<div align="center"> <font color="Navy">Utah Jazz</font> (8-7) @ <font color="DarkGreen">Seattle SuperSonics</font> (13-3)</div> When: Wednesday 1st December, 10:00 PM (EST) Where: Key Arena Local TV: FSN-SEA / FSN National TV: NBALP <div align="center">Likely Starters</div> <div align="center"><font color="Navy">Jazz</font> </div> <div align="center"><font size="1">Carlos Arroyo, Gordan Giricek, Matt Harpring, Carlos Boozer, Jarron Collins</font></div> <font color="DarkGreen"><div align="center">Sonics</div></font> <div align="center"> <font size="1">Luke Ridnour, Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Reggie Evans, Jerome James</font></div> Injured List <font color="Navy">Jazz:</font> Andrei Kirilenko, Curtis Borchardt, Raul Lopez <font color="DarkGreen">Sonics:</font> Ibrahim Kutluay, Ronald Murray, Vitaly Potapenko Key Matchup Matt Harpring vs. Rashard Lewis Lewis got 29 points vs. Portland for Seattle. Some nights he's on fire, others he struggles. Utah have to make sure he struggles when they play Seattle, as he can knock down the 3's which will really hurt Utah. Kirilenko would be a great stopper for him, but he's out and Utah are no starting the more offensive minded Harpring. Harp can't let Lewis find his stroke from beyond the arc, and force him into bad shots while scoring himself for Utah. Prediction Utah played pretty well vs the high scoring Suns, and we're in it at the start of the 4th. They haven't been that bad on the road this season, and should be able to at least compete with the Sonics. The Sonics have played great so far this season, but are coming of a loss to Portland the night before. However, I'm going with Seattle. Seattle 96 Utah 92
We have traditionally struggled with Utah, but this season Seattle are a different team, and no Kirilenko should free up Rashard. We should have beaten Portland, but some silly decisions early in the last period cost us dearly, with the Blazers able to get back into the contest from the stripe. I never like to tip against the Supes, but I never likes to tip us to beat Utah either.
This would be one of the best games of the week if the Jazz had Kirilenko. The Sonics are playing better than anyone in basketball, but I got some kind of feeling saying the Jazz may win this one, why? I don't know. I think if Harpring and Boozer play good they Jazz have a legitimate shot to win the game. The only thing that scares me about Seatle is how they shoot the long ball and I know how inefficient we are at the 3 point shot. I wish I could see this game, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say the Jazz by 6.
Utah have to force Seattle to take bad shots from beyond the arc if they are to win this one. If they can force Seattle to shoot poorly from 3 point land, then they may try to go inside, which would be playing into Utah's hands. If Seattle get the open shots and make them, Utah wont have much chance. Quite simple really, don't let them hit the 3 pointers. As I type this, Seattle have made 2 in 75 seconds :thumbsdow .
Wow..... games like this make me so angry its not even funny. Jazz are up by 3 with 15 seconds left......... Sonics pass it in, and Rado nails a 3 to send it to overtime. Of course, in overtime, seattle makes a few more threes and outscores jazz by like 10 to win. DSAFNAOFOSFNiaeNFAWPKFLWAja:!
<div align="center">3 Pointers attempted / Made </div> <div align="center">Seattle 13 / 29 Utah 2 / 13</div> Key stat right there. I don't mind Utah not shooting that many 3's, but if they're going to be selective in their shot's from 3 they should be making them. Seattle was taking a huge amount of 3 pointers, and making them. That was the difference in this game. Boozer had a great game, 36 points on 15-21 shooting. Mehmet Okur had another good game, 25 points off the bench on 9-12 shooting. He should be starting, no questions asked. Utah have to change something, and this is the obvious move, but Sloan still wont do it . Utah often fall behind early, and if Okur was on this would be less likely to happen. However I thought Utah played very well, and were just unlucky in the end. But you've got to be able to close out these games as it doesn't matter how much you lose by, a loss is a loss.
