Ball Don't Lie - NBA

Ball Don't Lie

Thu Dec 11, 2008 5:09 pm EST

Game to pay attention to: Trail Blazers vs. Jazz

By Kelly Dwyer


Portland at Utah

Brian Grant: "What, you didn't know Bob Marley was a prophet? The whole plot of Captain Ron was directly lifted from his prophecies. Also, if you play a Bob Marley record (or any reggae record, really) backwards, the beat sounds exactly the same."

Karl Malone: "Whoa."

Not a whole lot going on tonight. The TNT doubleheader features this game, plus a Celtics/Wizards tilt that should be really tilted. The Bobcats will be in Dallas tonight, and that game may have been a good one two weeks ago, but I think the Bobcats have just about had it. Maybe Diaw will change things. Maybe partying will help. I doubt it.

So check out the Trail Blazers, in Utah. The Jazz are still without Carlos Boozer, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Blazers will be without Greg Oden, even if GO plays 30 minutes tonight. Following Mehmet Okur around? Playing in Salt Lake City? Trying to counter the Sloan/UCLA curls? Another big test for the big man.

Looking at these records ... it has to amaze. The Blazers have left our door ajar all season with their surprising play, and yet this team is just one game ahead of Utah. One game!

Utah, the team that has played without Deron Williams for 13 games, and a shell of Deron Williams for the other 10 contests. The team that hasn't seen Carlos in 11 games. The team I haven't seen play great basketball all season -- because of injuries, not effort -- and yet has still won 14 of 23. Stupendous, I say

Portland Trail Blazers: 15-8, 86.1 possessions per game (30th), 113.4 points scored per 100 possessions (2nd), 108.6 points allowed per 100 possessions (20th). Absolute Beginners.

Utah Jazz: 14-9, 92.3 possessions per game (12th), 108.6 points scored per 100 possessions (7th), 104.1 points allowed per 100 possessions (8th). Down In the Tube Station at Midnight.

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12 Comments

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  1. Jamie Mottram
    1. Posted by Jamie Mottram Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:28 pm EDT

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    You know, these vintage pics don't get any less awesome.
  2. s v e n
    2. Posted by s v e n Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:28 pm EDT

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    I seriously can not wait until the Jazz are full on health and full on armor. They will be deep on the bench and will run with the top 3 teams in the league come March.
  3. tim_c7
    3. Posted by tim_c7 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:10 pm EDT

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    What excactly do those music videos have to do with these teams?
  4. IgorD
    4. Posted by IgorD Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:22 pm EDT

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    That's because the Jazz (read: AK-47) are awesome/
  5. schwalmy
    5. Posted by schwalmy Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:08 pm EDT

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    Grant will dominate the Mailman tonight! Watch out for that Drexler kid - he can fly!
  6. Tim
    6. Posted by Tim Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:33 pm EDT

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    Ah...I remember when Malone elbowed Grant right in the eye. Anyhow, Jazz are also lucky that they have been playing an easier schedule in the beginning of the season during their injury woes while the Blazers have had the toughest schedule to start the season and have been missing Martell Webster (though it remains to be seen what he will bring to the team).
    Now with Denver Nuggets being infinitely better with Billups, the PNW division will be very tight between these three teams, making winning the division series that much more important to use for tiebreakers. Thank goodness for the T-wolves and that other team in our division to keep it a race between the Jazz, Nuggets and Blazers.
  7. Andrew K
    7. Posted by Andrew K Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:23 pm EDT

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    Ha, Tim, "that other team." I think they call it the Sonics... er, wait. The Thunder. Gawd. They should do a big switcheroo, and put Memphis in the east, the Bucks in the Northwest, and the Thunder in the Southwest. Yeah, that makes sense. You are right, though - this division will be interesting to watch, not unlike the SW div.
    This should be a game to pay attention to, KD, but since you've drawn attention to it, it will now be a blowout, like all the other games you point out in this little blog series.
    And Dallas-Charlotte, a good game 2 weeks ago? Didn't Dallas blow them out in Charlotte about 2-3 weeks ago?
    Also, you blogger types are really setting yourself up for disappointment, because the Jazz really aren't that great.
  8. schwalmy
    8. Posted by schwalmy Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:08 pm EDT

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    What's the Oden stuff about? Is the rook supposed to be Bill Russell after less than 20 games? He'll bee eating the Okurs of the league for breakfast next year. Give the kid some time before you make your vague references. Tim - nice to know someone's been watching...
  9. goodrich18
    9. Posted by goodrich18 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    Okur is a turkish looser who should go back home. He has no skills and shouldn't be paid anything to play ball..Deport his ass
  10. cruz2002
    10. Posted by cruz2002 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:31 pm EDT

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    Brian Grant: "So, what you're telling me is.... the only rule I have to abide by over there is basically pass the ball to him all the time?"
    Karl Malone: "Yea... oh, and don't look at his wife, either."
  11. Chuck
    11. Posted by Chuck Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:33 pm EDT

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    Goodrich 18 you are an absolute looser. Calling out someone based on where he is from.. now that shows a great deal of skill on your half. Get a life!
  12. Sarge
    12. Posted by Sarge Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:34 pm EDT

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    At the risk of sounding like a "jail-blazer" or "trail-baby" fan, do the Jazz have therir own refs or what? That flagrant on Fry looked more like a "no call" to me. How about the "no kicked" ball that led to a P-town turnover, how did three guys(the refs) that are s'posed to be watching the game miss that? I got tired of watching Oden go up for a rebound, only not going up, but rather going backwards, almost like he was being pushed by somebody. But that couldn't be, because there were NO FOULS CALLED!!!! I'd like to suggest that the Jazz makes the visiting team wear jerseys with built in handles so they the Jazz don't risk breaking a nail when they pull the opposing team around by the jersey. Utah fans have done well to intimidate refs into making the calls for the Jazz, unfortunately for them that won't put them over the top, never has, never will, it just make SLC a frustrating place to play.

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Ball Don't Lie is an NBA blog edited by J.E. Skeets. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

Contributors:
Kelly Dwyer, Rod Benson, Trey Kerby, Dan Devine, Adrian Wojnarowski & Marc J. Spears,

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