<div align="center"> vs. <font color="purple">Utah Jazz (24-13)</font> vs. <font color="blue">Washington Wizards(20-16)</font> Date: January 15th, 2007 Time: 1:00 P.M. Eastern TV: CSN and FSN Place: Verizon Center</div> [div=50%]<div align="center"><font color="blue"><font size="3">Wizards Starting Lineup</font></font> <font size="1">(G. Arenas, D. Stevenson, C. Butler, A. Jamison, B. Haywood)</font></div> <font color="blue">2006-07 Wizards Stats</font> Leading Scorer: Gilbert Arenas - 29.7 PPG Leading Rebounder: Antawn Jamison - 8.3 RPG Leading Assist Man: Gilbert Arenas - 6.3 APG Points Per Game: 107.2 Field Goal Percentage: 45.9% 3-Point Field Goal Percentage: 37.0% Rebounds Per Game: 40.9 Assists Per Game: 19.9 <font size="3">Backcourt</font> [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/gilbert_arenas.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Gilbert Arenas</font> PPG: 29.7, RPG: 4.3, APG: 6.3 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/deshawn_stevenson.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Deshawn Stevenson </font> PPG: 9.9, RPG: 2.6 APG: 2.4 <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/caron_butler.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Caron Butler</font> PPG: 20.8, RPG: 8.2, APG: 3.8 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/antawn_jamison.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Antawn Jamison</font> PPG: 19.0, RPG: 8.3, APG: 1.7 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/brendan_haywood.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Brendan Haywood</font> PPG: 6.6, RPG: 6.6, APG: 0.5[/div]<font size="3"><div align="center"><font color="purple">Jazz Starting Lineups</font></div></font> <div align="center"> <font size="1">(D. Williams, G. Giricek, A. Kirilenko, C. Boozer, M. Okur)</font></div> <font color="purple">2006-07 Jazz Stats</font> Leading Scorer: Carlos Boozer - 22.2 PPG Leading Rebounder: Carlos Boozer - 11.8 RPG Leading Assist Man: Deron Williams - 8.6 APG Points Per Game: 101.4 Field Goal Percentage: 47.4% 3-Point Field Goal Percentage: 33.1% Rebounds Per Game: 42.6 Assists Per Game: 24.4 <font size="3">Backcourt</font> [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/deron_williams.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Deron Williams</font> PPG: 16.8, RPG: 3.5, APG: 8.6 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/gordan_giricek.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Gordan Giricek</font> PPG: 5.7 RPG: 1.7, APG: 1.3 <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/andrei_kirilenko.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Andrei Kirilenko</font> PPG: 9.2, RPG: 5.2, APG: 3.6 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/carlos_boozer.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Carlos Boozer</font> PPG: 22.2, RPG: 11.8, APG: 3.1 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/mehmet_okur.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Mehmet Okur</font> PPG: 16.0, RPG: 7.3, APG: 2.0 <div align="center"><font size="3"><u>Keys To The Game</u></font><ul></div>[*]<font color="purple">Hold The Big Three</font> – If the Jazz can the big three to shoot at a poor percentage and hold them to under 50 points, there's no question that Utah can easily take this game. Washington's bench hasn't been contributing much scoring, so Utah must take advantage of Arenas' recent slump.[*]<font color="purple">Take Care Of The Ball</font> – The Wizards will beat you in terms of hustling and fastbreak points and as Utah stands as one of the top teams in turning the ball over with 16.5 turnovers per game, while the Wizards are third in steals. They cannot let the Wizards create easy buckets and [*]<font color="purple">Pound The Ball Inside</font> – With a frontcourt like Okur, Boozer and Kirilenko, it's almost a must to go inside on a weakling like Jamison, with an exception that the Wizards are the worst team in defending the 3 point. That big three will also need to crash the boards and take advantage, while slowing the game down and doing so will win the game for Utah.[*]<font color="blue">Quality Shots</font> – Arenas since his birthday bash hasn't been shooting like he did the entire season. In the 3 games after his birthday, he has had 20, 17, and 23 point performances leading the Wizards to a 1-3 week, while he has only made 8 of his last 29 three pointers. The Wizards need him to get out of his shooting slump, if they want a chance at this game.[*]<font color="blue">Defend The Perimeter</font> – The Wizards still stand as one of the worst defensive 3 point shooting teams in the NBA and it has shown the entire season, mainly this past week though. They let the depleted Hornets shoot 8-16 from downtown and the Bulls shoot 13-27 from the 3. Even if the big three can get it going, it's important for the Wizards to locate the 3 point shooters and make sure they don't shoot lights out or they will struggle during crunch time.[*]<font color="blue">Ssecond Chance Opportunities</font>The Spurs did a great job for the most part of the game of limiting this team to only one shot a possession as the Wizards kept struggling to sink a basket consisently. Haywood and Jamison have no easy task trying to box out Kirilenko, Boozer and Okur who lead the Jazz into 6th best in the rebounding category.[/list]
Nice preview man, Stockton needed the break after the last few games. Making previews for losses start to wear you out...... I think Jazz finally get off the snide in this one, hopefully. Arenas drops 55 on us though. Utah by 4
<div class="quote_poster">J_Ray Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Nice preview man, Stockton needed the break after the last few games. Making previews for losses start to wear you out...... </div> Sure does. I'll take the Wizards in this one. Unless they can turn it around, the Jazz will struggle with the Wizards at home, where they are 14-3. Wizards by 8.
Wow, I missed the first 8 minutes because I didn't realize it was a 10 o'clock game here, who the hell plays that early on a Monday....... Boozer is having anything he wants so far against the Wizards
Yeah, the only way Washington will be able to beat Utah if their shot goes down consistently and they pickup the tempo off turnovers for easy buckets. Right now, Utah is just having their way getting points in the paint against this team. The Wizards were stone cold offensively in the second quarter, but slightly picked it up, but if the Wizards want to win this game, they need to knock down their shots and force Utah to shoot from long range.
I hate Arenas, when is the trade coming? 4 game losing streak, and we've been torched by Ray Allen, D-Wade, and now Arenas, we need a SG that can actually play D.
Why the hell couldn't he do that against Duke in the NC for Arizona? I'm a bit disappointed that we blew a 15 point lead to the Wizards, why the hell do we suck so bad? KOC better get his head out of his ass and make a move for a SG or else we're going to just be a .500 team the rest of the year.
Another 50 point game, and another game gone that could've easily been a win. The Jazz haven't been showing ability to close out games lately, and that's something they need to find. Nice game by Okur though, with 38 points. A move has to be made, opposing two guards must love playing the Jazz. And the T-Wolves are closing in.
You guys seem to really be struggling with perimeter defense, Wade just went to the line 21 times or something in the previous game, and now Arenas 17 times, wow.
Damnit! I left around the middle of the 3rd quarter and thought I had it taped, so I could watch the rest when I got home. Man, he hit another game winner? I'm gonna kick myself in the ass forever.
