Boozer shouldn't get off the bench unless Milsap has foulded out and Collins is in foul trouble

Everyone goes through a slump at one point or another, the problem with Boozer is, he just doesn’t seem to care. He will keep on saying stuff like ‚We need to step up“ or ‚I’m a great player’ and then continue to give yet another preseason effort in a playoff game.
Some people here have been comparing Boozer’s playoff no-show to the Mailman’s. Which planet are you on? True, Malone struggled at times during important games, especially when he settled for the fade-away with his shots not falling, but he absolutely always made up for it with hussle and defense and played like he actually wanted to win.
That said, I believe that this team is far more talented than any Jazz combo during the Stockton / Malone years. Now if only they had that much HEART.

Oh, yeah. That's just brilliant. Foulded? Collins?
Go back to sleep, Gramps.

Booz is doing some Malone-Webber class choking though, huh? Funny how 'Sap can get the ball right to the rim but our so-called All-Star power forward is suddenly playing as soft as margarine.

I'm going to call him "I can't believe it's not Boozer."

I love fans that love a player when he is tearing it up and call for him to be benched or traded when he is struggling. As a Jazz fan I stand behind Boozer. He had a great playoff last year proving he can play in the post season. He is struggling this year so as fans are we all going to just turn our backs on him? If you complain about Boozer please do not praise him when he does well. Booz is a very good player in this league he is not a superstar however he will be eventually, just show a little loyalty. ESA will be rocking on Friday GO JAZZ!

Love that "Hey Slown." Professional blog troller...

Unless he's hurt and just not telling anybody, Boozer will be back.

Even still, the fact is that this Laker team is tough. The Bryant-Gasol combo may be better than Kobe-Shaq because Gasol is more mobile, gets out quickly on the break, and has more range to his shot. Plus Kobe is a better passer now than he was playing with Shaq.

Boozer=Choker.

Sloan=time to retire

Did anyone else notice the fire go out of the Jazz after starting out pretty well? When the refs called them for fouls whenever a laker went into the lane, but didn't call the same things on the other side. I had to quit watching I was so disgusted--not with the Jazz, but with the officiating.

Or am I imagining things? Memot had a great blocked shot, hand on the ball, and a ref called a foul from the other side of the court.

Typical product from Duke. It's the new version of Karl Malone - this is fantastic.

Can we have the Jazz fans bring back the slogan: "It's our year"

Afer a game like last night, lots to complain about.
1. When we put Collins in we might as well play 4 on 5. Lakers don't even have to guard him which makes it harder to score. Second, I love Harprings hustle but why did we run plays for him time and time again in the fourth quarter when he is shooting 2-9? Suggestion, don't play collins bring in CJ and run small and fast! Finally, Fesenko has more offsensively then Collins make the switch. Finally, finally, D-Will take it to the hole early and often and it will open thing wide open!

This is a joke of a team, there is no other team in the nba that flops back and forth from great team to joke of a team. sucky teams suck and great teams are great most of the time, but not the Jazz. its just too weird seeing this for years with different players on the team.NOW U SEE US NOW U DONT. Boozer a peekaboo allstar, now usee him now u dont.Even Williams is staring to get that syndrome, NOW HE IS AGRESSIVE NOW HE IS NOT.LOOK AT PAUL GO 100 miles an hour most of the time. Williams needs to take over every game early,AND HE CAN DO IT. For now if the Jazz exit the playoffs expect EVERYONE involved to want MAJOR CHANGES NEXT YEAR, itshould be an intersting OFFSEASON. PEEK A BOO.

So far in this series Sloan has been searching for guys who can find a little fire in the belly. He's obviously disgusted with what he's seen so far and is exercising incredible restraint in not just calling them all out. D-Will and Millsap are men among boys. The Jazz look like deer caught in the headlights. Boozer's completely inept. The Lakers' defense takes Utah out of their game plan with ease. The Jazz seem to just roll over and settle for ill-advised jump shots. Even Jerry's intentional technical didn't seem to get them motivated. Forget about all the complaints against Utah for banging and rough and tough play -- they're softer than Charmin, and they might need a lot of Charmin to wipe up the mess they're making. We now remember how schizophrenic this team has been all year long -- on one night then off. They're in a battle for their existence and all the true tendencies and weaknesses are being manifest. Anything left boys? Will Booz show up? Are we doomed? Kobe's taken his game to a new planet and the Jazz don't have an answer -- even Fisher is going off with confidence. Series over.

I agree that the officiating was awful, just to get the Jazz out of their game. Seems like all of these NBA players make enough money, so we know that they can all play well. Why is it then that the refs have to to get in there and make sure which team will win???? Just once I would like to see a whole year where each team can play and have only true fouls called so we would know which teams can play. Are they so afraid that Koby & his team can't play all that great so they have to give them the game????

I have ALWAYS sad that Boozer is a average power forward at best. Sloan's offense accentuates the power forward position. (Even look at Millsap). You could go get Drew Gooden or Joe Smith and they would have "All Star" years in Utah because Sloan's system helps the 4-man.

Boozer's finally being unveiled as the fraud he is.

Milsap more...At least he knows what hustle means.

KEEP BOOZER ON THE BENCH! I WILL KEEP MY FAITH WITH YOU SLOAN IF YOU KEEP HIM ON THE BENCH!I HAVE RECENTLY MOVED BACK TO UTAH FROM ARIZONA AND ONLY BEEN WATCHING BOOZER IN THE PLAYOFFS, I CANT BELIEVE HE IS A PROFESSIONAL PLAYER (MAYBE JR. JAZZ), IF HE WAS PAID ON COMMISSION MAYBE HE WOULD STEP IT UP, UNTIL THEN LET HIM SIT THE BENCH. WE SEEM TO SCORE MUCH BETTER AND "CATCH UP" WHEN HE IS NOT IN THE GAME. I AM SICK OF EVERYNIGHT WATCHING SOME CRAP ABOUT BOOZERS FLEET OF VEHICLES, TATTOOS, AND HOW GREAT HE IS HERE IN UTAH. THE GUY SUCKS! HE NEEDS TO SIT THIS YEAR OUT, GET SOME MORE TATTOOS AND BUY SOME MORE VEHICLES....

It's a team game, ask TMac. One player is not going to win ball games, even Kobe. All of the players need to step it up 3 notches. I would like to see some early offense instead of playing it half-court. We need to be scoring over 100 points and having some fun. The reason the Lakers are getting so many fouls is when Kobe gets the ball, he has 1,2 and sometimes 3 players going to the basket...and we reach and foul.

You can't give out intensity, if comes from within. If Booze or AK, who is as dis-interested as anyone, don't want to compete, then let the young horses, Milsap and Miles try it. Someone needs to start a fire. Change the player rotation...do something.

Boozer needs to realize what is being said about him. If he has any pride in his game, he would suck it up. If he's not getting 20 points, then get 20 rebounds instead.

If the Jazz are going to foul, then I would like to see some Lakers ending up on the floor. Instead they get their hands slapped as they drive by a Jazz man. Get tougher!!!!

Yes, we should stand behind Booz. However, is this not the same number 5 who called out the euro's last year (i.e. Okur, Kirilenko) for not showing up in the playoffs? He needs to set the tone by going hard to the basket, I think we're all sick of him bouncing it off the back of the rim. Mr. Boozer, we love you but all we ask is that you STEP UP and practice what you were preaching last year.

We can beat this team and we are the best team in the NBA...

boozer's play quality has been weak long before playoffs. he plays no defense and gets many fouls because he grabs and pushes rather than getting good defensive position. about a month before the season concluded he was in the midd-20's in scoring and higher in rebounds. since then it has been straight downhill, especially if anyone plays decent defense against him. he has no jumpshot. Milshap is twice the player and should play twice the minutes.

It was a tough loss, and difficult to watch the same EXACT game as game one all over again! However, it's home court advantage for a reason. Every team in the second round has won at home so far, so this was no surprise. All the Jazz have to do is win the next one in convincing fassion. They are very young and need a confidence builder and then things will be fine. I have predicted all along the Jazz win in 7! They just need to steal that last game in L.A.! They did it last year in the first round, and they can do it again!

Like R2W, I quit watching the game because of the officiating. 43 free throws for the Lakers against 16 for the JAZZ, folks, that is 27 more possible points. You would think that Stern's office will look into this matter after the same disparity in game one but I guess this is Utah, small market and all.

The Mailman was a warrior in the middle and always played defense. It is a slap in the face to everything that Karl accomplished in Utah. Boozer is no Malone and never will be he is way to soft on defense and does not have the offensive weapons Karl had. Give me Stockton, Malone& Horny any day over these stiffs!!! There will be no Golden State Moment for Utah this year!!

Boozer is very strong, very good offensively, and a very good rebounder. But he is terrible on defense and has problems against long, athletic big men. Unfortunately LA has two of the longer, more athletic big men in the league in Gasol and Odom and this has made Boozer's confidence tank after a slow start against probably the NBA's best defensive team in Houston. The Jazz really need a long, athletic big man in the post to complement what we have. IMO that is our one missing piece. Fes may be that guy - long and tough although not near as athletic as a Gasol or Odom - but he may fill that need - we'll see next season.

Picture a watermelon a thousand feet down in the ocean. What happens to it? It implodes under the pressure...see exhibit #1 Boozers head.

This guy is gonzo!!

Actually, he has to be injured--there is really no way he is this inept--he knows what he needs to do and clearly has no mobility to do it. His back must have crapped out on him. Bad timing for the team.

That said, what happend to D-Will in the first half last night? Another disappearing act by our stars!! Boozer must be contagious. D-Will dribbled down the floor and passed it to the wing with 18 seconds left on the shot clock and that was the extent of his role in the offense???? Ridiculous!! No probing the defense, no dribble penetration, no going to the hoop, NOTHING!!

They dig these big holes to start the game and then finally figure they have to play Jazz basketball and finally get close but by then they are too tired/out of time.

These teams are nearly identical, statistically speaking, offensively/defensively so we can play them--our players do not seem to believe it though.

Crappy shooting again, no FT's, poor execution, no Booz. Maybe next year.

When I play church ball I foul a lot because my guy blows by me and I try to compensate by swinging my arms wildly. Sometimes it works for me, but it doesn't look like it's working for the Jazz. It's time to play some defense.

and don't forget to wipe your feet, and then shut the door on the JAZZZZZZZZ1

Lakers smell blood. too late for D-will fisher smells to much respect, he also mentioned last night he hopes D-will doesnt figure it out. IT WOULD MEAN LIGHTS OUT FOR D-FISH. HERE IS STILL HOPING JAZZ FIGURE OUT THEY HAVE 19 GAMES LEFT TO WIN ONLY WIN 12 FO THE TITLE.

MAYBE TOO LATE? GO JAZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Boozer does really well against 90% of the teams in this league, but the last poster got it right: he is awful against 4s that are more than an inch or so taller than he is (Odom/Gasol).
That being said, anyone who wants to bench Boozer for Millsap is insane. Millsap is a great bench player, but if he got the defensive attention Boozer usually gets, you'd see lower numbers per minute. Millsap and Harpring missed their fair share of lay-ups last night. I actually think Millsap's hands have been worse this year than last year. We need power finishes. If the Jazz is looking for guys to go glass everytime from 2 feet in, then they should hold open tryouts next season for all of us church-ballers.

Someone on here said that AK is playing like he is dis interested, are you blind man? AK has come our ever game with aggression, defense, and when he gets the ball, he tries to make something happen. He did have 6 of the first 13 points in the game last night, I mean hello. Then, he gets sat down for almost an entire quarter to get cold, while Harpring runs around and does absolutly NOTHING. Then, Sloan final wakes up from his hibernation on the bench and puts AK back in to guard Kobe. Does anyone pay attention and realize that Kobe does not take as many shots against AK? AK was not the one giving up points to Kobe, it was Brewer. It isn't because Brewer did bad or anything, I just think that Brewer is a little to young and inexperienced to guard Kobe. AK is much more aggressive and lanky. Kobe doesn't like getting guarded by AK. AK is the only championship experience on this team. Regardless if it is a Euro Championship, it is the same as an NBA one. The intensity is still there. GO AK, KEEP PLAYING YOUR GAME!!!!!!!

when I played church ball I only had to foul a few times to get my point across...Once I broke someones arm and another time both of one guy's legs...after that the word got out in the stake and nobody drove the lane on me...we need our bigs to go make a statement...since the foul will be called anyway...let them know that the paint belongs to us and they will have to live or die by the jumper. The thing is that the Jazz get accused of this anyway so they should, as the boys in Detroit figured out, embrace it and use it to their advantage! Kobe would look a lot less smug and arrogant shooting those gift shots with a couple of elbows broken!

classy.

@ more fouls

So your the one who ruined it for the rest of us, thanks for that.

I think the thing that makes the Boozer situation so frustrating is that it is not like he is a shooter and is just having trouble finding his shot, his entire game as taken two huge steps back.

I really, really hope that the coaches and players have called him out on this.

I actully wonder if he isn't hiding an injury. If he is he needs to step aside and let the team try it without him until he feels well enough to contribute because he is certainly not doing them any good right now. I like Boozer, I think for most of the season he was one of the best power forwards in the league, but he simply isn't that player right now.

Classy@ my point is this...if we are going to foul, we don't give up garbage and easy stuff...I didn't set out to hurt anyone but I surely was not going to back off from a snot nosed kid that thinks it is his entitlement to run at me and I would run away! The lane is not supposed to be a cakewalk!!! This is a talented team that, despite it's reputation, is actually way too kind and polite..."after you my good man" to the cutter...for crying out loud, Hornaceck played on a worthless leg at the same time Malone was playing with broken fingers and they played tougher than these guys...there will be no respect for toughness until actions speak louder than tattoos!

Magnus@ before you start crying let me guess...you played guard? I do not know where you lived but in my neck of the woods I took closed fists to the face on a regular basis, along with the occasional elbow to the teeth and the constant barrage of face slaps from guards who never learned to use their body...If I ruined it for you, were you the guy that kept punching me in the head? So sorry about your legs...but my face thanks me!

I wish we could see each other so you could see how stupid your statement looks from my end, but you can’t see me, so I’ll just respond to the rest

My guess is the reason you took closed fists to the face is that you where trying to break peoples arms and legs.

It's a funny thing in basketball just as it is in life, usually the people who complain the most about fouls are the ones who do the most fouling, usually if you are receiving a disproportionate amount of violence it is because you are perpetuating it.

Moreover, you are talking about CHURCH BALL, half of the people who come out to play don't know how to play AND THAT IS THEY WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE. Church ball is about fellowship and sportsmanship and it's the kind of thinking that you seem so proud of that ruins the spirit and purpose of the activity.

I know guys like you and for the sake of your Ward and your Stake I am glad that you talk about playing church ball in the past tense.

The league and media want Lakers vs Celtics. The Lakers are good enough to get there mostly on their own merits. The Celitics are going to need some help.

As such, the Jazz had a good run at it this year.

You Jazz fans crack me up. The Jazz are the best in the NBA???? The Jazz match up with the Lakers on stats and skill???? Wake up. Your team has two and a half decent players and a bunch of journeymen. Okur can shoot, but is no athlete. D-Will is very good but no superstar. You need a superstar in this league to win a championship...see Kobe, Shaq, Michael, Magic, Bird, Tim Duncan, etc. The only team to win without a superstar lately is Detroit, but they had six very good players. You don't. Sorry, I can see Chris Paul winning with the Hornets or even Garnett with Boston, but you guys are dreaming. Lakers in 5...maybe even a sweep.

Saying the league and media are conspiring to put 2 big market teams like LA and Boston in the finals every year is tired old argument used by fans in smaller markets whose teams haven't won a title. I mean, Utah made it 2 years in a row against the Bulls . . . were they a big market those years?

If the League/Media wanted big market teams then why haven't we seen a major market team in the last 3 years?

2007 - spurs vs. cavs
2006 - Mavs vs. Heat (I'll give you borderline Miami but not Dallas)
2005 - Spurs vs. Pistons

It was good to see Collins ready to play yesterday. I think his value is understated.

Boozer man, come on, what's up.....we need you, your teammates need you, and you don't want to be labeled as a disappearing act in the playoffs, that label won't ever go away.

Rigged. Lakers vs Celtics. That is what the NBA is looking for this season to get ratings back up. Seriously how else to you explain the memphis grizzlies trading Pau Gasol to the fakers for... a handful of crappy players. Kobe Bryant is a complaning joke, Derek Fisher is a scam artist (his daughter who needed to go to a city that could handle her situation better... IS STILL GOING TO NEW YORK FOR TREATMENTS!!!) Derek Fisher had his deal worked out with the LA Fakers long before he asked to be released from the Jazz. Doesn't everybody just cringe everytime Derek "Scam Artist" Fisher does something good against the Jazz? I mean where is this guy even coming from? He never played that good for the jazz, he was a defensive guy who was a liability most times on offense.

Anyway, someone needs to investigate the NBA. Did you all hear David Stern talk about LA and the Celtics during game 2 of the Jazz/Fakers game? It looked like he had to hold his tounge (because he was so excited that his little schemes worked and nobody has said anything about it)

Boo Fakers, Fisher "MR.ScamArtist", Kobe.

Go Jazz

By the way, the reason the Lakers shoot more free throws is simply because they play defense with their feet and position. The Jazz paint defenders are stuck in the mud, no motion and have to use their hands to grab, swat and muscle.

Oh, and stats don't win in the playoffs, players do. You're short a few.

Play more Milsap, Pleaseeeeee....... Boozer has just been going through the motions defensively all season long. Now, he is also flustered with the size of the Lakers. I would like to see him ( a power forward) make a strong drive to the basket, like Milsap does. Insteasd he settles on those short jumpers. As a result the Lakers do not get into any foul trouble and we get to watch another clinker off the back of the rim. Get real.

Ak needs to guard Kobe....period. Harpring could relieve him a little but refrain from shooting. DWill needs to play from the beginning tip-off. He tries to be the assisting point guard and figures out he needs to take over a little too late. Boozer must be hurt and is so overprotective of himself that I don't think he will be a factor in these play-offs.....maybe rebounds, use Millsap more than the regular rotation. Memo needs to shoot and the others need to be used with a green light from the coach according to their skills, ie: Brewer...put backs under the basket, Korver outside the 3 point line, etc. Refs need to quit watching over Kobe. Fisher needs to go away. NBA needs to quit promoting super stars. "Basketball" needs to be the focus instead of Hollywood, MVP, past Laker greats, etc.

Did you hear the bit on Fisher last night during the game? The reported said that he has to take his daughter to Seattle every couple of weeks to have her monitered. Not to sound callous about their family trials, but couldn't he have made that trip from Utah as easily as from LA? It's not that I want him as a Jazz player, but we got nothing for him.....we graciously released him. I feel a little used

Nothing worse than watching a cow chew it's cud and then there is Boozer chewing his gum the same way and during an interview no less. Come on Boozer, you don't want to be the guy who hinders the Jazz. Get out there and help your team and quit worrying about your cars, tattoos or money. It's all in the bank bub, just go earn it.
GO JAZZ!!!!

Lets go Boozer -- lets Go Boozer

cheer him on friday -- lets get it going Jazz

I normally think referees have nothing to do with games. Conspiracy theories are things of white supremacist militias and Hillary Clinton, or so I thought. I was proven wrong on both counts as I listed to the NBA's worthless commissioner last night gloat about the Lakers and the Celtics. The way he was so smug about the whole thing made me want to puke (instead, I turned off the horrible game).

Look, the Jazz missed too many open shots and were too soft on defense (mainly Boozer), but when you have a relatively close 10-point game, it seems that maybe, somehow, the Fakers are getting just a little bit of help.

Finally, Fisher is a complete loser. I am always tempted to throw things at my TV every time I see him. He's a total liar and traitor. I'm glad I don't live in Utah any more because if I did, I'd buy a ticket to the game and then probably end up on ESPN as one of those crazed fans running onto the court . . . trying strangle him. It drives me nuts just thinking about the little scumbag of a liar.

You want to win a championship?

Boozer is not the player to build around.

You build around real stars like duncan or jordon.

Prima-Donnas like this don't do a thing for myself or others. Speaking of doing something for others I---WONDER how many homes and cars Booze has bought for the people that raised him (his parents). This whole professional sports scene is SICK.

amen brother, amen.

We just want to see some hustle and aggression and the Jazz fans will fall in love with you again.