http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-070424 How Jazz can rebound By Greg Anthony ESPN.com Answering a few questions after the Houston Rockets took a 2-0 series lead Monday with a 98-90 win over the Utah Jazz . . . Jazz center Mehmet Okur's offense (Four points on 2-of-9 shooting) isn't there. Chuck Hayes too tough for him? The real problem is Okur having to guard Yao Ming on the defensive end. By forcing him to play so physical on the defensive end, that's taken away from his effectiveness offensively. I think Okur's done a decent job, but Yao is so good and so skilled. It demoralizes a player when he has to expend his energy on a tough opponent like Yao. What do you see for Game 3 Thursday in Salt Lake City? As you see this series go back to Utah, we're probably going to see more open-court basketball. The Jazz need this. Even when Houston took some shots that might allow Utah to force the issue, the Jazz didn't attack. That tentativeness is a result of not having playoff experience. Okur didn't play a lot in the playoffs when he was in Detroit, and when you talk about Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer, that's not a lot of experience. As the game got tight, I thought Williams played tentatively. Any good come out of this for the Jazz? I think they'll take some confidence out of this. They got their feet wet after having not played their best basketball down the stretch of the regular season. I thought defensively both teams played great. The ability of Yao and Tracy McGrady to score is a deciding factor. Boozer respond with a huge game, getting 41 points. That'll get his confidence up. What's the key for Utah? The guy who has to have an impact is the point guard Williams -- that's what's going to make it interesting. Utah's going to have its backs against the wall. For the Rockets, they come in thinking that you win Game 3, it going to go 5, if you lose, it's going to be 7. I still think it can be a good series. Every game is like a series unto itself. Your approach changes with each game. Even though a lot of pressure is on Utah, there's now a great deal of pressure on Houston to finish them. What's Jazz coach Jerry Sloan going to do now? Sloan has the same objective he had at the start of the series. His team had to win one in Houston regardless -- and his team has to buy into believing it can do it. A team's spirit can be broken, and many times their ability to bounce back depends on belief in themselves and their confidence in a coach. Confidence seems to be an issue for Kirilenko, who missed all three shots in 18 minutes while Matt Harpring gobbles up his PT. As the overall talent increased around him, it has impacted him offensively and defensively. He went from being their best player to being their fourth-best player. That's a jolt because he doesn't get the amount of touches he used to. It's a difficult transition for a guy that young, and much easier if you're nearing the end like a Chris Webber -- but it's much harder to make the adjustment in the prime of your career. Not an easy task ahead for Houston? As dismal as it looks from the Jazz perspective, their home court is one of most difficult places to play for an opponent -- the energy the Jazz play with at home is completely different. If Houston wants to take total control, winning in Utah is the way to do it.
They do not know what they are talking about. Rockets shot 39% percent in the first game and 36% percent for game 2 and they still win both game buy a huge margin. Utah has no chance to come back because I know we will see the old Rockets come back with the early lead on the road.
Keep in mind that this is the same guy who picked the Lakers as the one team that could "win it all" and that everyone was overlooking, and then quickly disowned his own comments once the Lakers starting their free fall following the ASG. These guys' opinions are about as valuable as the next fan. If you're somewhat well-spoken and preferably a former player/athlete, you can have a job where you're paid to give your own opinion on things, which is worthless but fun nevertheless.
We all know 2-0 leads don't necessarily mean jack. Just means you are 2 more wins away from advancing. Houston should consider winning one in Utah a must. But even if they don't, it's not over. Just like in tennis, you hold your serve at home, and try to break theirs on their court. As confident as I think the Rockets should be, I also know they are smart enough to know, to not let down and know that they haven't played well yet. They've found a way to win, and that's great. Perhaps it's a good sign. We can win when we play poorly, and if we can indeed hit our shots and execute, no contest. Easier said than done. It takes 5 baby.
It takes 1 PG to stop shooting and passing it to the other 4. Rafer looks so much better when he drives or takes a short jumper. I wish he stops thinking he's Reggie Miller.
I thought it was a good analysis. The Rockets can't pretend they have this in the bag. Overconfidence is deadly particularly given the recent history of the Rockets and T-Mac. The Jazz are going to make adjustments and the Rox need to be prepared. We played a great game but this was a game that easily could've slipped out of our hands, same with game 1.
With all these guys saying Jazz are fine you would think that the Jazz played poorly save Boozer and took the Rockets' best shot. Like the Rockets cant improve on their 15% long range shooting. Like T-Mac will continue to shoot 30% from the field. Like Luther Head and Shane Battier will miss 70% of their WIDE OPEN 3s.
They can bounce back, but we can shoot better as well. So one could write an article saying, "Houston can play better"
Most (not all) are wide open looks. You just simply can't pass up on open looks. Seems like the way our offense is, if you have the open look, take it b/c it may not come again in this shot clock. Now if you wanna complain about his percentage, fine. But even then, it's actually not TERRIBLE. What...36-37%? Rafer has plenty of pluses, yet people write them off like he's a horrible player. Shane makes mistakes. Yao makes mistakes. They all do. But they all also bring something to the table to make this team what it is. Everyone has downsides, and I think Rafer brings a lot more to our team than he takes away from it. Just my opinion.
He needs to play to his strengths tho. How hard is it to step in a couple feet? Maybe its JVG's plan to have Rafer hoist up all those 3s. Yao knows his strengths.
Are you arguing Rafer's "midrange" shot is better than his 3 point shot? I think it's a tossup, and if he's goin to miss, might as well take your chances on the 3.
who has said that the rox are overconfident? have the rox said that they believe they have this in the bag, has barkley come out of his tnt days and predicted his team will win? rox didn't play a great game, and the game didn't "slip" out of their hands. rox will make some adjustments, JAZZ NEED TO BE PREPARED
I agree with some sentiment above, but think really that the article is just a Jazz perspective piece, because it ignores, as some pointed out, that we can DEFINITELY play better than we have to this point. If both teams turn it up an equal notch... we still win. As they players often say... it will be about matching intensity. They will get tougher and probably hit more jumpers at home with the crowd on their side, but we will improve offensively. All things considered, I look for the Rox to take at least one of the two, and if it's the first one, will expect we've seen their best and that game four is all but in the bag too. Maybe that's optimistic, but I think legitimately so.
This is a good point. Rafer NEEDS to take all the open threes he gets because this is what will spread out the defense. Even if he only hits at a low rate (which we can all agree is the case), it still shows the other team that they can't sag off on him because eventually, he will have one of his 20+ point games where he shoots 6-8 from the arc. The only time I don't like Rafer shooting is early in the shot clock when Yao and/or TMac have not touched the ball yet. Those shots drive me nuts.
Actually there is nothing worse than a mediocre shooter like Rafer taking a less than rythmic 21 foot NBA jump shot. I mean if it is really, really, your effective range by going a few feet in, like say for Parker or Avery Johnson or Dre Miller, fine. But I'd much rather see a guy hitting 35% from 24 feet (3s) than improve his % a little (even 10%) for a 21 foot 2 point shot. Rafer needs to stay in those 3 point spots he is decent enough at, and shoot them if wide open. That shot, or a wide open layup, is what he should shoot. Every other floor situation Rafer should pass the ball, period. I am more concerned about Head not getting and knocking down 3 balls than Rafer. If Rafer is merely adequate at the 3 ball he is fine overall, because he is doing a lot of other valuable things. But if Head is not knocking down 3s he is a big drag on the team.
