but simply didn't get the ball enough or get to the free throw line enough


Rookie Watch: Jazz guard Alec Burks scored six points while center Enes Kanter was scoreless.

Can someone please tell me why CJ Miles is getting so much playing time? I'll be the first to admit that talking to others about the Jazz, I feel more comfortable with CJ out there than Raja Bell, but if the Jazz are going to experiment more with Hayward coming off the bench then I feel Burks should the start and give him CJ's minutes while still giving Hayward the bulk. 
Maybe the Jazz are doing what they did player Eric Maynor a lot of minutes? Advertisement for other teams?

Josh Howard, unlike Miles, will get a pass from me on his awful performance against the 76ers. He missed all 6 of his shot attempts. He get a pass because this is the first time as a starter where he has had a bad game. He won't get any more passes from me, or other Jazz fans for that matter if it continues.