The past two years I have the the proud parent of NBA League pass which as an out of towner (first Austin and now Southern California) has allowed me to follow my beloved ROX (I grew up in Clear Lake). NBA League Pass has also allowed me to watch other NBA (mostly painful and ugly) games. I must step and say that the two most enjoyable teams to watch in the Association are Memphis and (gasp) Utah. Why? High Energy Team First Attitude Defensive Minded Fast Breaking Half Court Offenses that involve more than pick and rolls Dive on the Floor loose balls Fundamental Basketball Two words... OLD SCHOOL Hubie and Jerry have their kids playing basketball... the game I grew up loving and the game that everyone else in the world plays (exhibit A... the Olympics) and that most of America no longer plays. How do they do it? Is it their systems? Is it the type of ball player that their GMs draft or sign? Why can't we play that kind of ball? I think that we have some of the same type of players as Memphis and Utah. Bowen, Padgett, Boki, Ward, Deke, Spoon and JJ would fit on either one of those teams. These are the guys who change the flow of the game. Look at what Bowen has done in his brief playing time this year... remember what Padgett brings to the floor every time he hits the court. Are these guys the best players on the floor or the best players we have? No. But they are the one who play smart and give everything. They are the type of players who get their teammates involved and the crowd excited. JVG... play these guys more often. Dawson... sign more guys like these. We don't need superstars (although seeing the way TMac played last night was something pretty special)... we need a bit of what Memphis and (gasp) Utah is doing. For the record... I will always hate the Stockon, Malone and Ostertag Jazz. But this isn't my dad's Jazz anymore.
I agree, there are better brands of basketball out there than what we get to see with the Rox but as long as we win I guess that's all the matters. Is it possible to root for a team despite sometimes being bored by their style of play? If so then that is me sometimes.
Yeah, I found myself rooting for Utah when they were playing the Lakers. Something I thought i could never do.
I have and always will hate the Jazz on some level (even w/o Malone and Stockton), especially since they don't even suck when they're supposed to (last year). But I do admit, it is kinda fun watching them because they actually play team ball, which only a handful of teams in the nba do anymore. And yeah I was rooting for them to beat the Lakers...but then the Lakers.... I want Kobe to fall flat on his face but not at the expense of Rudy T...but it seems... that their fates are intertwined.
Memphis is a clusterfu*k right now. Big heads, no energy, and resting on last year's accolades. Don't emulate anything we are doing right now. Only three players are playing worth a flip (Swift, Gasol, and Bonzi) the others are just running up and down the court.
Ditto.I want to see the Rockets pound the Jazz every time we play them.. ..They might not have Karla's flopping and Stockton's dirty play anymore,but they're still coached by Jerry Sloan.His teams mirror Jerry Sloan "the Player" and how he played the game.....a brand of ball we are all to familiar with.Toss in Larry Miller and our history with these guys,and it equals never liking the Jazz in this lifetime.
The Utah were a good fundamentals team when Malone Stockton and Hornacek were there, and I still hated them. I hate the Jazz, I dont care if they have 5 guys who can do 720 dunks, I'll never ever like them.
We're going to have it rough against the Jazz.. Andrei and Boozer are like big bad azz forward line patrol boats ready to swipe at any flies.. we're gonna need more from Mo and Howard than what they're been giving over the last 4 games.. TMac will have his work cut out too with the JAzz's quick backcourt..
The Jazz execute well and are a smart, deep ball club but they will still play dirty and flop when they have to against anyone. I'm never going to support them.
I definitely agree with this statement. But if i had to choose between the Jazz or the Suns, I would say the Suns are better. The Jazz play a great team game, but when the going gets tough, who are they going to count on to score? The Suns, though, have Amare. And if he stays injury free, he's going to have an mvp type season. Averaging 25 ppg at 57 FG% is just nuts.
