Reader comments
Timberwolves giving Jazz nightmares

So much for all the talk about winning the last 10 games of the season. If the Jazz players say they are treating every game now like it's a playoff game then Jazz fans should be pretty concerned. Losing a "playoff game" to a Minnesota team that doesn't even have 20 wins is pretty pathetic. Basically, if the Jazz do not get homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs (if they even make the playoffs) then Jazz fans better pray they get lucky in Game 7 like they did last year in Houston because right now it doesn't look like the Jazz have found an answer for their road woes.

Not the worst loss. Look at the fact that the Jazz didn't have Memo or Kirilenko. If you take the top two guys off any team and go on the road versus the T-wolves and I think it is a loss. Besides the T-wolves aren't in the playoffs and the Jazz will be. Not the end of the world.
GO COUGARS!

Jimmy saw this coming from a mile a way.

One big difference from the Stockton-Malone era and the DWill-Boozer era, is that Stock and Karl would not let the Jazz lose important games like this. Yet for this Jazz team these losses have become all to familiar. Sloan can only do so much motivating from the sideline, and it is up to this teams leaders to ensure these losses don't happen on the floor.

While Jimmy realizes this team has as good as a record against the West's other top 8, Jimmy sees this team shooting itself in the foot if it cannot at least get 1st round home court advantage.

Right now Jimmy is hoping San Antonio and LA keep winning but don't overtake New Orleans and that Houston can hold on to the 5th place seed. That would give the Jazz 1st and 2nd round matchups against the Rockets and Hornets (although both road series), which Jimmy thinks is their best route back to the Western Conference finals.

I get sick of seeing the Jazz play down to the level of lesser opponents and lose, then play up and beat the top teams. What would happen if the Jazz played up every night? They would likely have home court advantage for most of the playoffs.

The T-Wolves know how to get up for bigger teams for some reason.

Can anyone say 52 and 30, one game out of the playoffs?

Mike thinks CJ really let us down again!

I think there is alot more at work here than just playing down to the level of the opponent.

Granted they should have won this game. but the following factors have to play a part in this loss

1) They where missing two starters, without either one I think they are ok but without both it causes a problem.

2) Practically the whole team has had the flu, and...

3) they have had alot of days off. I think that when you combine this with the fact that alot of guys have been not practicing becasue of illness or injury what you get is a team that is a step slow and a little out of sync. I think that is what they showed yesterday.

This team is still an enigma. I am exited for the playoffs, it's going to be a wild ride.

Why does the desert news continually censor this blog to show a certain bias?

This is exactly why I CANNOT get exited about a Jerry Sloan coached team, jerry does nothing to help this team. It would be nice if Hall of Fame coach jerry sloan could figure out a way to actually coach.

Jerry has done nothing for Milsap, the guy can't even play 30 minutes without fouling out because he fouls his man 30 feet from the basket 4 times. Jerry needs to teach these guys some basic skills to improve their game, but he really doesn't know how, which is sad.

lets get a coach who can coach his players to some defense.

Magnus I like your playoff excitement, but if this group finishes this year like last season there will be no playoffs. Andrei got hurt and sprained his ankle when he slid on the ice using his free pass from Masha last night. He is out indefinetly. Magnus lets just hope they win 8 of 10 or now playoffs. Maybe we will get lucky in the lottery and get tehe number 1 pick and get Beasley.

I have to laugh at the nut jobs who keep calling for Sloan's head. Sloan is an excellent coach who gets more out of his players than most coaches are capable of. As far as teaching and developing talent go, how many times have we seen players excel when they were with the Jazz, only to languish on the bench when they left for supposedly greener pastures. Remember Shandon Anderson? Howard Eisley? Blue Edwards? All players who thrived under Sloan's tutelage, but who were never heard from again once they left. Try thinking before you post an inane comment next time...

When will Jerry Sloan ever be held accountable by the fans or Larry Miller. On KJZZ telecasts, they often show the graphic detailing how Sloan is the longerst tenured coach in all of pro sports, big deal!! What has he actually accomplished besides a lot of REGULAR SEASON HOME wins. I would be embarressed to have the longest tenure in sports and nothing to show for it.

Just being the coach for a really long time, is not an accomplishment, but since Sloan has none, they market to the fans about his longevity. Our players do not get better unders Sloan, most of the time they get traded or get worse.

Eight games to go; five home and three road. I see roadies at NO, Dal, and SA as all losses. If the Jazz don't get Memo, Kirilenko, and Brewer back for all of the home games, they are in jeapardy of losing even possibly Was tonight, and more than likely even at full strength, the SA and Denver games. They should win the Hou game....but the way things are going, they could go 1-7 or 2-6 if they don't get better bench play. They only hope of finishing ahead of Denver is to go 6-2....because Denver could sweep their games if they continue on the roll they are on now. These injuries and flu are killing the fluidity of the Jazz play. The bench is not taking up the slack. I honestly have my doubts that the Jazz can finish the year with at least a first round home court advantage. Losing 3 roadies to Min was a crock; also 2 roadies and 1 home loss to Por was shocking. 10 losses on the road to NY(1), Min(3), Por(2) Cha(1), Chi(1), NJ(1), and Mia(1)....take those away and they have 18 losses, and the best record in the west.....come on!!!!!!

For all you idiots that think that it's on sloan and his coaching you people are about dumb as it gets, if you don't look at the players (ie. Boozer and williams) super stars of the team that can't gaurd their own shadow, what do you want him to do, bench the so called leaders then what do you have? tell boozer and the rest of the clowns to sit there butts down move there feet and play "D".

Do you even watch the games?? Do you have any clue as to what you are TRYING to say?? The jazz have failied with Sloan in at least 15 of his 20 seasons. Have you ever looked at his carrer playoff record or his regular season road record??? Nevermind the fact that he had the 2 greatest players at thier position for more than a decade. Sloan has been here for 20 years and we consistantly underacheive, what more should I need to say?? He has never been voted coach of the year, or asked to coach team usa, he has never even coached in an All Star game.

The jazz lost 4 first round series on their home court with a higher seed during his carreer. Jerry has no accountability, he never gets blamed for anything, even if Boozer blames him for every player in the league seeing jerry calling out the plays from the sidelines. Jerry sloan is the most overrated, most foul mouthed underachiever in the league.

Here's an idea, how about actually coaching your team to play better defense. Everyone keeps saying what a great coach sloan is, well lets see it. He doesn't have Stockton and Malone anymore, who didn't really need coaching. The truth is, jerry doesn't have the first clue how to coach in this league, he just puts the blame on everyone else.

I agree that this team is awful on defense, but what are we paying jerry to do??? Defense is more than just effort, it takes scouting and preperation and gameplans, schemes, of which jerry provides nothing. By his own admission, he doesn't watch gamefilm, he doesn't motiviate his players and he isn't going to change. Jerry has admitted to all of these things. Nice attitude!! The fans and players deserve better!

RE:Jazz Fan
Do your research; NO team ever plays "3 roadies" against the same team. The Jazz only play MInnesota 4 times. Do you pay attention to the structure of the schedule or just get on here to run your mouth? Let me spell it out to you: since they are in the same division the Jazz and T-wolves play exactly 4 times each season 2 in SLC and 2 in Minnisota. The Jazz won their home game against the wolves and lost the TWO roadies. They play one more time in SLC.
Other than that you are right; the Jazz have lost to really bad teams on the road; NO EXCUSE FOR THAT.
However, the jazz going 1-7 when five games are at home yeah right! they only lost 4 games at the ESA but you are right they are going to blow 4 of the last five. GOOD LOGIC.

Get with the program before you post. The jazz only lost 2 on the road to Minnesota. They only play division rivals 4 times 2 home and 2 on the road.