What's new

Game Thread Jan 01, 2022 07:00PM MT: Jazz vs. Warriors

Added to Calendar: 01-01-22

The good news is that this game has built-in “we’re in such a great spot” even in the event of a loss, no matter how demoralizing. “3rd game in four nights,” “we were missing our backup center and the guy who would normally come in behind him,” “they have the best record and you won’t will all games against them,” “Joe just got back from [whatever reason he was out],” “look at our differential for the season!” “Look at our historic offense!” “Look at how good our record is this far into the season!” “Quin is not going to reveal his bag of tricks and he’s watching what Kerr is doing so he can exploit him if/when we meet in the playoffs!” “It’s just the regular season,” “we care more about the playoffs,” “etc.,“ “etc.!!” “¡etc.!!!!!!!111”

I’m going to boldly go on record to say that only a win will be a win, and a loss will be a loss. Interested to see how we approach this as I believe it will be more telling than anything else we’ve seen so far, for better or worse.
 
If the Jazz beat the Warriors and the Hornets beat the short-handed Suns tomorrow, the Jazz will pass the Suns in the standings. This game is also important for the season series with the Warriors, should the teams end up tied.
 
I noticed Dok on the injury report has been upgraded to sprained ankle from dislocated ankle. Can we assume he is making progress and might play again this season?
 
I miss optimistic infection :(
I don’t know that I’ve ever been optimistic (or pessimistic). There are certain things that should be appropriately inventoried, and during Donovan’s rookie year it was clear that we weren’t a lottery team and that we would make the playoffs despite being out of the picture, so I pushed that. Everyone was talking about tanking for Doncic and I was trying to get us to cash in on that stupid draft pick, stating that our window had just opened and it’s time to accelerate.

Right now we’re close, which is what makes it so frustrating that we have just a couple major flaws we won’t acknowledge: mental toughness / effort / focus, perimeter defensive issues, and then Quin’s inflexibility, which exacerbates the aforementioned.

There are a lot of good things. But again, what we can take from tonight is that a win is a win and a loss is a loss. It’s unclear how far we can go by trying to outshoot our problems (to borrow a phrase someone used last night referencing something Dowsett apparently said). I acknowledge that we could get lucky and it could happen. I acknowledge that luck could have also propelled us past LAC (and definitely not outside the realm of possibility). Tonight can give us a small indication of possibility. Both for the good (if we hit shots and stay on top) and for bad. Ultimately, this is our strategy and it is what it is. We’re the equivalent of walking into a gun fight with a BB gun and the friend with you is saying not to worry because he’s the quickest draw and even with the BB gun all he needs to do is outdraw everyone. Right now we have no alternative to accompanying that friend, and I sure as **** hope his quick draw gets us through a wild situation. We very well could be celebrating on the other side of that situation with an unbelievable story to tell. But on the flip side it’s quite realistic that we end up dead. Walking into that with a BB gun wouldn’t have been my idea. I would have at least picked up a couple of baseball bats that are no longer at my disposal. But here we are. I hope his quick draw can save us.
 
I don’t know that I’ve ever been optimistic (or pessimistic). There are certain things that should be appropriately inventoried, and during Donovan’s rookie year it was clear that we weren’t a lottery team and that we would make the playoffs despite being out of the picture, so I pushed that. Everyone was talking about tanking for Doncic and I was trying to get us to cash in on that stupid draft pick, stating that our window had just opened and it’s time to accelerate.

Right now we’re close, which is what makes it so frustrating that we have just a couple major flaws we won’t acknowledge: mental toughness / effort / focus, perimeter defensive issues, and then Quin’s inflexibility, which exacerbates the aforementioned.

There are a lot of good things. But again, what we can take from tonight is that a win is a win and a loss is a loss. It’s unclear how far we can go by trying to outshoot our problems (to borrow a phrase someone used last night referencing something Dowsett apparently said). I acknowledge that we could get lucky and it could happen. I acknowledge that luck could have also propelled us past LAC (and definitely not outside the realm of possibility). Tonight can give us a small indication of possibility. Both for the good (if we hit shots and stay on top) and for bad. Ultimately, this is our strategy and it is what it is. We’re the equivalent of walking into a gun fight with a BB gun and the friend with you is saying not to worry because he’s the quickest draw and even with the BB gun all he needs to do is outdraw everyone. Right now we have no alternative to accompanying that friend, and I sure as **** hope his quick draw gets us through a wild situation. We very well could be celebrating on the other side of that situation with an unbelievable story to tell. But on the flip side it’s quite realistic that we end up dead. Walking into that with a BB gun wouldn’t have been my idea. I would have at least picked up a couple of baseball bats that are no longer at my disposal. But here we are. I hope his quick draw can save us.
I have always thought you were optimistic in the past. Definitely more fun. You seem much more pessimistic this season. Maybe that clippers series broke ya. Seems like it broke lots of jazzfanz. If i had no idea what the jazz record was and hadn't watched any games and only read jazzfanz posts I would think the jazz were about .500 right now rather than one of the best teams in the nba.
 
I noticed Dok on the injury report has been upgraded to sprained ankle from dislocated ankle. Can we assume he is making progress and might play again this season?
Play? Either back in the G-League or playing a role riding the bench.

God forbid we can actually see what drafted players can do.
 
Man that was a big shot by Don
 
Bogey has been so strong around the rim this season. After he gets past the initial swipe at least.
He is having a fantastic season. Deadly from the outside, good post up game, getting better and better at driving and finishing, great free throw shooter. He still gets stripped too much and obviously isn't great defensively but his offensive game is the best right now that we have ever seen from him. Also the spacing he provides is very valuable. Might be the best at providing space at the pf position in the entire nba.
 
Where is the technical on Curry?

Not totally related as it may just been a missed call but I hate that league softens on points of emphasis as the league goes on like the players don't creep back little by little.
 
Top