Fox Sports: Team Report: Utah Jazz

看板UTAH-JAZZ (猶他爵士)作者RonnieBrewer (Reverse Layup)時間19年前 (2007/06/09 12:17)推噓13(13推 0噓 2→)

留言15則, 9人參與討論串1/1

Team Report: Getting Inside post: 19 hours ago Amazing how fast the view of the Jazz could change. Until the conclusion of the playoffs, they were a young and promising team, almost entirely under contract for the near future, making an implausible run deep into the NBA playoffs well ahead of schedule that seemed to hint at even greater prospects on the horizon. Now? It's a team in disarray, with point guard Deron Williams and forward Carlos Boozer having complained publicly about the heart and dedication of some of their unnamed teammates. Just like that, the Jazz became a team that seems to be coming apart, rather than coming together -- and one whose contract situation could become a curse rather than a blessing. Clearly, Williams and Boozer are becoming the unquestioned leaders of the team, both on the court and in the locker room, and their assessment of their teammates figures to have a serious influence on the direction of the franchise. "The work starts out now," coach Jerry Sloan said. The big question is what the Jazz will do with forward Andrei Kirilenko, who no doubt was among the players Williams and Boozer criticized. Kirilenko has made it clear he's not interested in playing a supporting role to Williams and Boozer, but his $86 million contract and plummeting contributions -- never mind the public criticism -- could make it impossible to trade him. The Jazz also might be wondering about center Mehmet Okur, who was outstanding enough during most of the regular season to be named an All-Star, but who disappeared during much of the playoffs and also was presumed to be among those criticized for going "on vacation" before the season was over. The whole mess distracted from an otherwise amazing season in which the Jazz finished 51-31 -- their best record in six years -- won the Northwest Division title and made the playoffs for the first time in four years. Most observers expected them to make an early exit after a poor finish to the regular season, but they surged to the conference finals for the first time since 1998. "We're definitely happy with how far along we've come this year," Williams said. "We had a great season, and a great playoff run, and it just got cut a little bit short. We've got a lot to look forward to next year, and I think we'll bounce back nice." Still, they have work to do. The Jazz clearly are not as mature or experienced as the San Antonio Spurs team that eliminated them, and in addition to their other issues, they could use an upgrade at shooting guard. Veteran Derek Fisher had his dramatic moments and brings a lot of maturity to the locker room, but he's undersized at that position and is hardly a spectacular shooter. Backup Gordan Giricek can shoot, but he's a poor defender who also fell in for the criticism about not caring enough. For as much as the Jazz have going for them -- Williams and Boozer, above all else -- they also will have some huge decisions to make in the off-season. SEASON HIGHLIGHT: The Jazz had lost 17 of 18 road playoff games going into a deciding Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs at Houston, but put together a stunning virtuoso performance to claim a 103-99 victory over the Rockets that delivered their first playoff series victory in seven years. Carlos Boozer scored 35 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and handed out five assists as the Jazz became only the 12th team in league history to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first two games. The Jazz were also only the 19th team in league history to win a Game 7 on the road, in 97 attempts -- heralding their growing maturity and confidence. TURNING POINT: The Jazz were actually still in the fight in the Western Conference finals against San Antonio, until uncharacteristically melting down in the final minutes of Game 4 at home. Coach Jerry Sloan and guard Derek Fisher were ejected amid a hail of technical fouls, while the Jazz could neither score nor keep the Spurs off the free-throw line in what became a 91-79 loss that snapped their seven-game home winning streak in the playoffs. The loss also kept the Jazz from evening the series, and doomed them to a miserable season-finale in Game 5 in San Antonio. http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/teamReport?categoryId=71100&type=InsideSlant -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 59.42.97.197 ※ 編輯: RonnieBrewer 來自: 59.42.97.197 (06/09 12:18)