Jazz @ Grizzlies <font size="4"><font face="Palatino Linotype"><u><font color="Indigo"><font size="4">Utah Jazz</font> @ <font color="DarkRed">Memphis Grizzlies</font></font></u></font></font> <font color="Blue"><font size="1">by Wave</font></font> Utah (17-14) @ Memphis (15-17) Friday, 8:00 pm ET The Pyramid, Memphis Tennessee TV: NBALP Radio: WHBQ-560AM <u>Franchise Record Vs. Jazz</u> 5-27 (15%) Previous Games Sixers 97 @ Jazz 106 SuperSonics 105 @ Grizzlies 99 Head Coaches Jerry Sloan/Hubie Brown <u>STARTING LINEUPS</u> <font size="3">Point Guard: Carlos Arroyo vs. Jason Williams</font> <u>Carlos Arroyo</u> <ul> [*]Points: 13.6 [*]Rebounds: 2.4 [*]Assists: 6.0 [*]Steals: 1.2 [*]Blocks: 0.1 [/list] <u>Jason Williams</u> <ul> [*]Points: 11.0 [*]Rebounds: 1.4 [*]Assists: 6.6 [*]Steals: 1.5 [*]Blocks: 0.0 [/list] Surprisingly, Arroyo wins this match-up statistically. However, you can attribute that to Jason Williams being brought along slowly off of the bench after he was sidelined with back spasms. Williams is still among the elite in assist to turnover ratio. While Arroyo may not be a preponderant leader in any statistical category, he brings a well-rounded game to the table. Arroyo has been one of the most pleasant surprises this season, and Jason Williams can not take him lightly. Still, I see Jason Williams getting the better of this match-up. <font size="2">Shooting Guard:</font> <font size="2">Deshawn Stevenson vs. James Posey</font> <u>Deshawn Stevenson</u> <ul> [*]Points: 11.8 [*]Rebounds: 2.8 [*]Assists: 1.7 [*]Steals: 0.5 [*]Blocks: 0.3 [/list] <u>James Posey</u> <ul> [*]Points: 10.3 [*]Rebounds: 4.0 [*]Assists: 1.5 [*]Steals: 1.6 [*]Blocks: 0.4 [/list] This match-up showcases the most athletic players both teams have to offer, however, their games are antipodal. Stevenson focuses his energy and his athleticism on the offensive end of the floor, while Posey focuses his energy and athleticism on the defensive end of the floor. Posey is the heart of the Grizzlies? defense and I believe his defensive attack is more important than Pau Gasol?s offensive attack. This should make this an exciting match-up to keep track of on the Jazz?s end of the floor. It should be a true clash of the titans. <font size="3">Small Forward: Andrei Kirilenko vs. Mike Miller</font> <u>Andrei Kirilenko</u> <ul> [*]Points: 16.4 [*]Rebounds: 8.1 [*]Assists: 3.3 [*]Steals: 2.2 [*]Blocks: 2.9 [/list] <u>Mike Miller</u> <ul> [*]Points: 11.1 [*]Rebounds: 3.6 [*]Assists: 4.4 [*]Steals: 1.0 [*]Blocks: 0.2 [/list] As I have said before in a previous thread about Kirilenko, I admire players with well-rounded games. Andrei is not All-Star material in most people's eyes because he does not focus on one area of his game, thus he doesn't garner as much attention as Ben Wallace, who grabs rebounds but doesn't score, does or Kobe Bryant, who scores but doesn't do anything else particularly well every night, does. Even one of the most well-rounded players in the game, Jason Kidd, excels at a particular stat with his remarkable assists per game numbers. As far as efficiency goes, Andrei Kirilenko is among the best. Kirilenko should have his way with Miller. Not only is Mike Miller a sub-par defender, he has been shooting under twenty percent from the field the last four games. Hopefully, Bonzi Wells wll get the better end of the playing time tonight. <font size="3">Power Forward: Matt Harpring vs. Pau Gasol</font> <u>Matt Harpring</u> <ul> [*]Points: 16.2 [*]Rebounds: 8.1 [*]Assists: 2.0 [*]Steals: 0.7 [*]Blocks: 0.1 [/list] <u>Pau Gasol</u> <ul> [*]Points: 17.7 [*]Rebounds: 8.4 [*]Assists: 2.4 [*]Steals: 0.6 [*]Blocks: 1.6 [/list] The Jazz roster is packed with some of the most underrated players in the NBA. Carlos Arroyo is rather underrated. Andrei Kirilenko is also underrated. However, neither of those players is as underrated as Matt Harpring is. Harpring has better numbers than Gasol so far this season, yet you hear very little about him. Neither one of these two players has a defensive game worth caring about, but they are both born scorers. With the lack of defense and the scoring abilities of the two players, this should be a high scoring contest. <font size="3">Center: Jarron Collins vs. Lorenzen Wright</font> <u>Jarron Collins</u> <ul> [*]Points: 4.3 [*]Rebounds: 2.7 [*]Assists: 0.6 [*]Steals: 0.3 [*]Blocks: 0.2 [/list] <u>Lorenzen Wright</u> <ul> [*]Points: 9.9 [*]Rebounds: 6.9 [*]Assists: 1.2 [*]Steals: 0.8 [*]Blocks: 0.9 [/list] Ostertag has missed two of the Utah Jazz' last three games with soreness and inflammation in his left knee and their backup Center, Ben Handlogten, is now out for the year with a torn ACL. This has more impact on that game that anything else. The Jazz will be forced to start Collins who would usually be at the bottom of the bench had it not been for the injuries to the two Centers ahead of him in the rotation. These injuries couldn?t have come at a worse time either. The Grizzlies are arguably the deepest team at the Center position in the league. Stromile Swift has started six games at Center for them, Jake Tsakalidas has started nine games for them, and Lorenzen Wright has started the rest. The Grizzlies should wear down the Jazz downlow early and hopefully knock them out of the game. <font size="3">Sixth Man: Raul Lopez vs. Bonzi Wells</font> <u>Raul Lopez</u> <ul> [*]Points: 7.6 [*]Rebounds: 2.3 [*]Assists: 4.3 [*]Steals: 0.6 [*]Blocks: 0.0 [/list] <u>Bonzi Wells</u> <ul> [*]Points: 13.3 [*]Rebounds: 4.3 [*]Assists: 2.4 [*]Steals: 1.3 [*]Blocks: 0.3 [/list] This isn?t a match-up. Rather it is simply a comparison of the team?s two sixth men, Raul Lopez and Bonzi Wells. I think this is where it becomes shaky for the Jazz. Their bench goes two players deep with recent injuries, while on Memphis? bench you can go three players deep and find a player like Shane Battier or Earl Watson. If the battle at Center doesn?t determine the game then the bench will. <font size="3"><u>Outlook:</font></u> <font face="Trebuchet MS">The Grizzlies need this win now more than ever. They have lost their last seven games and have not only slipped out of play-off talks, but under fifty percent. A win tonight would bump them up to forty-nine percent. The Grizzlies' past with the Jazz has not been a good one. Their winning percentage versus the Jazz is just over fifteen percent. However with no Karl Malone, no John Stockton, and even no Greg Ostertag, the Jazz will be as vulnerable as ever. I predict a six point win for the Grizzlies.</font>
Super preview Wave. This is a tough one to pick; it's easy to go on current form and look at Memphis' losing streak, but at the same time I know they have the players to break out at anytime. I think it'll go down to the wire, but I'm going to go with Utah because they have more players who know how to play tough-nosed defense and win ball games. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Memphis got up, but I'll say the Jazz by 5.
Jazz by 3, Memphis is too prone to the turnover, and the Jazz are a pretty consistent. Someone needs to get hot for the Grizz, have it be Miller or Wells.
Good preview. Another good game on slate for tonight in the NBA. Even though these are 2 mediocre teams in the west, it should be fun to watch. Too tough for me to say who wins. Home court advantage could play a factor..
I agree with KJ. The Gizz are very turnover prone, and have been struggling as of late. If they were to win a game, this is the one they need. Close game, Jazz by 4
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting jump:</div><div class="quote_post">Great preview. I predict a very close game, maybe even overtime. Jazz by no more than 5.</div> I predict the same, also favoring the Jazz. I believe they have the upper hand in matchups and the consistency they've had lately over Memphis. Knowing Memphis however they'll probably have a few surprising plays. Collins is useless, even the Collins of NJ is better and all he can do is shoot. This'll be a great chance for Arroyo to show his stuff for he'll have to handle one of the fanciest players in the league. Knowing Arroyo's persistent defensive play, he'll give him trouble in both shooting and ball handling. Smart basketball is the key, they'll have to rely on their defense. Hopefully Posey will be offensive like he use to be. Deshawn will make short work of him if he tries to contain him man to man.
I predict Utah to win this one, provided their starters dont get in foul trouble. If they do, they'll have to rely on their bench, and most of their bench are out of this game with injuries. Jazz by 4.
<u>Halftime</u> Grizzlies - 55 Jazz - 52 This game is not televised, but I can tell you a few things I picked up from the boxscore. The Grizzlies were down by as many as ten early on, but they made a comeback when Earl Watson entered the game. Watson was told he wouldn't get any more playing and now he's leading the game in assists. Also, Greg Ostertag, who was listed as day-to-day with a left knee injury, was cleared to play tonight. Right now the Grizzlies are killing the Jazz on the fastbreak. They've out-scored them in that area by the total of 16-4. <u>Game Leaders</u> Jazz: Points - Matt Harpring - 14 Rebounds - Greg Ostertag - 5 Assists - 5 tied with 2 Grizzlies: Points - Bonzi Wells - 12 Rebounds - Pau Gasol - 6 Assists - Earl Watson - 6
I'm supprised. I still think the Jazz zan pull it out. They need to get Kiri More involved. And for the Grizzlies, they need to keep doing what they are doing. Wells is playing good, so give him the the ball. Should be a great game down the stretch.
Well I am ebarrassed by this game. I thought the Jazz would win it easily. I didn't follow the game today, so I don't really know what exactly happened.
The Grizzlies exceeded even my expectations and won by twelve with the score of 100-88. Again, the game was not on television in Memphis, so I don't have much of a recap, but here is NBA's recap and a list of statistical leaders from tonight's game. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Bonzi Wells and the rest of the Memphis Grizzlies are feeling a lot better. Wells returned from a concussion to score 21 points as the Grizzlies ended a season-high seven-game losing streak with a 100-88 victory over the Utah Jazz. Wells came off the bench to make 8-of-16 shots and hand out six assists as he made his return from a slight concussion suffered in Monday's loss at Indiana. He took an elbow to the face from Jeff Foster that bloodied his nose, left him woozy and forced him to miss Tuesday's loss to Seattle. The Grizzlies had not won since a 97-83 victory over Miami on Dec. 19 moved them to 15-10, the best record in franchise history. They had not lost eight in a row since dropping the first eight games of last season, a slide that prompted the dismissal of coach Sidney Lowe and the hiring of Hubie Brown. </div> Recap Boxscore <u>Game Leaders</u> Utah Jazz: Points - Carlos Arroyo - 25 Rebounds - Greg Ostertag - 11*** Assists - Carlos Arroyo/Raul lopez - 4 Memphis Grizzlies: Points - Bonzi Wells - 21 Rebounds - Lorenzen Wright - 11 Assists - Earl Watson - 9*** *** = Were not expected to play.
That is a preview to be proud of, if only I had enough time to make mine like that. I thought the Jazz would win too, good job by the Grizzlies. Bonzi Wells had a great game and he was an important part in the win tonight!
The Kirilenko and Miller matchup is going to be a good one to watch. I predict Memphis will take the win 89-84.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm starting to think Watson and Wells is a better backcourt than Williams and Miller...</div> Oh, that fact is almost inevitable. However, it's James Posey who starts over Bonzi Wells, not Mike Miller. On the first line, the Grizzlies need Posey's defensive help more than they need Wells' offensive help. They have some great scorers with lacking defensive games already, like Pau Gasol and Mike Miller. However, the second line has all the defensive help in the world with Outlaw and Battier. They need Bonzi to give them an offensive spark. I just can't see the first line without Posey's defense. I'd comment on Watson over Williams, but as we all know there's already a big thread on that.
I believe this should be our starting lineup: C - Pau Gasol PF - Stromile Swift SF - Mike Miller SG - Bonzi Wells PG - Jason Williams Bench: Shane Battier James Posey Lorenzen Wright Earl Watson
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kobe Bryant:</div><div class="quote_post">I believe this should be our starting lineup: C - Pau Gasol PF - Stromile Swift SF - Mike Miller SG - Bonzi Wells PG - Jason Williams Bench: Shane Battier James Posey Lorenzen Wright Earl Watson</div> For starters, that starting line is all offense and no defense. The team's four best defensive players (Bo Outlaw, James Posey, Lorenzen Wright, and Shane Battier) would be coming off of the bench. Second of all, the Grizzlies tried putting Pau Gasol at Center before and it didn't work. He is too weak and light to go up against some of the bangers in the West. Who would you rather have guarding Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol or Lorenzen Wright? I'd pick Wright nine out of ten times. Also, Stromile has really shown that he is best suited for the Center position. He can post-up down low and his wing-span makes up for his lost height. I just can't see him going back to playing Power Forward.
