That's TWICE Now!

Dear Utah Jazz,
I love those green jerseys. I love the players on your team. I love the system that you play in. But why and how on this green earth can you go out and successively manhandle the Spurs, Lakers, and Magic, and then go out and lose to the second WORST team in the NBA, the Minnesota Timberwolves, TWICE?! TWICE!!!! The Timberwolves record is an absymal 4-22, for a .154 winning percentage, only slightly above the grandeur of the .080 winning percentage of the New Jersey Nets (what a disaster that franchise is).


When the Jazz are on their game, they are phenomenal. They share the ball in a way that the NBA hasn't seen on any other team since maybe the Showtime Lakers of the '80's. Of course, a Jerry Sloan coached team is always going to share the ball well. But what is it about these Jazz that make them beat up on the powerhouses and lose to the little frail old grandma's of the NBA? Do you not want to hurt the little old grandma's? Are you trying to win the NBA's charity award for '09-'10? Earth to the Utah Jazz: THERE IS NO CHARITY AWARD!

Maybe we can look at the successes and disappointments of the season thus far to determine what the problem may be:

Successes: Wesley Matthews - undrafted guard who gets picked up by the Jazz on a tryout, who then moves into the starting lineup and is playing big minutes, even more minutes than the Jazz' first round draft choice, Eric Maynor of VCU. He can shoot, drive, pass, and finish.

Deron Williams - Can you believe that this guy is not an all-star? He was an Olympian, but not an All-Star. Interesting. He is the new generation's "Black Stockton". Watch the way he moves on the court, the way he passes the ball so unselfishly in the offense. If it wasn't for Deron, the Jazz would be in deep trouble.

Carlos Boozer - what a turnaround for this guy! Mired in trade rumors, 2010 free agent signing rumors, leg injuries, he has come back with a vengeance. Every game that I have seem him play, he has posted at LEAST 20 pts and 10 reb. The only question remains: Does he get traded at the deadline?

Disappointments: Paul Millsap - he can have flashes of brilliance, but so far his isn't living up to his 4-year, $36 million contract. I doubt that it has anything to do with Boozer starting in front of him, because Millsap did great last year when Boozer came back from injury. Millsap needs to step it up in a big way.

Eric Maynor - he is a much skinnier, much more raw version of Deron Williams. MUCH more raw and skinnier. He doesn't shoot the ball well, and he has trouble finishing at the basket. I haven't been impressed with him at all so far. Reminds me a lot of another player that couldn't adjust to the NBA and get it going: DeShawn Stevenson (now look at him....).

Ronnie Brewer - He has played better the last few games, but apparently, you don't have to be able to shoot in order to play SG in the NBA. If that were the case, I would be making $5 million a year throwing up bricks for some NBA team and I wouldn't be writing this blog (someone else though would be writing this blog about me and brick shooting). Don't get me wrong, he plays good defense and he hustles. But I don't think I have seen anyone shoot like that in the NBA since Anthony Mason retired (go to Youtube and check him out shooting free throws when he played for Miami and Charlotte...wow).

In the words of Jim Rome, it's time for the Jazz to "Step Yo' Game Up" when it comes to playing the fragile little old' grandma's of the NBA aka the Bottom Feeders. Step Yo' Game Up Utah!