Prediction:

Jazz 91
Spurzz 90

D Will = 32/17
Booze = 27/18
Memo = 21/15
Andre = 8/9/6/4/3

Tonight marks the beginning of a new future fear that Jazz will instill in their opponents for the next 5 years. The ring might not come this year...but they (plural) will come.

Who cares? really. Jazz will beat any i said anyone. Just focus. Jerry need better job to do. Play team basketball and then every thing will be fine. Go AK.

I really enjoy listening to Barkley. He's not always right but at least he's frank. He reminds me of Johnny Miller, always willing to say it the way he sees it, and though he might lack the polish that Miller possesses, his opinions are based on years of observing great players. Barkley knows what it takes to win in the NBA, namely an aggressive defense, players with high basketball IQ, and a team willing to play team offense as well as team defense. So when he picks the Jazz, it's not based on emotion alone.

WOW, UNBELIEVABLE! Honestly, if we can get up to the number 3 seed, I wouldn't care who we play. We can beat San Antonio this year, we will outrun them in all 7 games and eventually tire their old legs out. Houston would be the easiest 7-game series for 1st round.

I would not want to face phoenix in the 1st round tho. They can give us a ton of problems. But to be the no. 3 seeds, we'll have to play Phoenix.

I'm sure thats what Spurs want. So expect the Spurs to lose on purpose to play the lowly Rockets in the 1st round.

I would want the Jazz and Phoenix to win tonight with the Spurs and the Rockets loosing.

That way we get Houston at home in round one and The Hornets in round two.

That way LA, the Spurs and the Suns can beat each other to a pulp and we get to finish off the winner.

My confidence is up against the Spurs, but I still would like to avoid them like the plague

Tony Parker is going to victimize DWILL tonight. At least in doing so he will spare the Jazz the fate of playing them in round 1.

Tonight will be much like a bull fight. Parker will run right at the red cape which Boozer will be holding and then right before the collision, Boozer will step aside welcoming parker to the paint. What a hospitable young man.

These last 5 games have proven alot about the Jazz. FINALLY, they know how to close-out a victory. FINALLY they know how to win on the road (New Orleans). FINALLY they know how to stop CP3 at home (yes, DWill took him to the woodshed in Utah but until that final game in New Orleans did they shut him down at home.) Now if they can just get back on defense in time to stop Dirk from popping a 3-pointer in the last seconds! I have faith (and hope) that they will be just fine. Jazz 98, Spurs 82

Oh yea! And FINALLY us east coast fans get to see a Jazz game on TV! I'll be up late but loving it!

Kim and I think the Jazz are ready to win in San Antonio. We were at the ESA last week and the Spurs have never recovered from that trouncing. You could see it on their faces. Something happened that day to the Jazz and the Spurs & I liked it.

I got something for you. Ronnie Price. He will lock Parker down any day.

Jerry Sloan: "We will be in a postion to try and do what we need to try to do while we try to do it, if we try to take care of business." Gotta love it.

Prediction:

Jazz 93, Spurs 87

Jazz up at the half, down at the start of the fourth, rally from a dozen down to take the lead on timely 3 pointers by memo and williams, korver will have another off-night but he will stretch the defense in the 4th allowing DWill to rack up 5 assists in the qtr. Ronnie Price will hound Parker freeing up DWill to operate on the offensive end. Memo and DWill another double double...Booz 15 and 8...AK nearly invisible yet again (8 pts, 4 TO - all on really ugly, unnecessary forced passes into the paint when DWill is calling for the ball at the top of the key wide open, 2 fouls, 1 block, 0 steals, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, all in 22 minutes, half of which we hope CJ or Brewer is playing instead....some max-player stat stuffer he is now, huh?).

prediction man you only have 3 point coming from the bench.

I have seen nothing in the Jazz that has proven that they can win a big game on the road. They are a great team at home but horrible on the road. They could have won on the road vs. Dallas and didn't and they beat an overrated Hornets team that will lose in the first round. Bottom line Spurs beat the Jazz again tonight and we play Houston on the road. We just couldn’t take care of business on the road. Honestly teams with a losing record on the road do not win Championships they don't even make it to the Western Conference finals, that will be reserved for the Spurs and Lakers!

You now I am right if you can be honest with yourself!!!

Please, I hope I am wrong but don't think so!!!

Oh yeah, forgot to add that AK will have 2-3 spectacular plays - including his one block being chasing down a fast break layup - that will have people temporarily pointing out "See, his 3 great plays more than offset his lack of production and horrendously stupid turnovers...he is SO worth max money to be the 5th option on the team"

If you haven't caught on, I sure hope they move AK in the off-season, both for us and for him...we will be better with someone who contributes regularly and he will be better off on a team that will allow him to do only exaclty what he wants to and never expect him to follow any game plan whatsoever so he will stop pouting and play.

Maybe AK for Battier? Dalembert? Multiple players?

Um...honestly...the jazz had a losing road record last year and beat houston on the road in a game 7 and made it to the WC finals. Their road record is worse this year than last, but they have beaten most all of the wests best teams on their home courts. They are also the only west team to win in Boston this year. Don't count them out so hastily. The playoff are their own animal, you never know what will happen there.

Remember, no one expected the Stockton-Malone jazz to be blown away by 5 points in the finals...and no one expected them to sweep the laker on their way there either, so you just never know...

to Honestly

Haven't the Jazz won in Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, Orlando, Houston, Phoenix, Denver and New Orleans? Unless I am mistaken all of those teams are playoff teams aren't they. They have proven that they can win on the road. A lot of their road losses came to crap teams like Miami, Minnesota, New Jersey. The Jazz are a pretty decent road team against playoff teams. I would much rather see them get home court but we will wait and see. I believe they are talented enought to win in SA tonight but there is a mental thing and it will be a very difficult game. If Manu doesn't play then that will help a lot but who knows.

Honestly - Against playoff teams the Jazz are 11-11 on the road with victories in such places as Boston, New Orleans and Phoenix. The games they had trouble with were in places like New York, Miami and Charlotte. Thankfully those troubling teams are out of the picture now. They (the Jazz scored 41 points in the 4th quarter against Phoenix! I don't think that's all that bad.

@Honestly,

Quality teams jazz have won on the road,

Celtics
Pistons
Suns
Nuggets
Rockets
Hornets
Cavs
Magic
Golden State
and soon to be the spurs

Mavs are tied for the 3rd best home record.

Spurs are going down this year.

If Lakers make it Boston will destroy them and Hornets are the real deal, except when they play the jazz.

Jazz are a new team team since Jan 1st.

I called jazz by 20 last time they played. Jazz by 12 tonight.

If the Jazz are to go deep in the playoffs, they need to beat San Antonio tonight and then turn around and beat them four more times. That creates the possibility of playing New Orleans, or more likely, the Mavericks in the second round, thus avoiding the Lakers until the conference finals.

Re: Honestly

I don't know whether or not we'll win tonight, but I don't see how you can say that you've "seen nothing in the Jazz that has proven that they can win a big game on the road".

- How about Game 7 @ Houston?
- Hornets may be overrated, but beating them on the road was a good win.
- @Boston was pretty nice, too.

Sure they've had some real stinkers on the road against teams they couldn't seem to get up for, but without Manu the Spurs are not the Jazz killers we're used to. I think Jazz get the 'W'.

I'll also step out on the limb and say Jazz take Spurs in 6 in the first round - with or without Manu.

Re chad

I would love to Battier in a jazz uniform.

Don't have time to verify but I believe I read the Jazz have one of, if not the best, record against the top teams in the league. That would be why we win a tie breaker against PHX, HOU, and the SPURS.

We play just fine against the best. The West is really open for anyone to win--there is no prohibitive favorite. The Jazz have as good as shot as any team.

If we win tonight it would bolster the confidence--we might lose though since d-will is running on a bum wheel. If he is not running the ball up the floor because of his sore butt, we will lose the game.

That said it might be fun to lose so we can face Houston just to see the look on McGrady's face after we beat them AGAIN!!! You know he does not want to see the Jazz in the first round.

My countryman Okur and my team Jazz will put the point to the regular season by beating the SA, no doubt.

GO MEMO, GO JAZZZZZZZZZZZ

If the jazz players continue to buy into jerrys game plan they are going to be awful tuff to beat. ESPECIALLY if AK is on his game. He is the X factor. When he plays good,we pretty much NEVER lose! WHEN HE PLAYS GREAT WE NEVER LOSE, PERIOD!

learn your stuff before you post. They didn't beat the cavs or mavs on the road this year. But i agree that they play better teams stronger on the road then the bad teams.

to chad

I would love to see Battier in a Jazz uniform but I really doubt how it will ever happen. You will have to give AK and money and a draft pick or 2 and someone else to the Rockets to get Battier. He is one of the best defenders in the league and there is no way they will let him go. I would love to see him playing with Boozer agian(they won a National title at Duke together in college) but I am pretty sure it will not ever happen. How about they draft Demarcus Nelson. He was the ACC defensice player of the year and has good range and can drive the ball. Yeah but that will wait for next year. He would be an excellent back up for Brewer but then again the Jazz really don't need another 2

The Jazz must win tonight so they will not face the Lakers until the Western Conference Finals. Utah matches up well against every team other than the Lakers. A win tonight gives us a 3 seed. If we win in the first round we will face the winner of the 2-7 seed which wouldn't be the Lakers. Let the Suns beat the Lakers or bang and bruise them taking the series to 7 games.

Sloan is the coach..this team will do nothing..no
rings sorry ....until we get a new coach

Honestly - The Jazz have a winning record on the road in 2008. Take away the bad December and the Jazz are a pretty good road team. We have a winning record against playoff teams on the road. I'm not worried about being on the road. The Lakers are the only team that scares me in the West.

I have not posted for a few weeks(out of town) but find one thing very amusing. Remember how much crying Kobe was doing in preseason and the start of the regular season about wanting out of LA and trade demands involving himself or other players to be brought in? Well-- isn't it hilarious to read the bloggers of this site now compared to the last 3 or 4 months. 60 to 70% negativity then, now most eveeryone is positive with their blogs. Point being-- please don't over react everytime something isn't exactly right, things most of the time will work out with patience. Kobe is happy now and so are the Jazz fans--everything has worked out quite well. The Jazz may not win it all this year, but look out in the next few years. Youth is maturing before our eyes. Go Jazz and try to stay positive more of the time fans. Whinners not needed here or in LA.

Home court advantage in the playoffs is overrated. These are all good teams and all of them are capable of winning on the road. Regardless of what seed they are, the Jazz are going to lose some playoff games at home. They are going to have to win some road games in order to advance. So you can take the 37-4 regular season Jazz home record and throw it out the window. If the Jazz play Phoenix in the first round, I think they may be in trouble. Houston or San Antonio they should be able to handle. I think the NBA wants the Celts and Lakers to meet in the finals again, those two have always been the NBA's chosen teams. Would be nice to see Utah in the finals again, but I don't think this is the year. Perhaps in a couple years if the nucleus of the team stays together. They are young and still getting better.

BECAUSE Sloan is the coach...this team will do fine...have a chance at the ring....don't need a new coach.

The West is the toughest it has been in many years and maybe ever. Despite that Sloan coaches his team to a better W-L record than last year. All this despite losing Derek Fisher and his veteran leadership and skills.

It is a good thing we are not playing Minnesota tonight! At least we have a chance against the Spurs

Memo keeps saying 'Dude.' I love it.

I hope we win tonight. I think we will. But our reward is to get the toughest of our 3 possible first round opponents. Both Rockets and Suns will probably win which means we will play the Spurs the first round which I would rather not do, but we have to try win nevertheless. I think our chances of going to the finals are good. And I even think we might beat the Lakers. Great team. Great coach. And we will be even better next year, no matter what happens.

@ Chad

I agree that it is probably best for everybody if AK gets moved this offseason, but I think you can just give up on the dreams of getting Battier, no doubt he would be perfect for this Jazz team but Houston is in no hurry to give him up, or take on a contract like AKs.

I floated a three way Utah/Indiana/Atlanta trade on yesterdays Jazz article, that would bring Jeff Foster and Josh Childress to Utah for AK and Collins (and possibly some cash or a non-lotery draft pick or Almond).

It seems unlikely to me that the Jazz can get any real value for AK out of any team in the Western conference. There are several teams in the east who are looking to shake things up or who are borderline playoff teams and are looking for another playmaker to make them a contender. I think if a deal is going to happen it is going to be with one of those teams.

I actually like the Idea of playing the Spurs in the first round.

I think any way you look at it the best thing for the Jazz is that they win tonight. Then most likely they would be looking at a round one matchup with the Spurs and a round two matchup with Dallas or N.O. There is no easy road through the West, but from a matchups standpoint and given the way the Spurs are playing right now I think this is a great position for the Jazz to be in.

sign this Skeeter dude. I don't remember seeing him on the team. Did someone get hurt so they brought him in. He knows a lot and even knows they should be better next year. Thanks for the inside info Skeeter and good luck tonight. GO JAZZ, GO SINAN, GO SNEAKERS, and GO SKEETER

This game will come down to how Boozer plays. Not just scoring, but rebounding and some defense. If Boozer his the boards hard, if beleive that everything else will fall into place. The jazz have to get defensive rebounds.

Jazz by 7!

Hey that sounds good. Lets go Marge. Jazz are looking good.

Party in the Hot Tub after the Jizz win!

I would like to see Utah and Phx win and Houston lose so that we get the 3 with homecourst against Houston which would put SA and Phx playing on the same side of the bracket as LA. I think that is the best match up for us but with the was the Clips are playing I think it will be very hard for Houston to lose to them. But just a hint for any Clips fans reading this the way to stop T-Mac is to make him a jump shooter. He is an excellent passer so you have to force him to shoot outside shots.

for stopping tmac the other night. Can you play Kobe also so the Jazz can beat the Lakers. The Jazz are going to need your defense!

We will see how many fans are drinking the win on the Road Kool Aid after tonight. "Just go in and beat the defending champions on their home court no problem"! The Jazz have been such a great team on the road with a stellar 17 and 23 record! Beating the Spurs at home in ES is one thing winning on the road against the defending champions is another, even without Gio. And I don't care that we beat Houston on the Road last year. "Houston is not a Championship team either" and Golden State gave us home court in the second round last year to help us advance to the WCF. Bottom line we lose to either LA or the Spurs in a 7 game series on the road. Keep drinking the Kool Aid though if it makes you feel better, come back tomorrow after another Road Loss!!!

I couldn't agree with you more. Battier is the kind of guy who can score if needed. He can defend and grab rebounds. He reminds me of Millsap with a three-point jumpshot. I would LOVE to see him here, too.

In regards to tonight. Spurs fans who love how the franchise has been going need to remember "what comes around goes around." The Spurs have been nothing short of 'awesome' since the arrival of Tim Duncan (questionable at best how they obtained the first pick that year, but that is another story for another day--the owner is a sellout). The Jazz used to own the Spurs in the days of Robinson. Malone and Robinson were a great matchup and they were the best of friends. After Duncan came the Spurs were up and coming. Then, they became great. Now? They are old and vulnerable. They are still a very good team, but more vulnerable than they have been in years. The Jazz are now up and coming and I look for the Jazz to use the Spurs as their springboard to better things now and in the future. I hope the Jazz play the Spurs in the first round. Bring them on! GO JAZZ!!!!!!!

I agree with Boozer. Boozer has been playing good defense lately and that's why the Jazz have been winning. He didn't seem to care early in the season. If Boozer plays great defense, the Jazz absolutely win.

Yes the jazz struggle in San Antonio and it is certainly possible they will lose tonight. After all, the Spurs are the defending champs and they have a big reason to want this game AND they are supposed to win on their home court, aren't they? It would be considered a HUGE upset if we did beat them. Either way I bet they won't beat us as bad as we pounded them recently.

Even if the Jazz lose, that is not the end of the world--playing T-Mac the choker is not a bad reward for losing. I know the Jazz would never admit it but they see the matchups and know where they will fare better.

Does anyone really want to play the NBA champs in the first round? I doubt it.

Any team could lose in the first round to the Spurs including us but I think we stand as good as chance as anyone. It would not be fun to be out after the first round but it could happen--the Spurs are the champs until somebody knocks them out. Knocking them out won't be easy for anyone, with or without homecourt advantage.

Good points above. I am absolutley sure that if the jazz play good defense (not great) they will win. But here is the key as I see it: the jazz must play good defense WITHOUT FOULING!!!

The jazz lead the league in fouls committed which is bad. Everyone knows that a well timed, smart foul is a good play, but, the jazz have times where all they do is foul, in particular, MILLSAP, boozer, price, harpring. Fouling for the sake of fouling will ruin any chance we have. What I mean by that is, don't foul your man on a bad shot or more importantly, 25 from the basket- Millsap is a nice player but he can't even play 18-20 minutes without 4-6 fouls. If the spurs get to the line more than the jazz, they will win.