"Defense, he said, was their "greatest asset."

I hope this sinks in for Booze and why he rode the pine for most of the games. Defense will win you games.

With that being said, congratulations to DWill and Booze for your accomplishments and the great examples you have been for the American nation and the Jazz nation. We are all proud of you.

Defense? Other than Sloan that's not a word spoken among Jazz players. They are as soft as a jelly roll in the middle. There will be no championship in Utah for a long long time until that attitude changes. Anyone can play defense if they want to. Problem is the Jazz don't want to.

I disagree with the last comment. Everybody on the Jazz talks about defense, even the weakest link, Carlos Boozer. The problem is that Boozer plays such poor defense. He is afraid to commit himself to leaving his man to help out somebody else. The code phrase is "Help the helper," and that's something that Boozer doesn't do often enough, and maybe that's why he doesn't trust his team mates to do it when he needs their help. Boozer can learn defense, but he must get into the game mentally. We don't need a guy who scores 20 to 25 points but gives up too many easy baskets. We need a guy who scores 15 points and helps make stops.

and your Blue Maserati I saw you in on Holladay Blvd. You make the Jazz nation proud.

I can understand Deron Williams enjoying it.

But Boozer did nothing to earn a gold medal.

I doubt it has as much meaning to him.

Rode the bench mostly because in international play teams usually use a more versatile player at the 4, instead of a big guy like you see in the NBA.

The Jazz could use some better interior D, but at the same time they were a top 4 team last year. I believe they would have done better against the Celtics than the Lakers. However since this is the NBA, the Jazz can do better on D until they're blue in the face, but until they get a huge fan following like LA, they'll never see a championship. The NBA won't let it happen...

60-80% of the people who write on this message board are so negative... What's wrong with all of you? You are fans of one of the best and coming teams in the league with THE BEST under 30 one two punches in the league (Although Roy and Oden may challenge that this year).
And while you complain about Boozer's Defense, know this, that the NBA's champion is almost always the team that has the best COMBO of offense and defense. What that means is this... If a team is ranked 1st in offense and 10th is defense, then you give that team a score of 11. 11 is usually good enough to be a confrence finals team (which the Jazz will be this year unless Roy and Oden are even better than I think they could be).
Anyway, stop complaining and recognize, your team is really good. Good enough to win a championship next year.

The Jazz are a good team. But it takes Three to go to the finals. They need another Jeff H. Then they can get there. Boston Had Three. San Antonio has Three. We need Three.

Bulls had TWO, Rockets had ONE, then TWO, Lakers (90s) had TWO, Spurs (99) had TWO... need I go on.

The Jazz just need to improve their defense and 3 pt. shooting, and they will have a chance. If they can win home court, then they really have a chance.

87% of all statistics are made up on the spot...

Negative? Some of you just can't handle the truth. The reason the Jazz go home every year in the play-offs is there defense. Not there offense. Anyone can score but it takes effort to play defense. And the comment that Boozer doesn't like to help out, get real, he doesn't even guard his own man. He scores 20 and gives up 30. Okur is just as bad. The Jazz have no one who can even attempt to guard the 2. Holes all over on the team as far as defense. It just starts with Boozer and moves on down. The great players play on both ends of the floor. You don't hear anyone ever saying that Kobe, Mike, Larry didn't play defense. Even Malone played defense. Accept reality........

and yet Sloan is know for demanding good defense. I don't think it's working out!

Sloan could play defense but apparently he cannot teach it. Especially not to players who don't even know what it is like Charmin and Okur.If the power forward won't play D, then you have no power to your defense it becomes soft,soft as tissue.LARRY AND KEVIN WE NEED A BIG THAT CAN PLAY D AND CONTROL THE PAINT!

I don't mind the story BUT can someone PLEASE get rid of the kobe photos I have to look at everytime I log on to read Jazz news!!!!!!