By Joseph Simmons
Following Utah”s dramatic 120-117 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns Saturday night, (Nov. 18, 2006) it got me thinking. Just how good are these guys?
The Jazz are now 9-1 and undefeated at home. They are scoring just over 107 points a game on average, the best in the NBA, and have the second best field goal percentage too.
They have taken the teams that are supposedly the best in the NBA and abased them. To boot, Coach Jerry Sloan has turned his young players into a group playing more like the Jazz of the late 1990s than the fifth youngest team in the league.
The 9-1 start that the team is now enjoying is getting close to becoming the best start in franchise history, which is when the team when 17-2 to start the 1996-1997 season. The Jazz also started 9-1 in the lockout-shortened 1999 season.
The Jazz have won all three of their games with Andrei Kirilenko sitting out with an ankle sprain. Last season without Kirilenko the team had a lot of problems, but while Andrei is still an important player, rookie Paul Millsap has stepped up his game big time to help.
So, just how good will the Jazz be? As usual, the NBA know-it-alls aren”t giving the Jazz much credit or play time on their shows. I figured it was time to make some statements and predictions, some obvious and some bold.
The Jazz Will Win the Northwest Division
The closest team to the Jazz is Denver, who is struggling mightily. With Kenyon Martin out for the season the Nuggets won”t be able to seriously challenge Utah. Besides Denver, it would be unlikely for Portland, Minnesota or Seattle to post good enough records to get close to the top.
Jerry Sloan Will FINALLY be the Coach of the Year
The fact that Jerry Sloan, the longest tenured coach in professional sports, has never won the NBA Coach of the Year award is ridiculous. Not just because he”s been around a long time, but also because he has had great success and lately has gotten the best out of his very young team. This year, if current trends continue, there will be no way one could deny him the award considering what he”s done building up the rookies and getting everyone to play so well together.
At Least One All-Star Will Come From the Jazz
There are several players that could make it. Because most people don”t like Utah, it will be hard for anybody to get in by fan voting. Carlos Boozer is clearly one of the best power forwards in the league and is averaging a double-double. Mehmet Okur is clearly one of the best big-men in the west also, and probably has the best range of anyone, with the exception of Dirk Nowitzki.
The Jazz Will Play the Spurs for the Western Conference Championship
I admit, this is presumptuous, but now that the season is one-eighth of the way done, the Jazz and the Spurs are decidedly the best two teams in the West.
Andrei Kirilenko Will Win the Defensive Player of the Year award
Kirilenko has deserved this award several times, but didn”t get it because nobody likes the Jazz outside of Utah. Ben Wallace has won the award for the last 1,000 years. But as long as Kirilenko stays healthy, he will have the blocks and steals it takes to win the voters” hearts.
