Jazz 105, Timberwolves 76
In case you haven't been paying attention, there's been a trend when it comes to the Jazz's injury report all season. Every player has been listed as day-to-day, the latest being Andrei Kirilenko with his sprained right hip.
Mehmet Okur was listed as day-to-day back in December and wound up missing seven games and sitting out two weeks with his strained left trapezius. Jason Hart was day-to-day with a lower back injury in late January/early February and missed six games.
Ronnie Price was day-to-day and missed four games in January with a sprained left ankle. Before the hip injury for which he can thank Dirk Nowitzki, Kirilenko was day-to-day and missed three games also in January with a lower back injury.
There have been a couple of legitimate day-to-day injuries - - Ronnie Brewer's bruised tailbone; Kirilenko's strained biceps tendon - - but I don't think anyone's holding their breath that Kirilenko will be back for Saturday's game against Denver.
Masha Kirilenko was telling the EnergySolutions Arena ushers after she returned from the hospital Monday that her husband would be out a week. This is pure speculation on my part, but my guess is Kirilenko doesn't play until the back half of next week's trip.
Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor assured us that he is not trying to be misleading with the injury report. The Jazz thought Okur would play on the pre-Christmas trip when they listed him as day-to-day. They haven't ruled Kirilenko out of anything past Friday.
Still, Kirilenko showed up at the arena Wednesday night walking with the assistance of an oversized crutch. Kirilenko said it's mainly to help keep weight off his hip so he doesn't aggravate the injury. He also was walking, for what it's worth.
The whole thing makes me long for the days of "Dr." Phil Jackson, who always could be counted on to deliver an honest timetable for an injury, sometimes to the frustration of the Lakers' medical and p.r. staff.
As an epilogue to last week's "Life on the Beat" series, I'm also day-to-day right now. I've had the worst combination of a hacking cough/stomach bug/exhaustion symptoms that you could imagine since Monday. That's what four games in five nights will do to you.
* * *
There's been an increasing amount of chatter about the LeBron James/Kobe Bryant showdown for MVP this week in the Jazz locker room.
Deron Williams marveled at James' line of 50 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds Wednesday against New York, but the consensus seems to be that Bryant deserves to be MVP by virtue of being older and having led the Lakers to the West's best record.
As someone who voted for Bryant last season, I'm inclined to think the same way. The one thing that gives me pause would be voting for somebody who made as vocal a trade demand as Bryant did last summer, one that threatened to destroy his team.
There's no disputing what Bryant has done this season, but as recently as training camp there were questions about whether he cleaned out his locker in protest. I'm leaning toward James right now, especially given the two games he had against the Jazz.
* * *
Fishing for a quote after Wednesday's game, I asked Jazz coach Jerry Sloan if there were any easy nights for a head coach. The Jazz had as close to one as you could imagine against the Timberwolves.
"No, it's not an easy business," Sloan said. "Only thing you have to do is look and see how many people have been fired since I've been coaching this team. I've been very lucky and it's still not an easy business. I've been blessed to be able to stay in one spot.
"I look at [Minnesota's] Randy [Wittman], who did a heck of a job when he was in Cleveland, got fired, and it took him all this time to get back to be a head coach. It's a very difficult business to be in."
Sloan was asked what to take away from a 29-point victory like the Jazz had Wednesday. He referenced the Timberwolves' loss the night before to Charlotte.
"I don't want to take too much because I don't think it's fair to them," Sloan said, "because they had a tough game last night and came back and had to play tonight in our building with a young team. Their best player [Al Jefferson] should be a senior in college."
* * *
Two big games for the Jazz this weekend against Phoenix and Denver. The Suns game could be a first-round playoff preview and a victory over the Nuggets could all but clinch the Jazz's second consecutive Northwest Division title.
--Ross Siler
Mehmet Okur was listed as day-to-day back in December and wound up missing seven games and sitting out two weeks with his strained left trapezius. Jason Hart was day-to-day with a lower back injury in late January/early February and missed six games.
Ronnie Price was day-to-day and missed four games in January with a sprained left ankle. Before the hip injury for which he can thank Dirk Nowitzki, Kirilenko was day-to-day and missed three games also in January with a lower back injury.
There have been a couple of legitimate day-to-day injuries - - Ronnie Brewer's bruised tailbone; Kirilenko's strained biceps tendon - - but I don't think anyone's holding their breath that Kirilenko will be back for Saturday's game against Denver.
Masha Kirilenko was telling the EnergySolutions Arena ushers after she returned from the hospital Monday that her husband would be out a week. This is pure speculation on my part, but my guess is Kirilenko doesn't play until the back half of next week's trip.
Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor assured us that he is not trying to be misleading with the injury report. The Jazz thought Okur would play on the pre-Christmas trip when they listed him as day-to-day. They haven't ruled Kirilenko out of anything past Friday.
Still, Kirilenko showed up at the arena Wednesday night walking with the assistance of an oversized crutch. Kirilenko said it's mainly to help keep weight off his hip so he doesn't aggravate the injury. He also was walking, for what it's worth.
The whole thing makes me long for the days of "Dr." Phil Jackson, who always could be counted on to deliver an honest timetable for an injury, sometimes to the frustration of the Lakers' medical and p.r. staff.
As an epilogue to last week's "Life on the Beat" series, I'm also day-to-day right now. I've had the worst combination of a hacking cough/stomach bug/exhaustion symptoms that you could imagine since Monday. That's what four games in five nights will do to you.
* * *
There's been an increasing amount of chatter about the LeBron James/Kobe Bryant showdown for MVP this week in the Jazz locker room.
Deron Williams marveled at James' line of 50 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds Wednesday against New York, but the consensus seems to be that Bryant deserves to be MVP by virtue of being older and having led the Lakers to the West's best record.
As someone who voted for Bryant last season, I'm inclined to think the same way. The one thing that gives me pause would be voting for somebody who made as vocal a trade demand as Bryant did last summer, one that threatened to destroy his team.
There's no disputing what Bryant has done this season, but as recently as training camp there were questions about whether he cleaned out his locker in protest. I'm leaning toward James right now, especially given the two games he had against the Jazz.
* * *
Fishing for a quote after Wednesday's game, I asked Jazz coach Jerry Sloan if there were any easy nights for a head coach. The Jazz had as close to one as you could imagine against the Timberwolves.
"No, it's not an easy business," Sloan said. "Only thing you have to do is look and see how many people have been fired since I've been coaching this team. I've been very lucky and it's still not an easy business. I've been blessed to be able to stay in one spot.
"I look at [Minnesota's] Randy [Wittman], who did a heck of a job when he was in Cleveland, got fired, and it took him all this time to get back to be a head coach. It's a very difficult business to be in."
Sloan was asked what to take away from a 29-point victory like the Jazz had Wednesday. He referenced the Timberwolves' loss the night before to Charlotte.
"I don't want to take too much because I don't think it's fair to them," Sloan said, "because they had a tough game last night and came back and had to play tonight in our building with a young team. Their best player [Al Jefferson] should be a senior in college."
* * *
Two big games for the Jazz this weekend against Phoenix and Denver. The Suns game could be a first-round playoff preview and a victory over the Nuggets could all but clinch the Jazz's second consecutive Northwest Division title.
--Ross Siler
12:35 AM
| 
10 Comments:
If Kobe didn't act like he does, what would people think of LeBron? He comes off like an arrogant jerk as well. Maybe most NBA athlets are that way, but he just gets more pub; but Dwyane Wade doesn't come off that way. The hype now and for years to come over Kobe and LeBron is just another thing to endure, I guess.
Get LeBron out. Forget the off-season stuff with Kobe, because that's what it was, the off-season. Forget whatever Lebron's done in reference to the 2 games against Utah. (As if they should somehow matter more in assesing and handing out an award for season-long achievement?)
The Western Conference is as good, or better, than it's ever been before. The east is as bad or worse than it's ever been before. As it stands, LA has the best record in the conference. If Kobe wasn't on the team they probably wouldn't even sniff the playoffs. The Cavs on the other hand are now 13 games back of 1st, as the 4th seed, despite playing in the pitiful East. Nuff' said.
LeBron isn't any better than Kobe. The IN-SEASON IN-GAME incident with LeBron and his tantrum during a timeout is just as bad or worse than what Kobe did. Kobe has shown up since preseason day 1 and has been committed during the season. How can you actually use that against his MVP campaign?
I agree with everyone that has posted. It is possible, that with out Kobe's offseason tirade, the front office would not have made the moves it did (Ariza, Gasol). I hope we can sway your vote, so you don't regret it later on. Kobe is the MVP of this season.
Ross-
I appreciate you taking the time to publish your thought process as you decide on MVP.
I think you do have a valid concern about Kobe's public trade demands, and if they would have destroyed the Lakers then Kobe wouldn't get any consideration for MVP.
But they didn't. His demand brought them closer together. This week, Phil noted that it was Kobe's focus on bringing this team together through the turmoil after training camp that got him enthused about Basketball again and led to him signing an extension.
Kobe came to training camp and on day 1 he said "I'm Kobe Bryant and I want to win a championship." It got his teammates thinking championship instead of 7th, 8th seed.
I used to hate Kobe leadership, but now he's grown into one of the best on the court teachers in the game. Embracing teammates, directing the flow, correcting spacing problems. It is those little things.
He is the undisputed leader of a championship caliber ball club and arguably the best player in the NBA.
The only problem I have with your reservation is that if you vote against Bryant because of it, you decided ex ante to deny Kobe an award that taking into account all that has happened over the course of 82 games, he deserves.
He plays with a broken bone and torn ligament in his finger. He had a strained groin, played through it. Hurt his shoulder in Denver, played through it. Had a terrible bout with the flu and played through it. He has given 100% to his team from DAY 1 of the season, Ross.
Besides, summer is a time to get air clear and to handle the off the court stuff. He didn't do it very well, but he made sure to do it at a point when it wouldn't serve as a distraction for the team. At no point during this season or last season when they were losing games at a rapid pace despite 40/50 from Kobe did he complain or demand a trade.
You have a vote, Ross. Keep everything in perspective. Keep Kobe's growth in mind. Keep his leadership in mind. Keep the way he has integrated Gasol into the lineup in mind. Keep the win record in mind. Keep the fact that he's been playing out of his mind on D in mind.
You have a vote. Don't let one of the game's greatest go without a most deserving MVP trophy in his most deserving year.
Thanks for reading, Ross.
Ross- How quickly you leave your LA roots huh?
I understand your arguement...but I just don't like that you make it sound like it's an "honorary" thing to give it to kobe, like he hasn't earned it.
If you voted for kobe last year, you are one of very few. I think he wasn't even in the top four. If kobe hasn't won it in the past for taking a mediocre team to the playoffs, certainly lebron doesn't. His team would be 10th in the west!
Ross, it is reasoning like yours that is why writers shouldnt vote for an award like the MVP. What does anything Kobe said before the season have to do with what is actually happening on the court? I think Lebron is great and the future of the NBA, but given their record and where they play, the worst conference he has only elavated them to a 35-27 record, which is not even good for a playoff spot in the West against far lesser competition. And remember, they were defending eastern conf champs, so going into the season everyone expected them to have a better team than the lakers. I dont care who you have on your team, Nash, Jordan, LBJ, could not have taken a lakers team with Smush Parker & Kwame Brown in their starting lineup much further than Kobe did, the lakers were 1 rebound away from displacing the Might Suns 2 years ago in 6 games and may have advanced further against the clippers. the only stat that is really impressive is the Lakers Conference record of 25-9 vs. 19-15 conf record for the Cavs. Kobe should be MVP, and LBJ 2nd.
stop it, hai dang... you're making way too much sense.
that's dangerous
Would you vote for a player on a lottery bound team? I'm sure your answer would be a resounding no. If Lebron's team were in the west, that's exactly what they are. A lottery team.He wont even be in the conversation. As of today, the 9th place team in the west has a better record than the Cavs. People point out how he took a pitiful cavs team to the finals last year. Well, look at the teams they had to face to get there. A beat up Wizards team, a horrible Nets team. and one of the biggest choke jobs by an nba team in the pistons.
i've never seen kobe tell anyone, "i'm going for FIFTY!" the way lebron did at MSG the other nite. the media tries to portray lebron as the darling of the league, but lebron has shown this season that it's all about HIM. yes, he's highly skilled and is the FUTURE of the nba, but unlike the self proclaimed, KING james, the current KING OF THE NBA is none other than, KOBE BEAN BRYANT...
Post a Comment
<< Home