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Official Round 1 Predictions: Jazz-V-Thunder

Arnovitz: The Utah Jazz will advance and then take the Rockets to seven games in the conference semifinals.

This would be pretty crazy. And I can totally see it happening.
 
LifeOnaPlate said:
Every hour my thoughts about our odds change. Check in with me later.
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I’m with you. Hell, I started the thread and picked OKC in 6 but the more I think about the match-up, the more I wanna lean towards the Jazz.

I’m not gonna change my prediction but I think there’s something I really failed to factor in: While OKC has the HCA and I still think it’s gonna hard for us to win 1 or possibly 2 games in OKC, Utah has a huge, and I mean a HUGE coaching advantage. Quin-vs-Billy Donovan is easily the most lopsided coaching match-up of Round 1.

Hopefully it’s enough for me to be eating a huge plate of crow once the Jazz dispatch of OKC and move on to Houston.
 
The biggest thing I notice is that the Thunder's 3 point defense is absolute *** without Roberson, especially the corner 3. Very few teams do more to get wide open 3's than the Utah Jazz.

As long as the Jazz hit their normal percentage from the open 3, and don't settle for contested shots (which they don't have to,) they should be fine.

If Jingles balls out, and Rudy stays out of foul trouble we should have this pretty comfortably.
 
Additionally, I am very interested in the Jazz finding a way to put Jingles on Melo. I know he should be defending Paul George, but Joe could find sooooo many ways to get in Melo's head.
 
I like Jazz in 6. Game 1 on the road lets the Jazz experiment a little, and the Thunder don't have that much versatility.

Crowder shutting down Carmello will be huge, so that Russ and PG take turns chucking.
 
Does melo start for okc? Like has he throughout the year? I was talking to a co worker and he was saying melo comes off the bench and I thought he was a starter for them.
 
jazz in seven. Both teams are different than they were during the regular seasons. Jazz have to stop one of the big three and not let Adams shut down the paint. If the Jazz play defense like they did against GS then no one can beat them. Hopefully, OKC does get too much home cooking with the refs but the key is who executes down the stretch. GO JAZZ
 
I'm changing my pick. Picking the Jazz in 7. Love our poise. How we've done on the road. How we played on the road in the playoffs last year. I think we stay focused and poised and the Thunder, at home, chuck away dumb shots in game 7.
 
Thunder in the last 10 games: 5-5
Jazz in the last 35 games: 29-6 with the number one rated defense and a top ten offense over that span

Thunder were 48-34 with Westbrook, PG13, Melo and Adams around all year
Jazz were 48-34 after Gobert missed 26 games

The Thunder have big names but I just think we are the better team.
 
DasJazz said:
We should reinstate Matt Harpring to piss off Crymelo. Works like a charm.
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Nah. Let Harpring heckle him from the scores table. It will be more impactful that way. Kind of unprecedented, too.
 
fishonjazz said:
Does melo start for okc? Like has he throughout the year? I was talking to a co worker and he was saying melo comes off the bench and I thought he was a starter for them.
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He started all 78 games he played.
 
SCS said:
Thunder in the last 10 games: 5-5
Jazz in the last 35 games: 29-6 with the number one rated defense and a top ten offense over that span

Thunder were 48-34 with Westbrook, PG13, Melo and Adams around all year
Jazz were 48-34 after Gobert missed 26 games

The Thunder have big names but I just think we are the better team.
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yes we do have more depth. The problem is the thunder are built for playoff basketball. They have a solid defense, and they have 3 playoff veterans, 2 of them in their prime. We have a rookie, gobert, and a lot of guys who can contribute in different ways. I still think if the Jazz play JAZZ ball, defend, pnr, and hit their open looks then we got this in 6. If they jazz come to play lethargic and unable to execute then this will be a short series in the way of the thunder imo.
 
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