Or maybe Spurs in 5
The Jazz and Spurs have not met in the playoffs since 1998, when Utah scored a closer-than-it looks 4-1 win in the second-round over San Antonio. In the upcoming Western Conference finals between the Jazz and Spurs, it looks to me like the roles have been flip-flopped from that highly competitive series.
Nine years ago, the Jazz were the veteran team looking to make another trip to the NBA Finals, while the Spurs were the emerging team that was being built around a future star in rookie Tim Duncan.
This year, the youthful Jazz are maturing on the game's biggest stage behind the play of Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams. Meanwhile, Duncan is trying to take the final step toward another NBA Finals.
Even the Jazz-Spurs schedule is similar. In 1998, the Jazz got only one day off between eliminating Houston in a grueling first-round series and playing host to San Antonio in Game 1 of the second round. For the Spurs, it was their first game in five days. This year, San Antonio gets only one day off between eliminating Phoenix on Friday night and playing Utah in Game 1 on Sunday afternoon.
For the Jazz, it will be will their first game since Tuesday night. Advantage, Utah. The quick turnaround can't help the Spurs, who have to be drained physically and mentally after the series against the Suns, especially after all the hoopla surrounding Robert Horry's hip-check on Steve Nash in Game 4 and the ridiculous suspensions of Phoenix stars Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for Game 5. I think the Jazz have another factor working in their favor.
Despite all its experience, San Antonio might be in danger of overlooking the Jazz -- at least for awhile. The Spurs have owned the Jazz in recent years and they are top-heavy favorites against a team that finished with the fifth-best record in the Western Conference. San Antonio is probably looking around right now and wondering what happened to the 67-win Dallas Mavericks, or Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and the Houston Rockets?
If anyone had asked the Spurs before the playoffs began if they would take a conference finals matchup against Utah, they would have certainly said, ‘In a heartbeat." I believe the Jazz might be able to win early in this series and put some pressure on San Antonio. I also believe any early-series loss will get snap the Spurs to attention, and Utah will have a difficult time getting to a seventh game, which would be fun to see but seems unlikely.
My pick: San Antonio in five.
Nine years ago, the Jazz were the veteran team looking to make another trip to the NBA Finals, while the Spurs were the emerging team that was being built around a future star in rookie Tim Duncan.
This year, the youthful Jazz are maturing on the game's biggest stage behind the play of Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams. Meanwhile, Duncan is trying to take the final step toward another NBA Finals.
Even the Jazz-Spurs schedule is similar. In 1998, the Jazz got only one day off between eliminating Houston in a grueling first-round series and playing host to San Antonio in Game 1 of the second round. For the Spurs, it was their first game in five days. This year, San Antonio gets only one day off between eliminating Phoenix on Friday night and playing Utah in Game 1 on Sunday afternoon.
For the Jazz, it will be will their first game since Tuesday night. Advantage, Utah. The quick turnaround can't help the Spurs, who have to be drained physically and mentally after the series against the Suns, especially after all the hoopla surrounding Robert Horry's hip-check on Steve Nash in Game 4 and the ridiculous suspensions of Phoenix stars Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for Game 5. I think the Jazz have another factor working in their favor.
Despite all its experience, San Antonio might be in danger of overlooking the Jazz -- at least for awhile. The Spurs have owned the Jazz in recent years and they are top-heavy favorites against a team that finished with the fifth-best record in the Western Conference. San Antonio is probably looking around right now and wondering what happened to the 67-win Dallas Mavericks, or Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and the Houston Rockets?
If anyone had asked the Spurs before the playoffs began if they would take a conference finals matchup against Utah, they would have certainly said, ‘In a heartbeat." I believe the Jazz might be able to win early in this series and put some pressure on San Antonio. I also believe any early-series loss will get snap the Spurs to attention, and Utah will have a difficult time getting to a seventh game, which would be fun to see but seems unlikely.
My pick: San Antonio in five.
5:46 PM
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3 Comments:
Unfortunately, the Jazz will have to break their record of 16 consecutive road losses to the Spurs. While I don't see the Jazz winning the series, now is their best opportunity to win one on the road.
I really hate to see somebody writes about sport and he has no idea what is he talking about, I think Jazz will win, somehow they are better team.
As much as Duncan is a good player, if you frustrate him, he will be disaster, there was no defense against Parker the whole suns series.
I think if you look at it, Jazz is a deeper team than the Spurs.
When it comes to play off, there is no prediction, you know that if you played sport, unfortunatly the writer didn't even play sport before.
As laughable as that previous comment was, I'll still chip in. I live in Utah, but how can you possibly think the Jazz will beat San Antonio?
Especially now?
1. Depth doesn't matter. It's the NBA, not college. They're not playing full-court-press defense.
2. Depth matters -- if it's a depth of options. Having a variety of weapons is helpful. The Jazz don't have that either. At least, not more than San Antonio, which has better defense (Bowen), big guys (Duncan), and at least one guard (Manu, Manu).
3. The Jazz are young. They're happy to be where they are. Read the paper. They're just happy to be in the conference finals. They didn't expect to make it this far before the season started. San Antonio expects at least this much.
4. The Jazz defense sucks. At least in the playoffs. There must have been something on the scouting report that said, "Don't guard the Warriors," because they sure as hell didn't. The Spurs will actually make them pay for bad defense -- witness Sunday's game.
5. Series over in five games. Good call, Steve.
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