Dr. Jack's top 4 in teh West

[thegrahamcrackr]

jack (pasadena, tx): Dr. Jack, how do you rank the western teams now after the shuffle for the upcoming season?

Dr. Jack Ramsay: Spurs, Twolves, Utah, Sac...in that order.

Well, I think he might have gotton the Spurs and Wolves right.


I don't think the Jazz improved as much as the Suns, and definitely not to third.....

 

[Joe Mama]

The Utah Jazz added Carlos Boozer and Okur. They also had a nice draft granting to first-round draft picks who will likely contribute next season in Kirk Snyder and Kris Humphries. Also, Matt Harpring should be back for them.

I'm not sure I would pick them for fourth in the Western Conference, but it certainly would not surprise me.

Joe Mama

 

[scotsman13]

it would totally shock me if the jazz end up 4th in the west. their points guards on any other team would be back ups. also i dont know how much sloan is going to be able to take this year with the death of his wife at the end of the season. plus i am not sure that the jazz will end up getting boozer. there is some talk out there tonight that boozer is going to sign a 1 year deal with the cavs, so that they can get his full bird rights.

 

[F-Dog]

I love Kirilenko, but for some reason, this Jazz team doesn't bother me at all (with or without Boozer). If they wind up 4th next year, I will have forgotten all about it by next summer.

Any team that can't beat the Jazz in a 7-game series isn't going to win a championship anyway, and I don't see that changing any time in the near future...

 

[Joe Mama]

it would totally shock me if the jazz end up 4th in the west. their points guards on any other team would be back ups. also i dont know how much sloan is going to be able to take this year with the death of his wife at the end of the season. plus i am not sure that the jazz will end up getting boozer. there is some talk out there tonight that boozer is going to sign a 1 year deal with the cavs, so that they can get his full bird rights.

those Utah Jazz point guards played just fine for them last year. They damn near made the playoffs with a lot less team in a much more competitive conference last season. All four of their additions are Utah Jazz/Jerry Sloan players. I'll be very surprised if they aren't competing for home-court. I'm not sure they will get it, but I think they will be competing for it.

Joe Mama

 

[elindholm]

This is the time of year when everyone overrates players on their own team and underrates players on other teams. It's also the time to invent problems for rival teams having to do with injuries, chemistry, or off-court issues, as though having reasons to believe that an opponent won't do well will impair their actual performance.

Let the tradition continue!

 

[scotsman13]

those Utah Jazz point guards played just fine for them last year. They damn near made the playoffs with a lot less team in a much more competitive conference last season. All four of their additions are Utah Jazz/Jerry Sloan players. I'll be very surprised if they aren't competing for home-court. I'm not sure they will get it, but I think they will be competing for it.

Joe Mama

joe, i have watched these guys. they are system players. they run the plays that they are given from sloan and that is it. the problems that come up are those of teams that watch the tapes and start to make changes that will brake up the play. stockton and malone had the skill to deal with this and recover from it. the current jazz guards dont. next year teams will come in knowing how to deal with them before hand with this team being very well scouted. last year the jazz started out hot and burned down to an ember by the end of the season because of teams learning how to deal with them. this year there wont be a lot of time where they will shock anyone with their hard play and work, teams will come in expecting it. they will ready to face the jazz. also i have heard some people say that the jazz (if they get boozer) will have a post player that they have been missing. boozer isnt a post player he is a midrange player who has a small post game that wont work well in the west with amare, webber, garrnet, brand and duncan.

 

[sly fly]

it would totally shock me if the jazz end up 4th in the west. their points guards on any other team would be back ups. also i dont know how much sloan is going to be able to take this year with the death of his wife at the end of the season. plus i am not sure that the jazz will end up getting boozer. there is some talk out there tonight that boozer is going to sign a 1 year deal with the cavs, so that they can get his full bird rights.

Wrong. Try again.

Backups? They kicked the hell out of Marbury and the Suns last year. I distinctly remember watching Arroyo AND Lopez causing all sorts of problems.

 

[elindholm]

They kicked the hell out of Marbury and the Suns last year. I distinctly remember watching Arroyo AND Lopez causing all sorts of problems.

Yeah, but Nash is a much better defender than Marbury.

 

[Joe Mama]

joe, i have watched these guys. they are system players. they run the plays that they are given from sloan and that is it. the problems that come up are those of teams that watch the tapes and start to make changes that will brake up the play. stockton and malone had the skill to deal with this and recover from it. the current jazz guards dont. next year teams will come in knowing how to deal with them before hand with this team being very well scouted. last year the jazz started out hot and burned down to an ember by the end of the season because of teams learning how to deal with them. this year there wont be a lot of time where they will shock anyone with their hard play and work, teams will come in expecting it. they will ready to face the jazz. also i have heard some people say that the jazz (if they get boozer) will have a post player that they have been missing. boozer isnt a post player he is a midrange player who has a small post game that wont work well in the west with amare, webber, garrnet, brand and duncan.

do I smell a bet? We will have to come up with one for this topic because I think you are really selling the Utah Jazz short.

Joe Mama

 

[elindholm]

last year the jazz started out hot and burned down to an ember by the end of the season because of teams learning how to deal with them.

Harpring getting hurt might have had something to do with it.

 

[sly fly]

last year the jazz started out hot and burned down to an ember by the end of the season because of teams learning how to deal with them.

Harpring getting hurt might have had something to do with it.

Harpring, Kirilenko, Boozer. Wow. That's some serious intensity. I really like that trio.

 

[George O'Brien]

Any time you make a lot changes, there is a chance they will really take off or crash and burn. Right now, the Jazz on paper look like a much stronger team. Of course, around this time a year ago everyone assumed the Lakers would win in a walk. Stuff happens.

 

[cepstrum]

Any time you make a lot changes, there is a chance they will really take off or crash and burn. Right now, the Jazz on paper look like a much stronger team. Of course, around this time a year ago everyone assumed the Lakers would win in a walk. Stuff happens.

That's true but there is less reason for that to happen with the jazz. I think with the lakers you had four egos to deal with, whereas these players arent as bad and Sloan is their coach. This guy absolutely amazes me. I still cant believe he almost made the playoffs last year. But you're right, you never know.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Any time you make a lot changes, there is a chance they will really take off or crash and burn. Right now, the Jazz on paper look like a much stronger team. Of course, around this time a year ago everyone assumed the Lakers would win in a walk. Stuff happens.

uh, the lakers DID make it to the finals, so it's not like they totally underachieved.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

jerry sloan is the best coach in the nba and never receives the recognition that he should. what he did with that squad last year was nothing short of amazing.

 

[Joe Mama]

George, you are going to use the Lakers as your example? They made it to the finals and lost with them of their key players out injured. I'm sorry, but that team hardly underachieved.

Joe Mama

 

[NJYAJ09]

I think the jazz will make 5th or 6th seed this year, with the suns right on their behind at 7th or 8th seed. I'm just not surer about how well Boozer fits in with this team, made up mostly of slashers and shooters. Boozer doesnt do neither.

 

[Joe Mama]

I think the jazz will make 5th or 6th seed this year, with the suns right on their behind at 7th or 8th seed. I'm just not surer about how well Boozer fits in with this team, made up mostly of slashers and shooters. Boozer doesnt do neither.

half of boozer's points come from slashing and shooting. He has a very nice 10-15 foot shot. I think he will fit very well into that Utah Jazz system.

Joe Mama

 

[NJYAJ09]

maybe i dont think he will fit that well is because he'll be like the only black guy on the jazz