Reader comments
Utah Jazz: Kirilenko is glad to get a couple of days off

Lakers | 1:12 a.m. March 19, 2008

Maybe the injury is the reason for AK's recent bad play. Though if he was not a 100% I really dont think he should have played at all.

And it looks like Boozer and Okur could both be out again for the lakers game. If this is the case I think it is well worth the risk of bringing FESENKO UP considering what he did in November. And yes I know he will not be able to return. But THIS GAME IS HUGE. we are only 2 games from 1st place. And if houston loses Wed at Hornets and we win. We will only be 1 game out of first.

Also dont let the usual infestation of Laker fans at the game ruin our home court advantage. Cheer loud from the get-go

Go JAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!

Re lakers | 8:54 a.m. March 19, 2008

Actually the Jazz are 3 games out of first place in the loss column. Every coach would tell you they watch the loss column. If the Jazz beat the Lakers they will be 2 games behind lakers. Still they would be in good shape. I am concerned about Kobe. He is a Jazz nightmare. We can't stop him, but if the Jazz D up on everybody else they can beat the Lakers comfortably. Kobe may have 50, but if we shut everybody else down we win by 15.

Uncle Keith | 9:06 a.m. March 19, 2008

This is how the west will shake out, based on remaining schedule.
Lakers..........24 losses
Hornets.........25 losses
JAZZ............26 losses
Suns............26 losses
Rockets.........26 losses
Spurs...........27 losses
Mavericks.......30 losses
Warriors........31 losses
Nuggetts........31 losses
LA vs Den/GS
NO vs DAL
UT/HOU vs SA
UT/PHO/HOU vs PHO/HOU
note: Utah owns the tiebreaker with Phoenix, Phoenix and Houston are tied at 1-1 with a home and away left, Golden State and Denver are tied at 1-1 with a home and away left.
extra note: Utah is tied with San Antonio at 1-1 with a home and away left, Utah is up 2-1 on New Orleans with an away left.

Comments continue below

magnus | 9:32 a.m. March 19, 2008

Yikes, a first round matchup with the Spurs! It's hard for me to imagine a worse scenario.

Of the three teams you gave as first round opponents I would take Houston no question. I think the Jazz can exploit their weakness the same way the Celtics did.

Unrealistic | 10:08 a.m. March 19, 2008

As much as I love the Jazz and want them to have the third seed in the West, I just don't believe that they will finish out the season with only two more losses. Do I want them to? Yes of course, but the Jazz have proven time and time again that they lose to bad teams. And they lose on the road. I would think the Jazz will lose at least 4 more times, which sadly might put them out of the playoff race.

Spurs in 1st round | 10:13 a.m. March 19, 2008

The Jazz would have the homecourt advantage but I still do not like the sound of that match up. I would hope for the rockets and Jazz scenario. If it were up to me then I would hope they could get into 1st place and play the Warriors or Nuggets. It is possible but not all that probable so I will just wish them good luck and hope they stay atleast number 4 cause that gives them home court

@ Unrealistic | 10:17 a.m. March 19, 2008

If the Jazz lose four more games as you say they will. They will start on the road as a 5 seed against the Suns or Rockets. And if the Spurs do better or the Hornets do worse they could fall into a possible 4 way tie with Phoenix and Houston.

Team Player | 10:33 a.m. March 19, 2008

re: Unrealistic - The Jazz have the fewest remaining games of all the west contenders, the most home games (9), the least road games (4), and other than 2 against Minnesota, home games against Seattle, Charlotte, and the Clippers, the remaining games are against playoff contenders. So of 13 games left, 8 are against contenders, 5 against bad teams, and only 1 road game is against a bad team. So our remaining schedule is very favorable for the Jazz if they keep up the pattern of playing well at home and against good teams. So I think moving up in the standings is very much a possibility. (not to mention that all the west contenders have tough remaining schedules as well.)

james | 10:51 a.m. March 19, 2008

i kinda worry about andrei for the long term..he is trying to adjust his once frenetic, 100% effort game to one that can last for a entire 100+ game season. Sloan is limiting Dre's minutes, but i fear yrs of year round basketball are starting to take their toll. And the Jazz badly need his talent to progress.

Super Mario Bros. | 10:52 a.m. March 19, 2008

Good for AK47. He can play video games for 2 days. I hope the Jazz crush the Lakers this week. I hate the Lakers so bad. This is the most overrated Laker team of all time. Pau Gasol got injured(again)just like I predicted. He is always getting injured and I knew it would come back to haunt the Lakers. Lakers remind me of McDonalds. Low quality,disgusting,nothing is worse but too many people like it and you wonder how.

Alice Rhoads | 10:54 a.m. March 19, 2008

1=============== LA
2-6============= NO/UT/PHO/HOU/SA
7=============== DAL
8,9============= GS/DEN
WOW, that makes March Madness crazier thanever and it goes through June.

ILLinois Jazz Fan | 11:31 a.m. March 19, 2008

I don't understand Coach Sloans thinking when it comes to playing the guys. Here we have C J Miles stepping up when AK gets hurt and playing some of his best games, shooting,and stealing the ball and as soon as AK gets back CJ is on the bench again. Its the same thing with getting fouled , Daron instead of jumping into the player like Iverson,will try and go around them for the shot.Deron your the best point guard today I don't care what they say about CP3 but watch some Iverson tapes on drawing a foul. Goooooooo Jazz !!

@ Uncle Keith | 12:45 p.m. March 19, 2008

Hey Uncle Keith maybee you should have consulted with uncle Doug before you start chiming in on basketball matters. First of all if you think the Jazz will loose only two more games than I feel bad for you because you will only be disappointed.

Lets take a look

Road games:

Dallas
Denver
San Antonio

Homes games:

San Antonio
Los Angeles
Denver
Houston

You can bank on at least on two losses on the road and two at home. Jazz at best stay with the 7th best record. Loosing in the first round on the road.

@ Illinios fan | 12:52 p.m. March 19, 2008

You watch some CP3 tapes and you will concede that although you love DWill and he is the Jazz's MVP, he is not the better player

Aunt Virginia | 12:53 p.m. March 19, 2008

@Uncle Doug:
The Jazz are one of the hottest teams in the leage since Jan 1. They also play very well against the best teams, Hence Keith is right. Five teams are battling for the 2-6 seeds. The Jazz will not have the 7th best record unless they pull a Funk, and I don't mean Barbara Jane.

rattler | 1:26 p.m. March 19, 2008

@ Super Mario Bros.

I liked your Lakers are McDonalds comparison.
McLakers, worthless, but popular for some reason.

Jazz Fan (The Original) | 3:14 p.m. March 19, 2008

Why denigrate any of the Western Conference NBA teams....least of all the Lakers...they have been known to beat the Jazz and other contending teams with a decimated lineup? The Jazz have some injury and flu prone players...so let's not get too jazzed up about what will happen with the remaining regular season schedule. Back before the Phoenix road game, when the Jazz had 20 games remaining on their schedule (11 home & 9 road), I felt they would go 9 wins at home and 2 wins on the road...the Pho and Bos games threw a monkey wrench in my prognostication. I still think 9-2 at home is realistic, and possibly 1 more win on the road of the remaining 4 games (Min,NO,Dal, & SA). The Jazz will be fortunate to get a 3 or 4 seed. Only if everyone else falls prey to more injuries and misfortune will they rise any higher....a 2 seed is probably the best case scenario. However, once the playoffs start, it is another matter. Other than Houston, SA,NO,Pho,LAL, and Dal are more dangerous teams than the Jazz in 7 games series. So let us just strap on our seat belts and "see what happen."

magnus | 3:31 p.m. March 19, 2008

I like that plan Jazz Fan, see what happens indeed. I'm a little more optimistic though, ( I assume you meant 7-2 at home this season as they only have 9 home games left) I think that the Jazz will split the remaining roadies and that 8-1 at home is realistic. That would put them at 54-27 and I think that will be good enough for at least the 3rd or 4th best record in the West.

Vlad | 3:57 p.m. March 19, 2008

Information for Mr. Tim Buckley,
ï¿½Said Kirilenko, via translation: "ï¿½The brightest of them ï¿½ Bowen and (Sacramento's) Ron Artest. I cannot say who is more bluntï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Actually, Andrei used Russian word ï¿½грубыйï¿½, what means ï¿½rough, rudeï¿½, but not ï¿½blunt, dumb, dullï¿½, etc. So something was partly lost in translation, I think. Andrei is very decent and good-mannered person, hope anyone knows that. For me your header: BLUNT BOWEN sounds pretty abusive (blunt?), isnï¿½t it?

Rich | 5:53 p.m. March 19, 2008

What's with all the negativity? Too much watching Gordon Monson? "The Jazz have proven time and time again that they lose to bad teams." So what? All good teams lose to teams with bad records. Even the NBA teams with the worst records have great players, such as All Americas, conference players of the year, former European champs or gold medalists, record holders at their universities, etc. Boston lost to Charlotte, Toronto and Utah at home. Each of the other top four teams in the NBA has lost to teams with bad records, such as Indiana, Sacramento and Miami. And some of those teams even lost to Utah on their home courts. Every year it's the same. The difference between the good and bad record is often just three or four baskets a month. Look at every team's road record over the past 10 years, and you'll see some years when they might win more than half their road games, but that's rare. Most teams lose more than half their road games. The Jazz are one of the best teams in the league when they play good defense and pass the ball.

JD | 6:26 p.m. March 19, 2008

Here's something I was thinking about today, and I want to see what everyone else thinks. So, just for kicks, here goes: if, at the end of the season, AK still wants to be traded, what about him for Nowitzki? AK would then be able to play at the PF spot, where he is more comfortable, and Nowitzki could stay outside, where he seems to be more comfortable, at the 3 spot.

I know this is most likely not ever going to happen, but I just wanted to throw it out there to see what the reaction was. What do you all think?

magnus | 7:00 p.m. March 19, 2008

JD

I think you just need to set that dream down and walk away. This one is way past "most likely never going to happen". Even if the numbers could work out and Dallas wanted to trade Dirk you are talking about trading a top 5 player in the league for an over paid, above average to very good, swing man.

adam d | 7:24 p.m. March 19, 2008

JD, that trade will never happen too imbalanced. Consistent all-star and mvp for a whashed up wet noodle has been. Ok that is a little harsh hopefully the AK of old makes an appearance in the play offs.

JD | 7:41 p.m. March 19, 2008

I suppose I should clarify this. The reality is, of course, that it is not going to happen. I was more interested in a speculative approach to the situation. I just wanted to see what people thought of the idea, and whether, in theory, it would work.

JD | 8:47 p.m. March 19, 2008

I never said it had to be a straight across trade.

magnus | 9:40 p.m. March 19, 2008

JD

OK, I'll play your game, and the answer is still no.

AK is only a power forward in Don Nelson type small ball. The reason the Mavericks fired Nellie was because it became clear you could never win a championship playing that way, so I'm pretty sure they are not in a hurry to go back to it. As far as Dirk goes...I find it hard to imagine having Boozer, Memo, and Dirk on the floor at the same time. In the past few years Dirk has really become more of a traditional, back to the basket, power forward. It was only after he made that transition that he won the MVP and led his team to the finals. So again I find it hard to imagine him wanting to go back to the old way, but maybe he does, what do I know

Sneaky Jimmy | 12:10 a.m. March 20, 2008

Why not just trade AK for Garnett? Or AK for Oden? Or even AK for Lebron? Gee whats wrong with us?

JazzFan4ever | 6:53 p.m. March 20, 2008

Re:Teamplayer
He's right, the schedule is totally in our favor they need to Win just win... Whatever happens or who they match up against play'em. If the Jazz players are true basketball players they could care less who you play because you always want to test yourself against the best. Then if you do win it all you've earned it. Andrei stays with the Jazz because he does fit in here even if he does'nt believe so at times he fits here on and off the court,especially off the court...he's needed here maybe he will realize that soon.

Daniel | 10:12 a.m. March 26, 2008

AK-47 Should Stay with The Jazz!!

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