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Utah Jazz: Power forwards missing in action

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todd from santa ana | 11:34 p.m. Nov. 2, 2009
If Boozer and Millsap do not realize what Houston is doing and they are paid not us fans watching on NBA league pass then I have no answer?

Do they watch tape, would you not tape a game of your future opponent see what they might be doing especially without Yao and Mcgrady?

Do fans have better scouting reports than Jerry who I guess is coach, scout all rolled into one...
Matjaz | 11:59 p.m. Nov. 2, 2009
Nice start for one thing, Jazz will have 2 lottery pics next year, no defense, no heart, no desire...I just hope that there`s going to be some real good players on the draft...
Anonymous | 12:31 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
It certainly doesn't help Boozer's confidence that every time he misses any shot, or makes any mistake, the fans rain down "boos" on him. He's one of your own Jazz fans...whether you like him or not...he's wearing your teams uniform!! If your going to boo your own players, then just don't even bother coming to the arena. Find something else more constructive to do. It's embarrassing that our fans aren't supporting there team. A bunch of empty seats, and half of those that are filled, are spending most of there time booing guys on the home team. Nice Jazz fans...really nice. Your lack of support for your team is every bit as disappointing as the teams play on the court. If Boozer is a loser, then so are you guys.
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15 rebound and 9 points | 12:50 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
from the PF position. I am not sure what is going on but both DEN and HOU negated the offensive function of the PF position in Sloan's offense. That cripples this team since Jerry does not believe in outside shooting. Well maybe if Okur or DWill are doing the shooting but that is a problem of another kind. HOU is not even tall at PF. Both Boozer and Millsap should have had a hey day.

This team needs a serious remake in it's offensive approach. It's defense has been broken for some time. I sometimes wonder if the Jazz players are making a no confidence statement about Sloan.

Something has to change. The more the front office talks continuity the faster the fan base is heading to the exits.

We are past being mad. We are voting with our wallets, feet and time.

The Jazz as currently constituted are an expensive waste.

I do not think Boozer is the only problem. I have nothing against Boozer. I just want him to play well. He is playing like he is afraid. He has no rim game. He rebounds. He shoots bad jump shots. Rookies can do that.
Maybe Boozer's  | 1:18 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
leg is bothering him and he is not saying anything as it might affect his career and next year's contract?

Hubie mentioned in the DEN game that Boozer lacked the explosiveness that he had before the injury. Boozer was hitting the front rim with his outside shots because he was not elevating enough. Boozer is rebounding.

I do not know what Millsap's excuse is. He plays when he feels like playing. Paul needs to quick sucking his thumb. This team needs him to step up, especially if Boozer can't or won't. Forget about the starter business. It is not important. What is important is that you get and deserve minutes.

So far Millsap is raising plenty of questions about his new contract. The rest of the team is trying, but the Jazz can't beat most teams with a dysfuntional PF, poor defense and poor outside shooting.

Jimi | 5:42 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Don't worry, they get their money. I sure miss the days of Stockton and horny, they played hard EVERY night. they deserved their money..
Cowboy Joe | 5:56 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
The whole team stunk and laid a big egg. If anyone expected a lot more is wrong. Instead of worrying about the knicks pick, they can start worrying about their own. Jazz first team in history to get the first and second picks.

Dwill is a horrible defender and isn't even in the same league as CP3.
jazz | 6:54 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Paul who?
Not just the PF | 7:00 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Deron was 6 for 20 and the 3 point shooting was terrible. Hard to keep a defense honest when the guards aren't doing anything positive. The smaller Rocket PFs did well because the guards were getting good drives and making 3s. We tried to resolve this by shooting quick jump shots. Dumb.
Miles | 7:46 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
20 Million of wasted money. Boozer and Millsap are a waste of space right now. Bench them tonight. They are worse than horrible. The money went to Millsap's head and Boozer could care-a-less. His leg is fine, it's his heart that needs an operation.
re Maybe Boozer | 7:55 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Boozer looks a lot like he did when he came back from his injury last year. However, he was amazing against the Lakers in the playoffs. I think his knee is okay, hopefully he'll get back in to stride soon.


I don't think Millsap is sucking is thumb. I'm not sure he's worth $10million, but he showed against the Clippers that he has really improved his game. His he is hitting more shots from 15-18 feet out, I'm really excited about this!
Old port | 8:02 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Pathetic. These are not the games to lose.
Patience is a virtue | 8:37 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009

Let see Rome was built in a day.....

Our reciord is similar to the Cavs so lets get busy and toss the baby with the bathwater.

Did anyone see the Lakers lose to the Mavs last week? I still don't believe for a minute the Mavs are the better team.

We have to work out our kinks, we can't do that during preseason playing other teams that are not at full strength or speed or with rookies getting playing time. It has to be done during the 85 game season.

We will be fine, we have quality players who are strong and are smart and will learn to win together
we need to stick with them until they do.
pray | 8:41 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Come on guys cool off, take a breath and remember that we are only 3 games in. I know it looks bad but don't be the type of fans that everyone around the league acuses us of being, we are better fans than that just like we know our team is better than last night. We really need more pro sports in utah because people here really get worked up over 1 game.
Mike in Texas | 8:53 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
One bad game, and the whole team should be gutted? Lets give these guys 10 games before we judge their heart and talents. Actually, I think Houston plays better without their two markee players. Houston was simply too quick for the Jazz, who were unable to take advantage of their size.
BOOzer | 8:58 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
You can say all you want about the guy. He is a joke. He isn't anything like he was a few years ago and this proves it. He is terrible. He needs to go back to Miami and stay there. Let's pull a Stephon Marbury to BOOzer. I'd play Fes over Boozer.
Fans are crazy | 9:19 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Do any fan, even a single person on this message board, really think he knows basketball better than a single Jazz coach or player? Seriously?
In today's NBA | 9:23 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Patience is not necessarily a virtue. It's put up or go home. Last year, not the Jazz's best ever, they were 3-0 at this point of the season. Hummm
Guido | 9:28 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Are you looked Boozer game balls at 3rd?

worst i`ve ever seen in basketball history, he cant just made one correct pass, put AK at 4 please, dear Jerry!!
CougblueinTF | 9:28 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Maybe starting slow will be a good thing. In past years the Jazz opened the season looking like world beaters and then fizzled down the stretch. I'm not really hopeful, though. The Jazz play like they have lead in their boots on defense. They certainly were out-quicked and out-hustled last night.
Jazz Cop | 9:30 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Go Boozer, Go Millsap
Anybody Else | 9:36 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
See a 1-4 start? After three games I must say that I cannot see this group winning any more than 44-45 (may be dreaming here) games. Boozer is lost, D-Will looks frustrated, and Jerry looks as though he has no answers. Pretty ugly performance.
Miles | 9:38 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
@ pray: Did you watch the game last night? It has nothing to do with only 3 games in. This team is all out of sorts. They are really bad. Really bad.
dont lose it yet.... | 9:39 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
only 3 games in the season and we had two really bad quarters. it was a hard game to watch, but remember there are 79 more games to go. to anonymous, if we are paying the players salaries, then we as fans have the right to boo, especially when they play like they dont care. the turning point in the games was when the refs called the charged that wasnt on dwill. that would have put us up three, instead the rockets go on a run and knock our mentally weak team out of the game. i say boo boozer evey time he drops a pass, turns the ball over, shoots too many shots. this guy deserves all the criticism in the world. GO JAZZ!
Houdini | 9:45 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
The Jazz need Korver. He is the difference-maker. Mamma loves Korver. I love Korver. Please Please Please heal fast. We need ya man.
Millsap? | 9:52 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
"As poorly as Boozer may have played on Monday night, Millsap was worse. He finished with more fouls (six) than points (two) or rebounds (five) in 24 minutes of play.

"Obviously, we overlooked the talent level that they had out there," said Millsap of the Rockets. "Those guys can play – otherwise they wouldn't be in the league. We just need to put this behind us."

A statement from Millsap ADMITTING that he overlooked the rockets?

That is pretty telling.

Last time I checked the Jazz PAID MILLSAP ALOT OF MONEY TO PLAY HARD EVERY GAME AND NEVER OVERLOOK ANY TEAM.

Thanks Millsap for showing how immature your approach to the game really is. Your stats match your words too.

Would you ever hear Karl Malone say he overlooked another team?

Millsap is taking PR classes from Boozer or something. A few more stupid statements like this and they will both be in the Jazz fan doghouse together.

Both PF's are too short anyway and they both need to get gone and start over.
Jazz management | 9:52 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
is in a very difficult position.

Realistically replacing Sloan with an assistant is worse than keeping Sloan. They will not run the Sloan system any better than he does.

Replacing systems mean that you do not have the right players for a new system due to the Sloan biases. You have no outside shooters and you have a bunch of overpaid mismatches and Sloan project players.

The Jazz do not have the speed to do what DEN and HOU are doing. They do not have the outside shooters. They do not have the defense like HOU and SA.

Boozer only does rebounds now (not sure why). Millsap is to short to be a good PF and to slow to be a real SF. Brewer can't shoot. Korver is slow. CJ rarely plays to potential. Okur is a Euro C and maybe better at PF coupled with a strong C. Fez and Koufos are young.

What offense do you run with these players if you change Sloan? They can rebound but do not play defense and seem to be erratic offensively.

They lose to fun and gun teams. They lose to inside out teams. They do neither well.
CL | 9:54 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
What was frustrating to me was that Sloan never put in either of the young bigs and let them try to control the paint. We've got to get those young bigs in the games and get experience. Our PF's are good but too undersized in some matchups and we need Fes and KK to improve so they can make a difference later against Gosol, Duncan, Nowinski etc. Mismatches work both ways and those smallish Houston PF's and centers were getting the best of the match up last night against Booz & Milsap, so why not try Fes and KK?
GoodGuyGary | 9:58 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Boozer deserves what he is getting from the fans. He is the one got a big mouth.
Amazing | 10:10 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
How is it that of the teams that are the main competition for the Jazz, because of trades and changes have become even better and the Jazz have seemed to struggle, go over the salary cap to keep the players that were out in the first round last year, and not improve very much.

The Lakers seem to be able to improve. Houston improved. Denver got better. Do the Jazz not have any talent scouts?
Not just Boozer | 10:19 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Something is seriously wrong with the Jazz offense right now. It is not just Boozer.

Boozer is rebounding. So is Paul. The problem is in the offense. Boozer was getting blocked. Why? Lately he has been shooting jump shots. We are pretty sure he is capable of taking it to the rim. He did it in the playoffs for one game. If Boozer is taking it to the rim and getting block then he is slower or less explosive since his injury or there is something wrong with the Sloan system.

Since Millsap is doing nothing most of the time it suggests there is something wrong with the system. There may be problems with Boozer but it is more than him.

Sloan's bias against wings who can actually shoot has made the team overly reliant on Korver. That is dumb. This team never could defend good outside shooting teams so that in not new. But they can no longer outscore them. The PF has been negated by the loss of outside shooting.

Sloan needs to develop some new plays fast. He did it when Boozer was out. Sloan is capable of change.

Design plays for available players.
Wanted: Roger | 10:29 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
I think the Jazz need to hire Roger Reid. Look what he did at BYU!
chttrtn | 10:31 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Lets face it! The Jazz does not have anywhere close to the athletes that the Rockets have. The Jazz are slow, can't play defense and most important, they can't shoot. Not even the close ones much less the three.
Soft isn't Good | 10:34 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Mome and Boozer are both soft on D. Boozer has a lot of talent but needs to move on. I predict this year to be a bust. The sad thing is Deron will want to get out of here and onto greener pastures where he can get a ring. I really beleive Deron is the only Jazz player that cares about getting a ring. The rest of the slugs are just happy slugging there way to the bank every month and depositing there millions. A ring? Who wants a ring? I'll take the $$ and run. If we are going to lose like we did last night, let's bench all the bank depositors and play the subs and lose with them. Help them get a little experience. Gosh, who knows, maybe our scrubs will get some wins like Houston's did last night. I am not renewing my season tickets next year and I am going to try to get rid of this years tickets after last night. I am done with the Jazz.
Sneaky Jimmy | 11:00 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Sloan can't be serious. The comments he makes are like from Boozers grandma. "I hope he comes and plays like he is capable of". Sloan knows you can't "hope" something happens.
uisiana jazz man | 11:14 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
boz and millsap 20 mil so what kirlinko i belive is 16 mil by himself most of the time does nothing. boz is probly not the same from the leg problem. i figured it was going to be a problem same as last year booz starting over millie even tho he sucks. if your better you should be starting probly will get worse better get rid of boz before the whole team is ruined. i think everybody said that before the season started.
The Die is Cast | 11:25 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
All this talk about babying these players by Sloan, Greg, and some of the fans....Come On.....This is the NBA and excuses are left at the door. They play for pay and honor. Boozer will never mature. I lay much of the blame on Sloan and the management for the same lackluster attitude. Boozer is, and always will be Boozer, off his game half of the time. Lets get on with rebuilding around Williams or it will all be lost. Is the message getting through....HUH.
What a shame no one has done anything about it already. Trade coaches for six months with either Houston or Denver and see what would happen.
FACT | 11:50 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
The Jazz have not, can not, and will never be able to win with this line up! FACE THE FACTS GREG and JERRY!!!!

For a coach who prides himself on Passion and Heart, Jerry sure has pulled together a bunch of players that dont have either... Boozer, Kirlenko, Memo, Miles, Fesenko, etc...Trade Boozer for something and lets move on!

I am already dissapointed in the Jazz, here we go, limping into the playoffs, first round loss, and leaving everyone unfullfilled and scratching our heads!
Extending Sloan | 11:53 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009
would be a bad mistake. If Sloan can take the players he has recruited and make a viable team of them then maybe he deserves an extention.

Look at Adleman. He lost his 2 best players and almost beat LA. If Sloan is a great coach he will adapt the offense to the players he has. He will make adjustments to the defense so it works.

He did adapt when Boozer went out last year. We know he can adjust when forced to. What he is currently doing is not working and not going to work. Adding CJ and eventually Korver is not going to fix the defense, nor much of the offense nor the back to backs.

DAL lost to WAS at home and everyone thought they were a joke. Then they beat LA like a rag doll. I think Sloan will have to make some adjustments if he wants to win. However, it will be after he loses to DAL and SA and 1/2 of Utah wants to drop kick him like a football.

Let's see if Sloan actually coaches and makes adjustments. Lets see if he gets some new plays and approaches.
Talking with fans | 12:28 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009
after the game you get the feeling that they are out of hope. The old wounds of no defense in the paint have been rubbed raw already this early season. The fans had high hopes that Sloan would play Fes and Koufos this year and shore up our defense in the paint. With that mess out on the floor last night and JERRY REFUSING TO BENCH BOOZER for his total lack of defense, and Fes and Koufos back in their cages. The fans could see well here we go again this year. They lost hope and many rushed towards the exits.

To win the fans back Sloan is going to have BACK OFF of his stubbornness and play the young bigs. Many fans see them as our only hope and I am definatly one of them. It's either or else, play the young bigs or Sloan must go. Period.
sdd | 12:42 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009
all this complaining about boozer and milsap, i think we need to take a hard look at williams, his defense this year has been awful, he seems to lose his focus way to easy, and if he is suppose to be our team leader he is ceartainly sending the wrong message to his teamates, becasue he show no intensity on the defensive end whatsoever, i gues he thinks becasue he was on the olympic team that he can get burned on every play and then look over at his teamates like it was there fault. Then there is our offense run the clock 20 seconds and then whoever has the ball trys to play one on one and we either get a bad shot or a turnover, we dont have the talent to play one on one... wake up jazz
Chemistry | 12:58 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009
You can see it on the faces, these guys do not care for eachother one bit, Milsap is upset he doesn't start and who can blame him. He earned that right last year. Boozer has no desire or heart, at least give the guy who has heart a shot to be on the floor more.
Henry Drummond | 1:13 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009
I think this is more the fault of the media than Boozer running his mouth. They made Boozer's option the big story of the year. Neith Okur or Korver got this kind of scrutiny. Give it a rest.
Disappointed | 2:08 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Boozer can rebound because he has a big body and he plays position good — BUT —
He can’t or won’t make a two-hand power move to slam a ball - or play good defense because he is afraid of being hurt by an undercut or landing wrong. If he is hurt again his value to any other
team is gone.
As for Paul who knows — maybe his feelings are hurt because he isn’t a starter.
I believe that Sloan should play the two youngster — centers as PF to show Boozer & Paul - how to get into the game or ride the pine.
As of the first of the season — also not that impressed with the Jazz rookie guard.
SOS | 2:44 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009
This team is done before they even begin.

Time to blow all the staff and players up before we continue to slowly fade away. D-Will is the only real players worth keeping.

I think I'll just wait for Baseball to start up again.

The Jazz are once again a sub-par team.
MPetrie | 5:08 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Here are my thoughts:

Houston had 15 offensive rebounds to the Jazz' 8. WHY in the world did Sloan keep Fez and Koufos benched the entire game? With Fez' great performance the other night, why in the world was he benched when we obviously needed more size in the middle to pick up those boards? Obviously no one else was getting at them.

I hardly saw any post plays last night. Where is the post up play with Boozer and Millsap? I was upset by how many times Boozer got the ball stripped. Boozer has a large body but he play so timidly. He's always trying to move around people or fake them out when he has the body to dunk over people. It's like he barely jumps when shooting a layup which results in a high percentage of his shots being blocked.
cant stand watching the jazz | 5:24 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Boozer is just bad...the only reason people thinks he is good is because of the offensive numbers he's put up in past season...the way the jazz run their offense is through the power forward position..Boozer is a terrible, he always been a terrible defensive player and is an average offensive player. He gets the ball swatted in this face everytime he goes up for a layup. The Jazz just need to let him go...he's not worth the money.
Jazzsmack | 5:49 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009
The last few games have proved what I have been saying all summer,

YOu don't waste 20 million on undersized "bigmen" that can't possibly help you win a championship.


Everything about this team is wrong:

wrong coach
wrong system,

wrong big men, (no length or heigth for defense)

wrong shooters, actually no shooters, when you count on a center for outside shooting you know there is something wrong)

wrong mix of players,


Wrong management (when you have an owner, Greg, who thinks it was a good thing to give milsap all that money, who wants resign sloan and boozer,who wants maintain the status quo and continuity,

have O'connor who can't get the right players or refuses to go after players, like an okafor or rip, despite sloan)

This team has big problems.

no defense, too soft, no shooting, no game-time coaching


@Anoymous | 5:53 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Some little Rockets point guard named Brooks ran D-Will all over the court last night and there wasn't a thing anyone could do about it. D-Will got into foul trouble right away and because he can't take defeat well he makes up for it by getting upset with everyone but himself and starts to play even more poorly.
Boozer probably can't spell DEFENSE if you asked him to, it's missing from his BB career.
This is last year's team, no changes were made, so this is what we get: an extension of last season.
It's painful to watch the Jazz get beaten in their own house, their own arena by a team who is missing some key players. Now that is just plain SAD!!!!
weedeater | 6:13 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009
Panic may be overstating it but the reason to be concerned so early in the season is that the team has the same weaknesses it had last year, and because of that, the 5 win bonus that you get by keeping the same group together, that you realize early in the season when other teams are still fumbling around, is slipping past with each game played.

Something weird is going on, there is NO inspiration, the team seems dead.

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The Jazz's Carlos Boozer drives past the Houston Rockets' Carl Landry.

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