Reader comments
Utah Jazz: Okur, Fesenko, Collins all unavailable for Tuesday's game

Jonah | 12:31 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

Wooohoooo! Here comes a five game losing streak.

rvalens2 | 12:41 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

Memo, here's hoping everything turns out well for you. We'll miss you while you're gone.

I hope Koufos and Fesenko are ready to step up and play.

MC | 12:49 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

Best wishes to Memo and his famiy.

Comments continue below

Good Luck | 12:51 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

...Fess and Koufos. I hope you do your best with the time you have.

I also hope Memo gets back soon and wish him the best with whatever he's dealing with in Turkey.

TRUE | 1:22 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

Scary but i think you are right. No D-Will and no Okur. Bad News

Anonymous | 1:35 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

Koufos works harder than Memo.

Antionio McDyess | 2:00 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

Why not sign Antonio McDyess to a 10 day contract until Memo comes back??? (or maybe the rest of the season for "toughness"

ahoapap | 2:06 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

I don't think this will be a HUGE issue. Remember, we are DEEP.

I will feel pretty good about getting home from this road trip 2-3. I think that is perfectly reasonable.

Sucks, I JUST put him on my fantasy roster today thinking we are getting 4 games out of him this week. Oh well, I guess Aldridge is in now :D

Koufos | 2:21 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

If Koufos can rebound and get a few put backs we may be able to get by if Booz can stay out of foul trouble.

Stuff happens. McDyess may be a good idea. So far Collins in not in a position to contribute and Almond is expendable. I am not sure what is up with the Almond deal. At least he could hit from the outside as well or better than CJ and Korver.

McDyess | 2:22 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

NBA rules state that 10 day contracts can not be signed until January. Anyways, McDyess is not meant to play in the Jazz's system. He likes to get his instead of playing with the team.

BC | 2:44 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

McDyess also can't sign with any team for the next 30 days. League rule after being waived in the situation he was in.

that probably explains ... | 3:01 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

why Memo had such a rough game yesterday. VERY hard to concentrate on B-ball when you have family 1/2 way around the globe ill. Maybe all those who bashed him in the other article's comments should post an apology!

Jimmy Z | 3:31 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

Hey Jerry S. when are you going to get the boys
prepared to play on the road? I have been waiting
since 1988 for you to motivate the players and
prepare the team and a correct strategy.Get a clue
Miller

to BC at 244pm | 3:35 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

My understanding is that McDyess can't re-sign with the Pistons, the team he was traded from, for 30 days. Once he clears waivers on Wednesday, he's eligible to sign with any other team he likes. If he so chooses, which it's sounding like he won't.

At least that's my read on it per ESPN.com's story today on his being waived by the Nuggies.

Miles | 3:42 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

You all wanted Koufos on the floor instead of CJ. Well now you are going to have both of them. All you Koufos lovers will realize that he is not ready for prime time. On second thoughts, I am sure Sloan won't even play him. He dislikes rookies. Millsap will start at center. No better off, let's start Almond at center cause he is so awesome. Plus give him Korver's minutes. Great ideas........

duh | 6:07 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

the Jazz can't sign anybody because they already have the maximum 15 players under contract. They would have to waive somebody first.

truth | 8:25 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

that's easy . . . waive Collins

Koufos | 8:45 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

Koufos is not ready but he has to learn someplace sometime and that time is now. Millsap and Boozer will get fouls due to miss matches. Koufos will have to play.

Further, CJ is not ready and is not performing up to his pay but he is getting minutes. He will probably improve as time goes by and he adjusts. Ditto for Koufos. At least Koufos can take up space and maybe rebound. He is taller than SAP and maybe he can play a little D.

I am a Koufos fan but I have no delusion about him being ready to play extensive minutes. His inside moves need a lot of experience and work. If we are lucky he may get his outside shot going. He has potential to do what Okur does on the outside which helps Booz.

Starting center: | 9:49 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

Brevin Knight

yankon | 10:36 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

Why dont the jazz defend the three put a pencil to the percentages and you might ask yourself the same question.if you understand the math.Can you see the jazz left wide open as they leave other teamsCan any one anwser this sloan always says you have to defend.

good news | 11:25 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

great news... the Jazz are better off without any of those three... It's unbelievable that old school Jerry Sloan even plays Okur a minute.... someone who can't make an impact on the game in any phase other than three point shooting is an embarassment to the team and the game for that matter... I can't watch the Jazz because of Okur...

Louie | 11:36 p.m. Nov. 10, 2008

Put AK-47 at Center leave the rest up to Coach Sloan

magnus | 2:12 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

@ Yankon

I will step up and try to answer your question because you are exactly right the Jazz are the second worst in the league for opponents 3pt percentage.

The answer is simple basketball fundamentals and if Jerry Sloan is anything it's fundamental. The philosophy goes like this: Defence is played from the inside out. The #1 priority is to not let the other team have easy high percentage shots. Keep the ball out of the key and if it gets in there force them to throw it out or shoot a tough shot. The Jazz are the 6th best team in the league for opponents 2pt shots. The problem comes when you lack good interior defenders, what happens is that in order to make people shoot tough shots or kick it out the perimeter defenders have to collapse leaving open 3's.

That stat only tells part of the story. The Jazz are playing decent team defence this year, they are in the top 10 in defensive efficiency. They do this in two ways, the first I already mentioned (2pt baskets) and the second is rebounding, the Jazz are one of the best defensive rebounding teams inthe NBA.

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