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Utah Jazz (4-5) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (6-3)
Probable Line-Ups:
Jazz: E3, Brewer, Matthews, Booze, Okur
Cavaliers: Mo Williams, Parker, LBJ, Hickson, Z (Shaq is out!)
Coming In:
You've heard all about the Cavs off-season. Delonte West had issues. They added some guys, including starter Anthony Parker. They traded a bunch of nobodies (okay... Ben Wallace has looked alright this season) for Shaquille O'Neal. And some guy out there might or might not have dunked on LBJ. Nike denies it ever happened.
The Cavs started the season with 2 straight losses (Boston, @ Toronto), before waking up against the deadly Minnesota/Charlotte/Washington trio. They then lost another game (Chicago) before winning 3 straight for the 2nd time on the season (New York, Orlando, Miami... all on the road, no less). And that's where they sit now. On a 3 game winning streak, and finally back home. Of course, they're guaranteed the Eastern Conference NBA Finals bid already, so LBJ has turned his eyes to and from other topics... he's decided to not talk about the off-season and his plans anymore (thankfully... though it's weird that he'd start the talks and then try to stop it) and is now going around trying to make the entire league retire #23 (which is just stupid... and what about #32?). I think he should just shut up and play the game, but whatever.
The Jazz, meanwhile, are a win tonight away from finishing with a record above .500 on this 4 game roadtrip. This comes on the heels of pounding the Sixers last night, without Deron no less. Philly had 32 points in the first quarter (on 67% shooting), but the Jazz quieted them after that. Iggy was just 4-13 from the field, Marreese Speights had just 4 points (11 below his season average) and it wasn't very close after that 1st quarter. The Jazz didn't even blow the lead in the 4th quarter. Oh, and despite the 22 point win (the lead was 23 points after the 3rd quarter), Fesenko & Koufos played a COMBINED 3 minutes, 30 seconds.
What We Know About The Cavaliers... Through 9 Games
(AKA: Overreactions & small sample sizes be ****ed.)
- Only 3 guys (LBJ, Mo Williams, The Big Fat Guy) are averaging double-digits.
- Floppy Hair & LBJ are the leading rebounders, with The Big ___ and Z "right behind them".
- The Cavs are 1st in the league in 3PT% (46.7%), 9th in the L in 3PT attempts & 4th in 3PT made.
- LBJ, Mo, Parker & Boobie (aka 4 of their top 5 scorers) love launching treys. All at 40%+ too.
- On the other hand, they're tied for 26th in the league in FT%.
- This despite being tied for 9th in the L in FTs attempted.
- They're bringing both Z & Floppy Hair off the bench. That's some serious height.
- They're 20th in the L at just 97.1 ppg.
- They're holding teams to 91.8 ppg though.
- They're 2-2 at home this season.
- LBJ doesn't travel.
- He also plays amazing D, as evidenced by his 1 foul/24.5 minutes stat.
- Considering that Nike isn't in the news, I'm assuming LBJ hasn't been dunked on yet.
- Anderson Varejao, meanwhile, isn't as lucky.
Other Stuff To Know/Consider/Think About/Ignore
Deron is out again today. Hopefully everything is alright with his daughter... Maynor was solid last night. Of course, Philly isn't Cleveland. Matthews was impressive too, but after a couple of early treys, he disappeared from the offense for too long... All 7 Jazz players that played big minutes (aka, everyone but Koufos/Fesenko) hit double-digits last night. And shot over 50% combined... I'd assume more Koufesenko tonight with Z & Shaq & Varejao & Hickson. But who knows, because slow hates both of them. That said, Okur/Booze against Shaq+ is going to be really funny... The Jazz utilized just 7 players (of the 9 available) in yesterday's 22 point win. Hopefully they're not to fatigued for the Cavs today. slow doesn't believe in fatigue... CP3 is out for over a month, they just fired their coach & replaced him with the GM or something, and now there's talk of trading Okafor in a salary dump. Yikes... According to David Locke, Shaq is OUT for the game today... The Jazz and Cavs are both high up in the league in first quarter points, both of them up past 28 ppg... The Jazz are 3-9 against the Cavs in the last 6 seasons. They've lost 3 straight, and 5 straight in Cleveland... Shaq is out! That means slow won't be looking to the bench for Flop to commit some fouls.
Keys For The Jazz
What the Jazz have to do to win the game.
- Defend the perimeter with your life. The Cavs will kill you otherwise.
- Don't let the Cavs drive in at will.
- Stick someone on LBJ at all times.
- E3 shouldn't try to force it. Let the offense come.
- Drive in early/often, and make your FTs.
- Get your rebounds! On both sides of the court.
- No stupid treys. And make them when you take them.
- Take good shots. Don't get your shots rejected too much.
- Limit the turnovers.
- Good games from both 'Sap & Booze again?
- The youngsters (well, rooks, b/c Fesenko & Koufos won't play) need to play well.
Sleeping With The Enemy
... Or at least fraternizing with them.
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