Just when I was starting to believe that I had it all figured out, that I had cracked the code to how the West would finish, the NBA's Western Conference took another bizarre turn of events.
It all started with the Jazz finding yet another way to play down to the level of their competition, losing a heartbreaking road game to the horrid Minnesota Timberwolves.
While sorting through the great and spacious building known to sport's fans as ESPN.com, I ran into quite the interesting little fact: The Utah Jazz are the only team in the league that can claim they lost to the Knicks, Heat, and T-Wolves (twice) this season.
Had they won those games, they would be grasping the West’s top seed right now. Instead, they are in fourth, but what really amounts to being fifth because they have not earned home court advantage yet.
And that’s not all folks.
I had presumably written off the Denver Nuggets of having any chance to come back and win the Northwest division, but after Denver’s win over Phoenix, Carmelo and co. lie just three games behind Utah, ready to pounce.
This is not the most ideal position an NBA franchise could ask for, especially when Utah has to play their perennial thorn in the side Spurs twice more before the season concludes. They better hope they don’t need their final game of the regular season because it is at the AT&T Center, a place the Jazz have never left with a win.
As a Jazz fan, I would love to just waltz around and proclaim my belief that the Jazz will turn things around, grab the number one seed, and march on toward a championship. There is just one problem with that.
Sadly, I cannot profess that that is my belief at this point. The NBA is so unpredictable right now that I am overwhelmed and don’t know what to believe.
But just because I don’t have any beliefs now doesn’t mean that I can’t make any predictions does it?
I sure hope not, cuz here is the Utah's path to the Finals.
First Round: Utah vs. Phoenix
Utah pulls this one out in six games. This will be a tough series, more so for the Jazz with the addition of "the big cactus," but the Jazz have what it takes to make it out of the first round against a Suns team that is still struggling to find its chemistry.
Second Round: Utah vs. San Antonio
Realistically speaking, I would say the Jazz don’t have a chance in this one, but that wouldn’t be any fun now would it. Jazz take it in seven based on the sheer determination of Deron Williams to take his team to the top.
Conference Finals: Utah vs. New Orleans
The showdown of the undisputed two best point guards in the league. This would be a very intriguing and fun matchup to see in the finals. Jazz take this one in six because from what we saw in the regular season, with the exception of one slip-up in New Orleans, the Jazz own this team.
NBA Finals: Utah vs. Boston
I think this has the potential to be one of the greatest series I have ever seen. The Boston three-party facing the reincarnation of Stockton to Malone. This would definitely be a lot of fun. Jazz take it because of depth and Boston’s lack thereof.
Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but if this is how things turned out, I wouldn’t be complaining at all. I guess all that’s left to say is, let the games begin!
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4 months ago
LMAO
4 months ago
lol.
4 months ago
Though the Jazz haven't fallen as far as the Mavericks, they aren't exactly hot in the Western Conference lately. Boozer is good, but the Jazz frontcourt just can't match up with any of the other teams they will face in the playoffs, the Hornets being a possible exception.
from 4 months ago
While this may be true, you are forgetting that the Jazz have players on the bench who are more defensive minded that Boozer and Okur. They may not be able to stop players like Duncan or Shaq, but they have the personel in place to frustrate them.
But even so, the Jazz aren't much of a defensive minded team. They win by outscoring and running their opponents into the ground. This will work well for a few teams including the Suns.
4 months ago
Wait do you are saying the Booz is just good?? can't match up with who??? Tim "old man" Duncan?? Dirk, David West, L.Scola,...dude Boozer can match up with any of these guys...Amare being the toughest (for everybody doesnt matter who) yeah he doesnt play defense as much as I'd like but he;ll do his thing...the guys is a beast and a consistent double-double threat...I think thats preety good front court matchup for anyone.
from 4 months ago
Booz matches up offensively with everyone, but defensively with not very many.
4 months ago
LOL
4 months ago
This article is hilarious
4 months ago
There is very little "D" from booz but The jazz can easily outscore opponents. That's what the'll probably have to do.
4 months ago
You can play the "If we hadn't lost to that crappy team" game with any contender.
Bottom line: They're 16-22 on the road, and that means they're not going anywhere but fishing with Kenny "The Jet" Smith.
from 4 months ago
I know that you can't play the "we lost to that crappy team card." I was just using it to show how tight the west is, and what a couple bad losses can do to you.
4 months ago
I'm not sure if the Jazz will even make it out of the 1st round to be honest, but you can say that about every team in the West, really. Even the Lakers/Spurs will be playing opponents that technically aren't far behind them and could easily beat them. So really, you make a valid argument. The only teams I see with a chance of making it out of the West are the following:
New Orleans
San Antonio
LA Lakers
Phoenix
Utah
Dallas
it ends there, in no specific order
from 4 months ago
Yea, I was trying to write it in such a way where it was showing that this was a bit far-fetched, but that if the Jazz did win it all, this is how it would happen.
4 months ago
It is possible...
Jazz are 29-17 in conference play. Leaving them in 3rd behind NO, SA and LA. The Jazz have the best home record. This shows that they can and have beaten anybody and everybody at home (sans Boston.) In a playoff series if you win all of the home games you have a very good chance of winning the series. So to "Anonymous" let us see who is "ROTFL" when the playoffs get rolling.
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