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The Purple and Blues Mailbag

Stoked said:
Are you kidding me? Aside from the few elite teams at the top being equal there is clearly an imbalance. Look at the records.

Just look at last season. 3 teams in the east won 50+ games (ATL, CLE and CHI). In the west 7 teams won 50+ (SAS, GSW, HOU, Clips, MEM, DAL and POR).

The 8th team in the east finished 38-44. The 9th, 10th and 11th seeds in the west tied or beat that record.

But let us look at 2013 season for a larger sample size:

In 2013 2 EC teams won 50+ games (Heat and Pacers). 7 WC teams won 50+ (Thunder, Blazers, Clips, Warriors, Spurs, Rockets and Grizzlies). The 8th seeded EC team had a record of 38-44. The 10th seeded WC team had a record of 40-42.

So if you take out the trash and elite teams from each side you have a much larger base of good to average teams in the western conference.

For further proof look at the EC v WC head to head records over the last several seasons. So right now, and for the last several seasons, the west is clearly better. It's not even really a debate.
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But is it a problem that needs to be fixed? What are the implications of the imbalance? And why should or does the league need to address the "problem"? If NJ or NY screw themselves by trading away picks, is that a league problem? If some teams in the WC make better FA or draft choices, is that a problem for the league to address?

I haven't had time to go back and research the last 30-40 years, but there have been many seasons where the EC/WC records were close or flip-flopped over the space of several years. It's a recent phenomenon that the WC has been overwhelmingly dominant. With shorter contracts, an even playing field in terms of salary cap and luxury tax thresholds, it's something that could reverse itself quickly. But as I argued, that gets down to having the best ownership and management. Purely seat of the pants observation, but many of the EC teams have been mismanaged into the ground - far more than WC organizations.

IMO, only ONE change should be made - and JazzTalk brought it up. Draft picks should be awarded on the basis of record. Teams that fight for the last playoff spots in the EC shouldn't be penalized by drafting behind WC teams that miss the playoffs with a record above .500 and get a lottery pick.
 
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Tony said:
I guess this question stumped him?
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Give him a break. At least he's trying to write interesting articles about the Jazz. More than the rest of us. And kudos to him for trying to appeal to what his target audience wants.

Let he (or she) who has already been published on SC Hoops or Purple and Blues cast the first literary stone.
 
Greg Foster said:
1) I'm a professional writer.
2) I'm really good at research.
3) I'm a lifelong Jazz fan.
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That's a good start, but do you also have:

1. A direct pipeline to Jazz brass
2. Access to the Jazz players and coaches
3. Affiliation with the Jazz in some capacity

A lot of the questions that will probably be asked by us can only be answered if you have one of these three qualifications, right? Not trying to give you a hard time, I just would like to know what kind of questions we can ask you...like:

Why is Coach limiting Player X's minutes? Is he injured?
What has Player Y been specifically working on during the summer?
Why did we draft Player A when Player B was available and fit a more pressing need on the team?
What is Rudy Gobert's favorite restaurant in SLC?
Do Jazz players and Coaches read Jazzfanz?

You know...stuff like that.
 
Greg Foster said:
1) I'm a professional writer.
2) I'm really good at research.
3) I'm a lifelong Jazz fan.
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Good, I am hoping for some thoughtful, researched info. Even though my question is not only Jazz related. I think the NBA is making a mistake by not addressing East/West problem. Personally I do think it is related to the lottery. The separation started when the current lottery system began, and is just getting worst. But there is a whole lot more too it. Big Market influence is part. Just going to a top 16 teams in the playoffs will kill market shares, and fixes nothing. If you are as good as you say, research it and come up with a plan.
 
I just wanted to announce that I too will be taking questions about the Jazz. I have the following qualifications:

1. I can write as well as Greg Foster.
2. I am better than Greg Foster at research, given the fact that I am a researcher.
3. I am also more of a lifelong fan, since my life-length measures a bit farther.

Just leave me your questions here, and I'll decide whether they warrant an answer (which they probably don't).
 
Siro said:
I just wanted to announce that I too will be taking questions about the Jazz. I have the following qualifications:

1. I can write as well as Greg Foster.
2. I am better than Greg Foster at research, given the fact that I am a researcher.
3. I am also more of a lifelong fan, since my life-length measures a bit farther.

Just leave me your questions here, and I'll decide whether they warrant an answer (which they probably don't).
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Siro, here's a Jazz question my daughter has been dying to find out...who does Joe Ingles prefer listening to: Taylor Swift or Kanye West?
Please respond ASAP! TIA.
 
akirac73 said:
Siro, here's a Jazz question my daughter has been dying to find out...who does Joe Ingles prefer listening to: Taylor Swift or Kanye West?
Please respond ASAP! TIA.
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After last year's debacle in Sydney, when Kanye West demanded disabled fans stand up in his concert, Ingles decided to throw his weight behind Taylor Swift.

NEXT.
 
Greg Foster said:
Hey Jazz fans,

My name is Greg Foster (no, not that Greg Foster). I'm a staff writer for Purple and Blues (the Utah Jazz extension of Fansided). Every other week during the offseason I write a mailbag where I answer any and all questions about our boys in blue. This will change to once a week when the season gets here. Got a question? Feel free to hit me up here or on Twitter at @johnny_ut. Thanks and go Jazz!
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**** off. - Greg Ostertag
 
Greg Foster said:
Hey Jazz fans,

My name is Greg Foster (no, not that Greg Foster). I'm a staff writer for Purple and Blues (the Utah Jazz extension of Fansided). Every other week during the offseason I write a mailbag where I answer any and all questions about our boys in blue. This will change to once a week when the season gets here. Got a question? Feel free to hit me up here or on Twitter at @johnny_ut. Thanks and go Jazz!
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I want to know who you think would win in a rap battle, you (Johnny Utah), or Gordon Hayward.


[video=youtube_share;7pF0R5OO88M]https://youtu.be/7pF0R5OO88M

vs

https://youtu.be/VHTey3uHFDE
 
Greg Foster said:
1) I'm a professional writer.
2) I'm really good at research.
3) I'm a lifelong Jazz fan.
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Posting Bleacher Report articles twice a week and drinking ****ty coffee in your ****ty apartment and dirty robe that hasn't been washed in over a month doesn't make you a professional writer. Even if you're making $13,000 a year.
 
Cunning Linguist said:
Posting Bleacher Report articles twice a week and drinking ****ty coffee in your ****ty apartment and dirty robe that hasn't been washed in over a month doesn't make you a professional writer. Even if you're making $13,000 a year.
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Harsh.
 
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