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Utah Jazz players in pre-preseason mode

Purch

Purch

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SALT LAKE CITY — The kids are back in school, Labor Day Weekend is in the rear-view mirror and the college football season has kicked off.

Need more proof the leaves are about to change colors?

Many Utah Jazz players have returned from their offseason adventures and have begun doing pre-preseason workouts together in the Beehive State. The team's fall training camp doesn't officially get underway for another three weeks, but summer is over as far as the players are concerned.


Small forward C.J. Miles, for one, has no qualms with the changing of seasons. The small forward, who flew back to Utah this past weekend, has anticipated returning and rolling up his sleeves after spending most of his summer at home in Dallas and training/chilling in New York City.

Miles said he, Deron Williams and other players will work out a couple of times a day and play pick-up games between now and the beginning of camp at the end of the month. The coaching and training staffs are often on hand to help out as well.

Miles admitted it isn't all work, though.

"It's fun, though, because all of the guys work out together so we're competitive. It's fun," said Miles, who's entering his sixth NBA season. "It's not that bad. Conditioning, a lot of work, other than that we're good."

The players will spend the next few weeks working on "camaraderie" and getting used to the thin Wasatch Front air again.

"All the guys get together," Miles said, "and we just get a chance to jell."

Coming together will be necessary for the Jazz to have any chance at defending their Northwest Division championship and making a run in the playoffs after the offseason changes. Since being ousted from the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers in May, Utah lost Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver and Wesley Matthews and added Al Jefferson, Raja Bell and Gordon Hayward, with more to come.

Miles said the returning players look forward to getting to know the new additions.

"Everybody's excited. It feels good. Change is always exciting," Miles said. "Not to say we wanted to change, but at the same time when it happens you embrace it. We've got good players."

How good they can become will in part depend on how well they get that chemistry going over the next month and a half before the 2010-11 regular-season opener in Denver on Oct. 27. The Jazz's first preseason game is at home vs. Matthews' Portland Trail Blazers exactly a month from today.

Jefferson, the Jazz's big offseason trade pick-up from Minnesota, told the Deseret News last month that he moved to Utah mid-summer to acclimate himself to his new surroundings. The center has been working with coaches and players who were around at times in the summer.

"I'm in business mode," Jefferson said moments before tossing out the first pitch at a Salt Lake Bees game in August.

"I want to be ready," he added, "so I'm in business mode to try (and) get here, get used to this thin air out here and be ready to play when training camp (starts)."
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Utah Jazz players in pre-preseason mode | Deseret News
 
I had no idea the Jazz are defending their Northwest Division championship this year. I swear the people in the media these days are total idiots.
 
Uhhmm I read that and didn't even think twice until you mentioned it, maybe because the Jazz beat Denver in the playoffs it counts at the post season NW div champ? lol
 
I know everyone wants to know what's up with Fes? Wonder if he is back in Utah since the Euro qualifying tournament is over. I think it would be very helpful for him to workout against Jefferson to help him defend low post players better. Anybody go to Best Buys regularly?
 
All that's left is to sign some combination of Fesenko, Collins, Moore, Elson, and freaking Kyle Weaver (he's still not signed yet, right?).
 
fatchipper said:
That's the part that stood out for me. I wanted Miles to come back saying he's worked harder this offseason than any before...not that he's been training/chilling.
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The one thing I don't worry about with CJ is his training. He's a hard worker in the offseason.
Maybe after last years offseason hype it's good he's flying low this time.

After last year's injury it threw Miles entire season off. This year he's got a lot to prove, and right now there's not the same attention or hype as last year.
I think that's good for him.
 
fatchipper said:
That's the part that stood out for me. I wanted Miles to come back saying he's worked harder this offseason than any before...not that he's been training/chilling.
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I didnt really quote it for that reason, I just thought it was funny, must of been a direct quote. Of course he isnt going to be training 24/7 in the offseason, there has to be some chill time thrown in. Id rather it be training/chilling than training/Ben Rothlisburger.
 
fatchipper said:
That's the part that stood out for me. I wanted Miles to come back saying he's worked harder this offseason than any before...not that he's been training/chilling.
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Miles went down to Puerto Rico to run a basketball camp for underprivileged kids. Big props to him for doing that. So it's not like he was hanging out in clubs all summer long.
 
The team's fall training camp doesn't officially get underway for another three weeks,
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The Jazz's first preseason game is at home vs. Matthews' Portland Trail Blazers exactly a month from today.
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So the actual training camp will run for 1 week exactly??

Doesn't seem like enough time for the new players to learn the systems and to build chemistry..

What does everyone else think about that??
 
Hotttnickkk said:
So the actual training camp will run for 1 week exactly??

Doesn't seem like enough time for the new players to learn the systems and to build chemistry..

What does everyone else think about that??
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Well, I know what Allen Iverson would say about it...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI

:)

More seriously, they've got a couple of weeks of preseason games, right, so it's not like it's just one week of practice and then things count.
 
colton said:
More seriously, they've got a couple of weeks of preseason games, right, so it's not like it's just one week of practice and then things count.
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With out looking up the time line, yes the camp in St. George or Idaho or where ever it is lasts about 1 week but then they still have regular practices, scrimmages and preseason games throughout Oct until the season starts right before Halloween.
 
colton said:
Well, I know what Allen Iverson would say about it...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI

:)

More seriously, they've got a couple of weeks of preseason games, right, so it's not like it's just one week of practice and then things count.
Click to expand...


Yeah, would probably be nice to have one more week or practice, but as we know while they can not have formal practice they can still "workout" together. A matter a fact just went by the gym at the college I work at either though practice is still about a month away they were all in there playing games so they should be fine. Cant take any more of Sean Williams is the best player ever and KOC is an idiot threads anyway :)
 
Hotttnickkk said:
So the actual training camp will run for 1 week exactly??

Doesn't seem like enough time for the new players to learn the systems and to build chemistry..

What does everyone else think about that??
Click to expand...
One of the reasons the Jazz often get off to a fast start (last season being an exception). With traditionally very little roster turnover, Utah comes in to camp with most of the players having a pretty good grasp of Sloan's system. Raja was here before, so it won't take long for Deron and him to be on the same page. Hawyard looked like he had a pretty good feel for the offense at the OSL. So that leaves Jefferson. And since he's been in Utah for the last month, I'll bet he's been working with the coaching staff and others already.

Now help defense is another topic. But seeing as how Boozer and Okur were terrible last season, the Jazz couldn't possibly be any worse - even if they had 5 new starters.
 
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