Jazz 2017/18 Playoff Bus! All Aboard!

[colton]

I think we're close to contender status, but we're not true contenders right now. Much can happen. A couple key injuries to the top-tier teams. Exum comes backs and is as big a shock as Donovan has been.

I mean I expect the Jazz to have a down swing at some point. Things are just too amazing right now.

A 7 game series is serious business and the Warriors are now a vet championship team. Will they be better at adjusting to the Jazz or will the Jazz be better at adjusting to them. They have so many offensive weapons and have used them so effectively in the postseason the last several years. I just have to say that I think they can adjust more easily than the Jazz can. We defend one way, they throw something else at us, we adjust to that, they throw yet another powerful offense at us. Each switch they should be able to exploit us until we catch on, and even catching on doesn't mean you stop them. Meanwhile, the Jazz still sometimes struggle to score.

It's tough.

I don't know about the Rockets. D'Antoni hasn't been much of a postseason coach, so I'm looking for the Rockets to struggle and hopefully get beat in an upset. But that doesn't mean I'd want to play them in the first round. I want someone else to take a shot at them first, because even if they are beatable, they have Harden and Chris Paul, and those guys can will themselves to wins on any given night (with a good dose of help from the officials).

Agreed. Beating the Warriors in a 7 game series, if they are healthy, would be nearly impossible. Beating the Rockets would be really tough, but maybe doable. I think beating anyone else, including Portland and/or whoever comes out of the East, is a definite possibility the way the Jazz are currently playing.

 

[colton]

I think we're close to contender status, but we're not true contenders right now. Much can happen. A couple key injuries to the top-tier teams. Exum comes backs and is as big a shock as Donovan has been.

I mean I expect the Jazz to have a down swing at some point. Things are just too amazing right now.

A 7 game series is serious business and the Warriors are now a vet championship team. Will they be better at adjusting to the Jazz or will the Jazz be better at adjusting to them. They have so many offensive weapons and have used them so effectively in the postseason the last several years. I just have to say that I think they can adjust more easily than the Jazz can. We defend one way, they throw something else at us, we adjust to that, they throw yet another powerful offense at us. Each switch they should be able to exploit us until we catch on, and even catching on doesn't mean you stop them. Meanwhile, the Jazz still sometimes struggle to score.

It's tough.

I don't know about the Rockets. D'Antoni hasn't been much of a postseason coach, so I'm looking for the Rockets to struggle and hopefully get beat in an upset. But that doesn't mean I'd want to play them in the first round. I want someone else to take a shot at them first, because even if they are beatable, they have Harden and Chris Paul, and those guys can will themselves to wins on any given night (with a good dose of help from the officials).

Agreed. Beating the Warriors in a 7 game series, if they are healthy, would be nearly impossible. Beating the Rockets would be really tough, but maybe doable. I think beating anyone else, including Portland and/or whoever comes out of the East, is a definite possibility the way the Jazz are currently playing.

 

[FarrakhanJazzFan]

538 has the win projection at 47 -- that's the four straight games against the tank battalion and then five wins in the last ten games. Of those final ten, I'm presuming that's the three games against the El Lay teams (Clippers are in Salt Lake), Memphis and then Boston in Salt Lake.

If the Spurs are still without Kawhi, that could be a tough road game(back end of back-to-back) but a possible win. I don't like our chances on the road against GW and Minnesota. But GW may not need the second game in Salt Lake and ditto for the last game in Portland. 8-2 and 50 wins is not totally impossible if the right circumstances occur for the last two games.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I’m surprised and somewhat appalled that we aren’t the favorites to win it all... so disrespectful.

So much would have to happen for us to win it all. I do think we are going to be the 5th or 6th seed if we can take care of the teams we should. A first round series where we have a good shot at winning is a hugely successful season. Season is already a success in my mind... we are so much closer than I thought we would be and we have a lot of options going forward

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Agreed. Beating the Warriors in a 7 game series, if they are healthy, would be nearly impossible. Beating the Rockets would be really tough, but maybe doable. I think beating anyone else, including Portland and/or whoever comes out of the East, is a definite possibility the way the Jazz are currently playing.

I would very much prefer to play the Rockets given the choice.

Harden does not get his BS foul calls in the playoffs as much... Dantoni ball has struggled in the playoffs. Paul could go out with an injury and Harden has flamed out a couple times.

Also isoball works well in the regular season but if we are focused on it for 6-7 games you can plan to neuter it a bit.

The way GS beats you and they also have iso ability and are all proven at this point... just too tough at full strength... maybe even without Klay or Green they are still nearly impossible to beat.

 

[Spinoza]

If you look at the Clippers schedule, they've been beating mostly terrible teams. Their schedule for the rest of this month is absolutely brutal. I'd be stunned if they managed to win at least half of their next 10 games.

 

[Stoked]

I've been telling you all. That all the teams around us have brutal games coming up. We have already moved ahead of the Spurs and Nuggets. The Thunder, Clippers, Wolves and Pelicans have to be getting nervous.

 

[yamers]

Whoa. @DWolfsonKSTP just said on @1500ESPN that Wiggins has “whispered to teammates” that he’s unhappy being a third option behind Butler and Towns.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Whoa. @DWolfsonKSTP just said on @1500ESPN that Wiggins has “whispered to teammates” that he’s unhappy being a third option behind Butler and Towns.

His teammates "whispered" back that they are not happy that he sucks and is being paid too much.

Dude needs to work on his game... has all the physical tools to be a Paul George type defender and is just awful. He's the opposite of Joe Ingles.

 

[David Stern]

I mean I'd trade for him.

 

[TheStormofWar]

I mean I'd trade for him.

Not sure I would. Not sure I want that contract when Ingles is doing a lot of the same stats-wise for half the cost.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I mean I'd trade for him.

He has lacked motivation and is generally viewed as kind of lazy. He starts a 5/146M contract next year... you know what happens when you give unmotivated dudes a **** ton of money?

Spoiler... It isn't them working harder. If we think Quin can reach him and he'd buy in I think he'd be a good buy low candidate, but the price would have to be sooooooo low for me.

If he was a good defender I might be able to live with his offense (inefficient volume guy... kind of like Hood)... but he doesn't use his athleticism and length at all on the defensive end.

 

[Siro]

People wanting to trade for Wiggins' 150m contract is another example why we have to be thankful nobody here runs the Jazz.

 

[JazzForLifee]

somebody tell wiggins twolves didn't win **** when he was #1/2 option

 

[LifeOnaPlate]

Guys.... Are we a championship threat? Are we a contender THIS year?

All year I would have answered no to those questions. Because Donovan is still a rook, we need a 3rd star, the Rockets and Warriors are really good, etc. But the stats are saying otherwise. We're #1 in defensive rating and top 10 in offensive rating since Gobert returned. Those are the numbers of a real contender. The great extended run we've been on is the type of extended run contenders typically go on. I don't want to get myself too excited but I'm not discounting our chances against anyone anymore. If we're hot come playoff time we could shock the world.

History doesn't seem to be on our side, though. Has something like this ever happened in the history of the league? I know the past isn't a lock on the future, but still.

 

[SoUjazzfan]

Anyone remember the line from Pulp Fiction when they got the car cleaned up and Marvin's corpse loaded up? The wolf said "Let's not start sucking each others ****'s quite yet." That's where we're at right now. The team still has a lot of work to do, but man it gives a guy reason to keep watching.

 

[Bawse Dawg]

I don’t think the Warriors will be doing us many favors down the stretch. And I doubt they will want to rest starters when everyone is just back from injury for the last game.

Luckily we are playing well enough to beat anyone, and we control our own destiny 100%

 

[Siro]

Sucks that there are no games of consequence tonight.

 

[Gameface]

Sucks that there are no games of consequence tonight.

Why? You itching to get your hopes up just to be disappointed and disgusted?

 

[Siro]

Why? You itching to get your hopes up just to be disappointed and disgusted?

We're getting some good results here and there. Last night, Denver lost. But mainly, I've become used to having a game in the background while I'm doing other things. I don't care to put on any of tonight's games.