<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"><div align="center">But All-Star's loss is not only reason the team is struggling</div> Last time they were in the Delta Center, way back on Dec. 14, one visitor noticed a certain someone missing. The Jazz won without All-Star forward Andrei Kirilenko anyway, but Corey Maggette of the Los Angeles Clippers could sense Utah wasn't the same without him. "He's a big part of this team . . . a great energy guy," Maggette said. "He makes good plays, he makes his team better. When he comes back," the Clippers guard added, "they're right on track." That, however, won't be for some time. Certainly not tonight, when the Jazz return from a four-day holiday break to play Seattle at the Delta Center. Probably not until sometime well into January, either, as Kirilenko began only moderate work on an exercise bike last week.</div> <div align="center">Link</div>
Kirilenko is the backbone of this squad, and right now, I would rather have last year's Jazz, than this year's Jazz. But if I'm not mistaken, the Jazz lost 4 games out of 6 the last games Andrei played. Or am I wrong? If I'm not, it doesn't matter anyway, the real reason of this downfall is the bad play of Arroyo. Start Raul Lopez all year!
Kirilenko is the heart and soul of this team. He doesn't have or try to score to have an amazing game. And he turns our sub-par defensive team into one of the best in the league. I'm just ready for him to get back. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Phuzer:</div><div class="quote_post">the real reason of this downfall is the bad play of Arroyo. Start Raul Lopez all year!</div> I would not pin all of the downfall on Arroyo. Arroyo is trying to play like last year and how he played in the Olympics; that being looking for his shot as well as everyone elses, that causes his play not to be as up-tempo as the rest of the team. He could do this last year because we did not have the scorers like this year, this year we have 3-5 guys who could get us 25 points on any given night. This year Sloan is looking for a guy to advance the ball up court quickly and start the team in the offense and not look for his own shot, that is why Lopez and McLeod is better in this system than Arroyo and Eisley. Another thing I have noticed that could be part of our recent downfall is our defense or lack of defense. I know a lot of this has to do with Kirilenko being out but it also has to do with lack of confidence. It seems that none of our guards can defend someone on the perimeter and our post players (Okur and Boozer in particular) play like they are afraid of getting a foul. I also think they could be relying too much on their help-side defense, but if you rely too much on the guy to have you back before long you will leave someone open. Now that McLeod is back and once Kirilenko gets back, I think we will be back on track, I just hope we have not slipped too far down to loose even a chance to make the playoffs.
