The Jazz Outsider, and other blogs by Patrick Kinahan

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4/14/11

PK’s NBA Awards: MVP In Full Bloom

MVP – Derrick Rose
As Rose began to gain momentum for MVP, I didn’t believe he was worthy of it. But now it’s obvious that he’s the choice.

For most of the season, my choice was Dirk Nowitzki. But the Mavs faded down the stretch. The only other possible candidate was LeBron James.

1st Team All-NBA

G – Derrick Rose
G – Kobe Bryant
C – Dwight Howard
F – LeBron James
F – Kevin Durant

2nd Team All-NBA

G – Dwyane Wade
G – Manu Ginobili
C – Tim Duncan
F – Dirk Notwitzki
F – Pau Gasol

Defensive Player of the Year – Dwight Howard
For the next several years, this award belongs to Howard. Nobody even comes close.

Sixth Man – Lamar Odom
Odom would be an All-Star on most teams. But then maybe he wouldn’t have met Khloe.

Rookie of the Year - Blake Griffin
Nobody can argue this

Coach of the Year – Tom Thibodeau, Chicago
As always, there are several options for this award. And all deserve merit. But the rookie head coach with the best record is the winner

 

4/11/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of April 11:

1. Chicago
They have reached 60 wins as a franchise for the seventh time. Guess what happened the prior six? Last week: 2.

2. Miami
In a showdown for second place in the Eastern Conference, their bench outscored Boston’s reserves 32-12. Last week: 3.

3. San Antonio
Wins over the Lakers and Phoenix to close the season clinch the league’s best record. Last week: 5.

4. Lakers
Eight consecutive wins followed by five straight losses has left everybody confused.. Last week: 1.

5. Oklahoma City
Great week included to wins over potential first-round opponent Denver and a beat the Lakers in Los Angeles. Last week: 7.

6. Denver
There’s a danger sign among all the good feelings since the big trade. They lost twice last week to first-round opponent Oklahoma City. Last week: 4.

7. Boston
With two games to go, they are 3-3 this month. Last week: 6.

8. Dallas
A four-game losing streak led to Jason Terry ready to brawl with his teammates during the win over the Clippers. Last week: 8.

9. Orlando
It was a good sign that they almost beat the Bulls without a suspended Dwight Howard and two other rotation players. Last week: 9.

10. Portland
In the last five games, newly acquired Gerald Wallace averaged 18 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Last week: 10

11. Memphis
Finally they can look respectable. Players and team personnel vowed not to shave until they made the playoffs, which happened last week. Last week: 11.

12. Atlanta
After their fourth consecutive loss, coach Larry Drew admits he’s losing confidence. Last week: 12.

13. New Orleans
They looked horrible in loss to Memphis, a team they are fighting for playoff positioning with. Last week: 13.

14. Houston
They have won 18 consecutive games when holding its opponent under 100 points, the league's longest active streak.. Last week: 14.

15. New York
A franchise-worst nine consecutive losing seasons ended last week. Last week: NR

4/4/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of April 4:

1. Lakers
They need to go 5-1 to reach 60 wins. All seven of Phil Jackson’s teams to win 60 became NBA champions. Last week: 1.

2. Chicago
Derrick Rose is tied with Russell Westbrook for the most games (six) with at least 30 points and 10 assists. Last week: 2.

3. Miami
If nothing else, they can say they won the Atlantic Division for the first time in four years. Last week: 4.

4. Denver
Carmelo who? They are 15-4 since getting rid of somebody who didn’t want to be there. Last week: 9.

5. San Antonio
The win over a lousy Phoenix team snapped a six-game losing streak, which was the longest since Tim Duncan got there 14 years ago. Last week: 3.

6. Boston
39-year-old Shaq went down with a calf injury in his first game back after missing two months with tendon strain. Last week: 8.

7. Oklahoma City
They followed up a five-game winning streak by losing on the road to Portland and the lowly Clippers. Last week: 6.

8. Dallas
A road trip that started promising (wins over Utah, Phoenix and the Clippers) ended in disaster (losses to the Lakers, Golden State and Portland). Last week: 5.

9. Orlando
A horrible week included losses to weaklings New York and Toronto. Last week: 7.

10. Portland
In a potential playoff preview, they drilled the Mavericks on Sunday. The two teams split the series, with each winning two games at home. Last week: 12

11. Memphis
With a four-game winning streak they now are a season-high 11 games over .500. Last week: 11.

12. Atlanta
After missing the playoffs for eight consecutive years, they have made the postseason the last four years. Last week: 10.

13. New Orleans
Chris Paul was awful for three games, shooting 10 of 33, before breaking out 18 points on 8 of 13 shooting against Indiana. Last week: 13.

14. Houston
Since the All-Star break they have gone 15-5 but are running out of games to qualify for the playoffs. Last week: 14.

15. Philadelphia
A 3-13 start has given way to a playoff berth, likely against either Miami or Boston in the first round. Last week: 15.

3/30/11

Years from now, when he’s pushing 60, Ty Corbin will fondly recall those formative times as an NBA head coach.
He hopes, anyway.

For now, these are anything but good times for the rookie head coach. Let us count the ways, starting with the unenviable task of replacing a Hall of Fame coach for a team that traded its only All-Star two weeks into the job. Then Corbin has had to juggle a lineup that has been besieged by injuries.

The latest impediment involves a little drama with the team’s best player. And to think, Corbin willingly signed on for all of this.

Part of Corbin’s initiation is dealing with disgruntled players. In this case, it’s Al Jefferson.
The relationship between the two hit a bumpy patch over the last week. It went public when Corbin benched Jefferson for the fourth quarter and the five-minute overtime in the loss to Washington.

As much as anyone would try to deny it, it’s big news any time a coach willfully chooses to not play a struggling team’s leading rebounder and scorer.
The problem started, or at least exacerbated, when Jefferson got tossed after picking up two technical fouls in the waning moments of a loss to Dallas. Basically, Jefferson inflamed the situation until he was thrown out.

Afterward, Corbin was quoted in the Tribune as saying: “That’s not who we are. If you happen to get a tech, get the tech and get it over with. Don’t drag it out and make it look like a spectacle.”

Jefferson later didn’t appear interested in any lecture from Corbin.
“He said something to me, but I really done forgot,” he said.

In other words, Jefferson couldn’t be bothered listening. Whether he meant it as severe as it sounded, Jefferson didn’t do Corbin any favors.
As a new coach trying to establish an identity, Corbin was forced to react in some way. No way he can allow a player to blow him off in a public fashion.
Whether there was a direct connection or not, Corbin sent the message to Jefferson and his teammates with the benching against Washington. Better to lose a game than to lose respect of the players.

Over time, Corbin’s decision to sit Jefferson should fortify his position with the team. And in the short term, he needs to do it again if the situation demands.
This isn’t to say that Jefferson is the root of all the team’s evils. Short on mature talent even when healthy, the Jazz have issues that go far deeper than any single player.

Even has he puts up solid numbers, Jefferson has taken a hit for his lackluster defense and propensity to take the air of the offense.
But from his perspective, he’s got to be frustrated to the point of breaking. For several months, he was sold on the belief that the Jazz were a playoff team long on stability, two things he’d never experienced as a professional.

All that sailed out the window before the snow melted. The expectations of playing for a legendary coach and great point guard were flushed down the drain.

The anticipated winning has been replaced by a barrage of losing, just like when Jefferson played for Boston and Minnesota. No wonder he’s irritated.
The trick now is to repair the relationship. More than likely, even if Derrick Favors fulfills the enormous potential he’s shown recently, the Jazz still need Jefferson.

And given the Jazz’s history in firing coaches, Corbin isn’t going anywhere. Years from now, maybe Corbin and Jefferson will look back on this conflict as a forerunner to their mutual success.

They hope, anyway.

3/28/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of March 28:

1. Lakers
Old and tired earlier in the season, they are one-half game behind the Bulls and four games behind San Antonio with nine to go. Last week: 1.

2. Chicago
Derrick Rose had 30 points and 17 assists in the win over Milwaukee to join Michael Jordan in becoming the second franchise player in the last 25 years to have at least 30 points and 15 assists in a game. Last week: 2.

3. San Antonio
With Tim Duncan injured, they have lost all three games. And Manu Ginobili is hurting with a quad injury. Last week: 3.

4. Miami
The big three are heating up – LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh - all went for at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in win over Houston. Last week: 6.

5. Dallas
They are 12-1 against the Pacific Division. The only loss came against the Lakers. A second-round playoff preview? They are at the Lakers on Thursday. Last week: 5.

6. Oklahoma City
They are in the playoffs for the second consecutive season, this time with a strong chance to move up four spots after being the eight seed last year. Last week: 7.

7. Orlando
The team of streaks, both good and bad, is on another one. They start the week having won five consecutive games. Last week: 8.

8. Boston
Even when they win there’s still plenty of questions. They had to rally to beat Minnesota after blowing a 25-point lead. Last week: 4.

9. Denver
Over the last four games, during which the only loss was by five points at Miami, their bench is averaging 55.8 points. Last week: 9.

10. Atlanta.
With games against Orlando, Boston and Houston, this week can determine whether to take this team seriously. Last week: 11.

11. Memphis
A playoff berth is all but nailed down. New Orleans and Portland are the only tough games left on the schedule. Last week: 12.

12. Portland
Is a star blossoming before their eyes? Nicolas Batum has scored at least 20 points in three of the last four games. Last week: 13

13. New Orleans
Losing David West for the season with a knee injury most likely dooms them to an early exit in the playoffs. Last week: 10.

14. Houston
Five of the last nine games are against teams with winning records. Last week: 14.

15. Philadelphia
They are stumbling down the stretch, having lost three of the last four games. Last week: 15.

3/21/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of March 21:

1. Lakers
Another Pacific Division first-place finish belongs to them, as does a 33rd playoff berth in the last 35 years. Last week: 1.

2. Chicago
They have gone 4-1 since Carlos Boozer was sidelined with an ankle injury. Only loss was in overtime at Indiana. Last week: 3.

3. San Antonio
The playoffs must be starting soon – Gregg Popovich called a timeout 42 seconds into the game against Dallas. After the timeout, the Spurs didn’t trail again in the game. Last week: 4.

4. Boston
A 3-4 record over their last seven games has resulted in dropping into a tie with Chicago for best record in the Eastern Conference. Last week: 2.

5. Dallas
Playoff pecking order is being established as they lost to San Antonio and the Lakers at home over the last two weeks. Last week: 5.

6. Miami
Mike Bibby takes over for Mario Chalmers, who will be out two weeks with a knee injury. Last week: 6.

7. Oklahoma City
A win at Miami led to the thought that this team needs to be considered a contender. But two games later they lost to Toronto at home. Last week: 7.

8. Orlando
It’s time for a long winning streak. Only three of the next nine games are against teams with winning records Last week: 9.

9. Denver
A four-game road trip ended with disappointing losses to Orlando and Miami. But now they come home for four games, with only one against a good team. Last week: 8.

10. New Orleans
Four-day break precedes stretch of five games against Western Conference foes, all of whom have winning records. Last week: 10.

11. Atlanta
Says Josh Smith: "We have to be consistent. We can't be like a roller-coaster." They are 4-6 this month Last week: 11.

12. Memphis
Seven of their final 12 games are against teams with winning records. Last week: 12.

13. Portland
Fourth-quarter collapse against the Lakers (scored only 14 points) snapped a 13.three-game losing streak. Last week: 13

14. Houston
With the win over the Jazz, Rick Adelman passed Red Auerbach and into ninth place in regular-season coaching victories (939). Last week: NR.

15. Philadelphia
They lead in bench scoring, averaging 39.8 points a game. Last week: 15.

3/15/11

Early Headache for Corbin

It took one month and three days before Ty Corbin had his first public problem with a player. May he be so fortunate for the rest of his coaching career.

Perhaps no other rookie head coach has dealt with as much crazy stuff as Corbin has endured since taking over leadership of the Jazz on Feb. 10.

In a span of two weeks, Corbin faced the difficult task of trying to replace a coaching legend and then grappling with the loss of an All-Star point guard. Even Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach would have struggled in those situations.

And now Corbin has a miffed player on his hands.

The morning after Corbin won his first game against a team over .500, in overtime over Philadelphia, Raja Bell went public with comments that he didn’t like the way Corbin handled removing him from the starting lineup.

Turns out the 11-year veteran wanted more dialogue with Corbin, who started C.J. Miles instead of Bell.

“As a player I would wish, you know, I’ve had a pretty long career – you can come to me as a man and chop that up with me instead of just have it be as brief as it was,” Bell told reporters. “As I said, I with it would’ve been a little different, but it wasn’t, and I still have a job to do.”

Does Corbin’s contract include an unlimited supply of aspirin? Few would doubt the short stint as head coach has given him a prolonged headache.

As might be expected under the circumstances, the Jazz lost Corbin’s first four games and have gone 4-10 since he replaced Sloan. Last week the Jazz lost games by margins of 22, 21 and 18, respectively. The embarrassing losses have led to accusations the players already have quit on Corbin.

To compound problems, the Jazz medical staff has a right to demand overtime pay. The number of injuries may lead Corbin to ponder suiting up assistant coach Jeff Hornacek.

But take a closer look. As bad as it appears, the timing is great. Better for Corbin to deal with all this upheaval this season than later.

The fact is, the Jazz aren’t playing for all that much, relatively speaking, recognizing that there’s always something at stake in professional sports. But in the greater scope, which is the earnest quest for a championship, the Jazz get cut some slack.

Once the Jazz traded Deron Williams for a lesser point guard and the league’s youngest player, along with two draft picks, Corbin’s shot at being a smashing success turned into fantasy. The last few weeks of the season have become more about incorporating Devin Harris into the system, the progression of Al Jefferson and developing the young pups, Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward.

From my view, only a few of the Jazz faithful would argue.

Here comes the latest hurdle, a beef from a player. Even this situation is a great learning opportunity for Corbin.

A consummate professional, Bell will put his head down and go to work every game. Assuming the worst, which obviously isn’t the case, Bell would give maximum effort even if he hated the coach.

As he does as well as any player in the league, Bell gave an honest answer to a media member’s question. And he even supports the decision, saying it isn’t personal with Corbin.

“I’ve said all year that the way we play, the one-on-one style of play that we do play and employ, that C.J.’s probably a better fit, so it was inevitable,” Bell said. “I knew that was coming. I just wish that it had been more of a man-to-man thing, like straight up honestly, ‘Look, this is what we need to do,’ instead of the way it went down.”

Mark down another moment in this crazy season. Along with all the X’s and O’s, Corbin has a chance to learn from Bell’s complaint.

Although there’s no need to baby a player or fret too much over hurt feelings, maybe Corbin could have appeased Bell with a longer conversation or better explanation. Great thing about it is all this education can happen this season.

Come next fall, or whenever the NBA season begins, Corbin will be that much more prepared as a head coach.

Eventually, the Jazz will benefit.

3/14/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of March 14:

1. Lakers
In a probable second-round playoff match-up, they won at Dallas in what Kobe Bryant called a statement game. Last week: 1.

2. Boston
The 56 points they held Milwaukee was the franchise’s fewest since the 1954-55 season. Last week: 2.

3. Chicago
In a reunion of the 1991 championship team, Michael Jordan tells fans not to be surprised if more titles are on the way. Last week: 3.

4. San Antonio
Potential telling two-game road trip this week starts with Miami and ends with Dallas. Last week: 4.

5. Dallas
Is traditional playoff swoon starting early? They are 2-3 in their last five games. Last week: 5.

6. Miami
Ending a five-game losing streak, they smacked down the Lakers. Next up is another Western Conference powerhouse, San Antonio. Last week: 7

7. Oklahoma City
Serge Ibaka, who blocked seven shots against Cleveland, is about to get help on defense. Kendrick Perkins participated in his first full practice late last week since being traded. Last week: 8.

8. Denver
Change doesn’t seem to have a negative effect. Despite losing Danilo Gallinari and Arron Affalo to injuries, they keep winning. Last week: 9.

9. Orlando
They have lost three of their last five games and six of the next eight are on the road. Last week: 6.

10. New Orleans
Chris Paul returns from an injury to post 33 points, 15 assists, seven rebounds and five steals. He is the fourth player in the last 20 years to have 33, 15 and five in a game. Last week: 12.

11. Atlanta
Upcoming five-game homestand, including against Denver, Miami and Chicago, should tell a lot. Last week: 10.

12. Memphis
They followed up noteworthy wins over Dallas and Oklahoma City with a loss to the Knicks and a 33-point drubbing to Miami. Last week: 11.

13. Portland
Four wins were followed by stinkers at Charlotte and Atlanta. Last week: 13.

14. New York
This team is impossible to figure out. Despite getting Chauncey Billups back, they lost to Indiana at home. Last week: 14.

15. Philadelphia
After a 3-13 start, they are 34-32. Last week: NR.

3/10/11

Gordon Hayward

One year ago this week, Gordon Hayward was set to begin an incredible run that took his college team to within one basket of an NCAA Tournament championship.

Fifty-two weeks later, the former Butler star waits his turn. Sometimes it comes. Sometimes it doesn’t.

As the Jazz season winds down, Hayward’s rookie year has been like a yo-yo. Game to game, he can’t count on anything.

In Jerry Sloan’s last game as an NBA coach, Hayward played only five minutes in the loss to Chicago. Two days later, with the shock of Sloan’s resignation still strong, Ty Corbin played Hayward 30 minutes in the loss to Phoenix. It began a string of four games with at least 20 minutes.

Topping out at 33 minutes against Golden State, Hayward might have begun to feel good about getting consistent playing time. Not a good idea.

The game against the Warriors began a string in which Hayward’s minutes declined in four consecutive games. It bottomed out with a DNP against lowly Detroit.
But he was back on the floor for 21 minutes against Boston in the next game. And so it goes.

For the season, last June’s ninth pick is averaging 13.5 minutes a game. With 18 games remaining, it’s time for a change.

With the Jazz sinking fast in the standings, Hayward must play consistent minutes. While still striving to win every game, Corbin has to get a better read on Hayward’s ability for the future. And there’s only one way to find out.

Befitting his status as a lottery pick, Hayward has shown enough to prove he deserves a spot in the rotation. But for the next six weeks, even if a particular match-up isn’t perfect, the 20-year-old still belongs on the court.

Whether Hayward’s minutes come at the expense of Andrei Kirilenko or Raja Bell, it doesn’t matter. Both veterans deserve to play, but at this point of their careers, neither is going to improve upon what they’ve shown for years. And more than likely, the two don’t figure to play significant parts of the rebuilding process.

Like 19-year-old Derrick Favors, Hayward is a wild card. If he’s anything close to what he was in college, the Jazz have a potential All-Star. But nobody knows for sure.
Minutes after Hayward was drafted, Kevin O’Connor responded to the chorus of boos by justifiably demanding the fans wait two years before passing judgment. Fair enough, considering the kid played only two years of college ball.

The two-year clock starts in earnest now.

To a lesser degree, the same hold true for Favors. The difference is injuries likely will force Corbin’s hand.

With injuries continuing to bombard the Jazz big men, Favors could end up starting even if he’s not ready. By process of elimination, the league’s youngest player figures to get playing time.

One of the arguments of force-feeding the two rookies is it goes against the spirit of competition. As Sloan showed during Deron Williams’ rookie season, playing time needs to be earned rather than handed out on status.

But the circumstances are different this time, perhaps the most unique in Jazz history. Never before has the franchise been in this current situation with a rookie coach and a roster in transition.

At the time, few doubted that Williams would eventually become a starter and then a star. This time, it’s almost impossible to predict the outcome for Hayward or Favors.
But there’s no better time than now to start the discovery process.

3/7/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of March 7:

1. Lakers
Seven-game winning streak includes at Oklahoma City, at Portland and at San Antonio. Road games against Atlanta, Miami and Dallas are up this week. Last week: 5.

2. Boston
The sadness of losing teammate and dear friend Kendrick Perkins has given way to a five-game winning streak. Last week: 3.

3. Chicago
They joined the Jazz as the only two teams to win at Miami and at Orlando in consecutive games. Last week: 4.

4. San Antonio
How bad was the defeat to the Lakers? The 28-point deficit at halftime was the largest in franchise history at home. Last week: 1.

5. Dallas
With center Tyson Chandler sidelined with an ankle injury, they allowed Memphis to score 41 points in a quarter. Last week: 2.

6. Orlando
Karl Malone was on hand to see Dwight Howard get his 16th technical foul in the loss to the visiting Bulls. Superman’s mouth has led to a mandated one-game suspension. Last week: 7.

7. Miami
Since Jan. 1 they have played four games at home against teams with winning records and have lost all four. Last week: 6

8. Oklahoma City
Despite enjoying a 47-14 advantage in free throws, they still needed overtime to beat Phoenix. Last week: 8.

9. Denver
They are 1-1 in a stretch that has them playing seven of eight games on the road. Last week: 11.

10. Atlanta
They followed up big win at home over Chicago with home losses to Oklahoma City and New York. Last week: 9.

11. Memphis
A season sweep of Dallas is something worth noting. Last week: 13.

12. New Orleans
Win over Cleveland was marred by seeing Chris Paul being carried off the court in a stretcher with a head injury. Last week: 10.

13. Portland
LaMarcus Aldridge, the Western Conference player of the month for February, is averaging 22 points and nine rebounds in March. Last week: 12.

14. New York
It’s hard to take any team seriously that has lost twice to Cleveland in the last week. Last week: 14.

15. Phoenix
They finished their longest road trip of the season at 4-2. Last week: NR

3/3/11

In the midst of the shocking announcement that he was retiring, Jerry Sloan stated his biggest regret was not winning a championship.
Wonder if there were any other regrets?

Even if none were mentioned, he more than likely did. From my perspective, it involved Andrei Kirilenko.

From a reserve to an All-Star to an inconsistent starter, Kirilenko has had one of the more unusual careers with the Jazz. And for whatever reason, unlike as he did with dozens of players, Sloan never could tap into the Russian’s potential.

Now the job belongs to Ty Corbin. The early returns have been impressive.

Although the sample is small, Kirilenko has played well with Corbin as the coach. In four games (he missed two games and part of another with an injury), Kirilenko has averaged 17.5 points, five rebounds and almost four assists for Corbin – the kind of numbers that led the Jazz to give him a maximum contract.

Coming into the league as an intriguing prospect, Kirilenko showed significant promise as a rookie in 2001-02, when he averaged 10.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and nearly two blocks a game. After much of the same his second year, Kirilenko blossomed into a budding star the year after the Stockton and Malone era ended.

On the 42-40 season, Kirilenko averaged 16.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds and almost two steals a game. Recognizing his unique skill set, the Western Conference coaches made Kirilenko an All-Star. And the Jazz followed by making him the team’s highest-paid player.

Unfortunately, Kirilenko has never come close to matching that season. Four seasons later, his statistics dropped in half.

But has the coaching change made the difference? Believe what you want.

As Corbin settles into his new job, the Jazz will undergo a transformation. Over time, new trends may develop that we didn’t see under Sloan.

Already, there has been a difference. And some things haven’t changed a bit.

For instance, Gordon Hayward can still count on not being able to count on consistent minutes. In Corbin’s seven games as coach, the rookie has played at least 30 minutes in two games. And then in the loss at Detroit, Hayward never got off the bench.

No matter who is coaching, C.J. Miles will continue to play erratically. In the first four games under Corbin, Miles scored at least 16 points but in the last three he’s averaged 5 points. Corbin deserves a lifetime contract if get consistency from Miles.

The numbers also show that Al Jefferson has been on a tear the last six games. But it’s probably a coincidence, figuring that as Jefferson became more comfortable with the Jazz he would continue to improve.

The point is, most players are who they are whether Sloan or Corbin is the coach. But maybe the new guy is the difference when it comes to one particular player.

2/28/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Feb. 28:

1. San Antonio
They are one win away from winning 50-plus games for the 12th consecutive season, tying the Lakers (1979-80 to 1990-91) for the longest streak in NBA history. Last week: 1.

2. Dallas
More proof that first-quarter margins are pointless – they were down by 19 early to Toronto only to win by 18. Last week: 2.

3. Boston
After Kendrick Perkins was traded they lost to Denver. Said Kevin Garnett: “You feel like you lost a family member today. Tough day." Wonder if he felt the same leaving Minnesota for Boston?. Last week: 3.

4. Chicago
In the three games since returning from a thumb injury, Joakim Noah has averaged 13.7 rebounds. Last week: 5.

5. Lakers
They should take a six-game winning streak into Sunday’s showdown at San Antonio. Last week: 9.

6. Miami
Instead of worrying about Boston, they need to worry about being caught by Chicago. Last week: 4.

7. Orlando
Before making four three-pointers in win over Charlotte, Gilbert Arenas had gone 1 for 29 from long distance. Last week: 6.

8. Oklahoma City
Phil Jackson isn’t sure Kendrick Perkins is the answer, saying "Kendrick's a pretty young guy. I don't know how much experience he has if (Kevin) Garnett's not talking in his ear and sending him where to go. I think he's got the notion but whether he can be a leader and lead that deal, that's another story." Last week: 7.

9. Atlanta
Three losses on the road have been followed by two consecutive wins away from home. Last week: 8.

10. New Orleans
They went 4-8 in February, with only one win (Orlando) against a team with a winning record. Last week: 10.

11. Denver
Since the trade, they are 2-1, working Memphis and Boston and losing in overtime at Portland on the second night of a back to back. Last week: 13.

12. Portland
How can newly acquired Gerald Wallace play without his headband? Coach Nate McMillan prefers his players don’t wear one Last week: 11.

13. Memphis
Acquisition of Shane Battier ought to offset having to O.J. Mayo. Last week: 12.

14. New York
With the Miami game on the line, Chauncey Billups got a steal and made the go-ahead three-pointer. Last week: 14.

15. Utah
Their playoff chances, along with a spot in this prestigious power poll, hang in the balance. Last week: 15.

2/25/11

What a short, strange trip it’s been.

In a two-week span, punctuated by a great trip to Mexico for some of us, the Jazz said goodbye to a Hall of Fame coach and jettisoned a two-time All-Star and Olympian. The model of stability has never endured such a wild time.

Once Jerry Sloan decided he’d had enough of a certain player’s antics, along with a host of other reasons, Deron Williams was on the fast track out of town, even if it wasn’t apparent at the time.

With so much change under way, it only made sense for the Jazz to cut loose their point guard. Get the housecleaning done all at once.
By trading Williams for two players and two draft picks, the Jazz jumped into the rebuilding process at full speed. Better to go all the way than to delay the inevitable.

Because Williams gave no commitment to the Jazz beyond next season, management turned proactive. Rather than get nothing in return for a departing free agent, as happened with Phoenix, Toronto and Cleveland, the team acquired multiple assets.

And rather than go through the soap opera that Denver has had with Carmelo Anthony, the Jazz took control of their own fate. Smart move, any way you cut it.
But was it the right move relative to this particular trade? Give it two years, to quote Kevin O’Connor’s response to the jeers directed toward the Jazz when they drafted Gordon Hayward. In the interim, it’s anybody’s guess.

While he’s not Williams’ caliber, Devin Harris is a proven NBA point guard. Reasonable expectations are 17 points and seven assists, sprinkled in with improved defense.
No sense in evaluating the draft picks until the players are on board or the picks are package with further acquisitions. But the potential is there, considering one or both of the picks likely will be in the lottery.

That brings us to the wild card, otherwise known as Derrick Favors. The NBA’s youngest player, he doesn’t turn 20 until July 15, Favors represents the ultimate fate in this trade.
If this man-child matches his potential, then the Jazz struck gold. If he falls short, the Jazz join the long list of teams that traded an All-Star and didn’t come close to receiving equal value.
In evaluating Favors, forget his rookie season so far. Before he even got to shake hands with David Stern, Favors was subject to trade rumors. From the start, it was obvious he had no future with the New Jersey Nets.

It’s more accurate to go back to why he was drafted No. 3, behind John Wall and Evan Turner. At 6-foot-10, 246 pounds, Favors provides the size the Jazz desperately need. And it’s quite possible the lad isn’t done sprouting.

Before the season, Nets coach Avery Johnson told Chris Tomasson of Fan House that Favors is “going to be a star . . . We think we can get him about 10 to 15 more pounds, especially in his upper body and his butt. But we love him. We think he can shoot it, he’s athletic, he can play above the rim. He has a nice left-hand and right-hand jump hook. . . . . We think he has a huge upside.”

To get a better assessment, look at his only season at Georgia Tech. Typical of a freshman big man, Favors started slow last season. But over the last 11 games he averaged 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds and shot 64 percent from floor.

Even more impressive than those numbers, Favors averaged almost three blocked shots a game. He finished the season with 74 blocks, sixth highest in Georgia Tech history.
Let the smaller guys shoot the three-pointers. Give me big fellas down low.

While Favors is not a “can’t miss” prospect, the possibilities are intriguing. This much is a guarantee – if he were leaving college after his sophomore season, Favors would be the No. 1 pick.
If big men who are top draft picks pan out (see Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal), they can be franchise changers. If they don’t (see Greg Oden, Kwame Brown and Michael Olowokandi), they make team executives become job changers.

What a long, strange trip it should be.

2/22/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Feb. 21:

1. San Antonio
They went 6-3 on the rodeo trip with losses to Portland, Philadelphia and Chicago. Last week: 1.

3. Dallas
The numbers – the team went 2-7 without him – prove that Dirk Nowitzki is the league’s MVP. Last week: 3.

2. Boston
They limped into the All-Star at 3-3 in their last six games. Last week: 2.

4. Miami
No surprise here. The best record in the East at the All-Star break is what the world expected. Last week: 4.

5. Chicago
All you need to know about Derrick Rose – 42 points, eight assists and five rebounds against San Antonio. Last week: 5.

6. Orlando
Forget about battling Miami and Boston. They are fighting to hold off Atlanta for homecourt in the first round. Last week: 7.

7. Oklahoma City
Last year’s No. 8 see is poised to jump four spots in this season’s playoff seedings. Last week: 8.

8. Atlanta.
This is the only team with two all-stars that can’t be considered a serious contender. Last week: 9.

9. Lakers.
So much for superstar treatment. In last5 games, Kobe Bryant has scored only seven points from the free throw line. Last week: 6.

10. New Orleans
Jarrett Jack got arrested on charges of DUI over the break. Last week: 10.

11. Portland.
With Brandon Roy perpetually injured, this has become LaMarcus Aldridge’s Last week: 11.

12. Memphis
Losing Rudy Gay to a shoulder injury for a month is damaging. Even worse, O.J. Mayo returns from a 10-game suspension. Last week: 12.

13. Denver
Goodbye Carmelo Anthony and hello a bunch of players who will never be as good. Last week: 14.

14. New York
With Carmelo Anthony on board, will anybody play any defense? Last week: 15.

15. Utah
It’s conceivable the Corbin era could start 0-7. After the All-Star break, they play three road games (Dallas, Indiana, Detroit) and then are home against Boston. Last week: 13.

2/16/11

Here he is, smack dab in the middle of controversy, a dirty situation he vehemently denies igniting.

Deron Williams did not get Jerry Sloan fired, the Jazz point guard told 1320 KFAN two hours after the coaching giant resigned. Williams presents a strong case, saying the Sloan wouldn’t throw away 23 years because of an argument with his star player.

Point taken.

Besides his own statements, Williams also is backed by Jazz management and ownership. Both entities emphatically rejected any claims, of which there were several, that any player or Jazz official forced out Sloan.

In fact, it was just the opposite, they say. The bosses tried to get Sloan to stay.

Problem is, Williams’ hands are dirty. The question is, does he need to scrub those hands or just run under water?

As Williams said, it’s up to the individual.

“If they want to believe ESPN and all of these sources, then they can believe them,” he told reporters. “If they want to believe coach Sloan and Kevin O’Connor and Phil Johnson and me, then they can believe that.”

After due consideration, I choose to believe Williams. Only a fool would take on an institution the way some national media members say Williams did.

It’s silly to believe that he threatened not to leave the organization in the summer of 2012 if Sloan wasn’t booted. He can’t be that stupid.

The rationale thought process was the 68-year-old Sloan grew tired of dealing with the problems, the latest conflict with Williams serving merely as one of the reasons to quit. He no longer had enough energy to deal with the nonsense.

It all seemed to fit into place. Then Karl Malone came to town.

In an impassioned plea using his own unique language, Malone blasted any thought Sloan wasn’t right for the job. Without mentioning names, the greatest Jazzman of them all attacked any and all.

“They changed the floor back to old school; they changed the uniforms back to old school,” Malone said. “Somebody tell the damn players to play old school. It works, doesn’t it? They spent a lot of money on the rest. How about you tell the players?”

Clearly, the Hall of Fame power forward was taking aim at current Jazz players. And as always, as Malone knows better than anyone, it starts with the best player.

In a 20-minute press conference, Malone was irritated at all the whining. He rejected the criticism that Sloan didn’t fulfill all of his responsibilities.

“News flash: If you’re a professional, you don’t need me to break down film for you,” he said. “If you want to stop the guy you’re playing – you’re making millions of dollars – you get your TV and you break the film down yourself. You got to have guys that want to practice. You have to have guys that buy into your system. You got to have guys that take ownership and professionalism in their job. It is not their job to hand-feed these guys, and that’s part of the problem.”

Keep in mind, none of Malone’s statements directly link Williams as the reason Sloan quit. But the connection, however loose, is undeniable.

More than likely, Williams never thought any of his actions would lead to Sloan deciding to quit. If Williams knew the end result, he probably would have backed off on his criticisms.

But all is not lost. The best way for Williams to get past this is to play great basketball, acting as a team leader in all respects.

Nobody, including Williams, wanted Sloan to go out this way. But the legend stayed consistent, doing it his way.

Nothing that happened last week altered Sloan’s reputation. His legacy was cemented years ago. Now it’s time for Williams to determine his.

2/14/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Feb. 14:

1. San Antonio
Think Gregg Popovich isn’t thinking big picture? In last game against Washington, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili combined to play 20 minutes. Last week: 1.

2. Boston
Something to keep in mind when the Eastern Conference finals roll around: Celtics are 3-0 vs. Miami this season. Last week: 2.

3. Dallas
One-point loss at the buzzer at Denver is the only thing keeping them from a 12-game winning streak. Last week: 4.

4. Miami
Against the Celtics, Bulls, Spurs, Lakers and the Mavericks, they are 1-6 on the season. Last week: 3.

5. Chicago
Carlos Boozer on Derrick Rose: "He carries us offensively, and on the defensive end he locks up as well. He's a monster, man. And I keep telling people, when it's all said and done -- he's 22 -- he's going to be the best one." Last week: 5.

6. Lakers
Derek Fisher is shooting only 37 percent (13 of 35 this season). Last week: 6.

7. Orlando
The win over the Lakers snapped a streak of eight consecutive losses to teams with winning records. Last week: 8.

8. Oklahoma City
With only Sacramento on the schedule, they should go into the All-Star break with a four-game lead in the Northwest Division. Last week: 7.

9. Atlanta
The last two home games have resulted in losses to Charlotte and Philadelphia. They blew a 22-point lead against the Bobcats Last week: 9..

10. New Orleans
Since Jan. 29, they are 2-7, which includes a four-game losing streak. Last week: 10.

11. Portland
After losing three out of four games and looking left for dead, they have won their last four games. Last week: 14.

12. Memphis
After losing to the Jazz on Dec. 6, they were six games under .500. On Valentine’s Day they are four games above .500. Last week: 15.

13. Utah
Even if he didn’t force it, Deron Williams got what he wanted. Last week: 11.

14. Denver
Don’t blame Carmelo Anthony for the team losing three out of its last five games. In that span he is averaging 34.8 points Last week: 12.

15. New York
They needed a win over New Jersey without an injured Amare Stoudamire to avoid falling below .500 for the first time since Nov. 27. Last week: 13.

2/10/11

What’s the difference between coaching legends Jerry Sloan and Phil Jackson?

Some would say one was a hippie and the other a farmer. Others might go with the images of Hollywood and a small town.

Anything else that’s obvious? Oh yeah, one has won 11 championships and the other will never get one.

And so what?

As far as coaching ability, there’s no difference between the two. Both belong among the elite, even if Sloan never did enjoy the opportunity of winning his team’s last playoff game in any season.

In a monumental day – but also one that is extremely bittersweet - for the Jazz organization, Sloan announced his retirement Thursday, effective immediately. Just like that, nearly a quarter of a century’s worth of accomplishments has ended. And with it goes one of the greatest runs in coaching history at any level.

Along with Sloan, his longtime sidekick Phil Johnson has also quit. In true Jazz fashion, the Miller family quickly promoted assistant coach Ty Corbin.

Making their final public comments as Jazz coaches, the dynamic duo each expressed regret that they never won an NBA championship. Both said it in almost an apologetic tone, even though it wasn’t necessary.

Does anyone doubt that Sloan wouldn’t own enough rings for two hands if he had coached Jackson’s players? Not here.

By no means is this any attempt to demean Jackson’s accomplishments. He deserves every accolade that has come his way.

The point is, Sloan was a great head coach, much in the way Jackson has been. The difference is with the players.

The primary responsibility of an NBA coach is to put his team in the best position to win games. From there, it’s up to the players.

Jackson has put the Bulls and Lakers in the position to win a combined 11 championships. Sloan has done the same multiple times.

Different sets of teams delivered for Jackson, including twice against Sloan’s teams. When those players weren’t good enough, Jackson’s teams lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals or NBA Finals. In Sloan’s case, it’s more that the other team’s players were better than Sloan’s teams, as opposed to his players failing.

Keep in mind, this isn’t just some press row geek babbling on and on. Any doubter only needs to ask the litany of Sloan’s former players.

Take the most recent ex-player as an example. During his stay in Salt Lake City, former Jazzman Carlos Boozer spoke glowingly of playing for Sloan. Moments before the tipoff between the Bulls game with the Jazz, Boozer walked directly over to the Jazz bench to shake Sloan’s hand.

Boozer’s somewhat bitter tenure with the Jazz played no factor in his relationship with Sloan. And he’s not alone.

Maybe Sloan’s best attribute was his consistency. For better or worse, what you saw is what you got.

From the lowest media member to the biggest national hotshot, Sloan gave equal time. Instead of blowing off his obligations or copping an attitude after a tough loss, he rarely wavered.

That’s why it became news when Sloan didn’t report immediately to the podium after the Jazz suffered a bitter loss to the Bulls. Something was up, we all knew.
A day later, without much fanfare, Sloan made his resignation became official. More than an hour after the press conference ended, he accommodated every last interview.

Along the way, he thanked each person who caught his eye. Typical Sloan, far more comfortable being one of the guys than some celebrity.
To a Hall of Fame coach, we bid adieu. To Jerry, we say we’ll see you around.

2/9/11

Love him or hate him, Carlos Boozer triggers a wide spectrum of emotion among Jazz fans.
Starting with the negative, let’s examine why he became the most vilified player for the hometown team.

Injuries

In his six seasons with the Jazz, Boozer missed a total of 136 games with an assortment of ailments, some of which the fan base didn’t view as serious enough to swap a uniform for a suit.

For many, it seemed like Boozer used the slightest injury as an excuse to skip playing. It’s one thing to have a run of bad luck, but Boozer was often viewed as a wimp, unwilling to play unless he was 100 percent.

During his two seasons with Cleveland, as he was trying to make his mark as a second-round draft choice, Boozer missed only a total of seven games. With the big contract in hand, he had three seasons in which he didn’t play in 31, 49 and 45 games, respectively.

And who can forget the last regular-season game with the Jazz? As the team was battling to improve playoff seeding, Boozer sat out the home game against Phoenix, which the Jazz lost and forced them to face the Lakers in the second round.

Insensitivity

In the midst of another injury situation, Boozer lost his mind in December 2008, telling a reporter that he planned to opt out of his contract the following summer and get more money.

“I’m opting out,” he said. “No matter what, I’m going to get a raise regardless.”

Only family members could have interpreted his comments as anything but selfish and ill timed. Larry Miller called it among the 10 most stupid remarks he’d ever heard as his time as owner.

At that point, a good portion of the Jazz fandom wanted a divorce. As the nation’s economy continued to suffer, few could relate to another out-of-touch professional athlete swimming in cash.

Insincerity

His mouth moved, forming the words in perfect English, but somehow Boozer always seemed to speak in a foreign tongue.

Aside from John Stockton, who never revealed any true emotion during interviews, the fans want something from their heroes. Boozer never gave it to them, preferring to pretend that every day was sunny and 75 degrees even if storm clouds were rolling in above the horizon.

Suspicious Departure

Boozer left Cleveland in a rage of controversy, saying he never agreed to sign a contract with the Cavaliers. Management claimed otherwise.
Either way, somebody was lying. Public perception, which rarely sways an athlete’s way, pit a greedy player against a humble owner.

"In the final analysis, I decided to trust Carlos and show him the respect he asked for. He did not show that trust and respect in return. That's what happened," then-owner Gordon Gund wrote in an open letter.

Desperate to rebuild after the Stockton and Karl Malone era ended, the Jazz whipped out the checkbook and agreed to fork over $68 million. Boozer’s agent resigned during the controversy.

Following the Legend

Although it wasn’t directly, Boozer had the misfortune of following Malone as the team’s power forward.

Malone missed games to injury as often as Charlie Sheen turns down a good time. In 18 seasons, Malone skipped a total of nine games. Incredibly, he played in all 82 games in 10 seasons.

In his first two seasons, Boozer sat out a total of 80 games. In the end, all of Malone’s transgressions – ‘I’ll never wear a Jazz uniform again” was among his infamous statements – were forgiven. In the end, all of Boozer’s shortcomings were magnified.

Now, finally, here’s the love part of Boozer’s relationship with Jazz fans.

Productivity

Although he’ll never be as good, Boozer has been the best Jazz power forward since Malone retired.
For all his grit and determination, Paul Millsap is no Boozer. As much as he loves playing for the Jazz, Al Jefferson is no Boozer.
The numbers don’t lie, particularly for rebounding. Millsap nor Jefferson can match Boozer on the glass, a fact that has plagued the Jazz this season.

Summary

In short, the Jazz were right to let Boozer walk (letting go of Wesley Matthews and Kyle Korver is another story). For the aforementioned reasons, Boozer no longer was a good fit for the Jazz, even if his numbers had remained strong.

Boozer needed to go. In time, both sides will be better off.

2/7/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Feb. 7:

1. San Antonio
Three days off preceded a stretch of four games in five nights. But all of them are against Eastern Conference losers. Last week: 1.

2. Boston
Ray Allen is within three of the NBA record of 2,560 made 3-pointers held by Reggie Miller. Last week: 2.

3. Miami
LeBron James scored only 12 points in win over Clippers. Nothing unusual there. His career average against Los Angeles’ other team is 23.1 points a game, his lowest against any opponent.. Last week: 3.

4. Dallas
Dirk Nowitzki is shooting 62 percent of the last five games and the team has won its last eight games. Last week: 8.

5. Chicago
In the middle of a five-game road trip, they begin the week with the largest lead in any division. Last week: 4.

6. Lakers
The two-time defending champions, who play their next six on the road, are 1-5 against the four teams ahead of them. Last week: 5.

7. Oklahoma City
After Russell Westbrook went for 33 points and 10 points against them, the Jazz saw first-hand why he’s as good as any point guard in the league. Last week: 9.

8. Orlando
They have played all three Eastern Division leaders in the last 10 days and have lost all of them. Last week: 6.

9. Atlanta
They are still hanging around, beating the teams they are supposed to beat. Last week: 10.

10. New Orleans
Even though the bigger story is four losses in five games, it’s still worth noting that in a home loss to the Lakers they shot four free throws compared to 27 for the bad guys. Last week: 7.

11. Utah
They need to play every game with the attitude they showed after J.R. Smith cheap-shotted Raja Bell. Last week: 11.

12. Denver
What will this team look like in three weeks? Last week: 13..

13. New York
If a third team agrees to get involved in a bad trade, they will get Carmelo Anthony. Last week: 12.

14. Portland.
Oh what could have been? In his last five games, Wesley Matthews has 12 of 23 three-point shots. Last week: 14.

15. Memphis
Since O.J. Mayo got suspended for 10 games, they are 5-1, with the only loss coming in overtime at Houston. Last week: 15.

2/3/11

The selections to the NBA All-Star team will be announced Thursday.
Here are my selections.

East

1. LeBron James
2. Dwyane Wade
3. Paul Pierce
4. Rajon Rondo
5. Amare Stoudamire
6. Derrick Rose
7. Dwight Howard
8. Al Horford
9. Carlos Boozer
10. Joe Johnson
11. Kevin Garnett
12. Raymond Felton

West

1. Kevin Durant
2. Russell Westbrook
3. Deron Williams
4. Carmelo Anthony
5. LaMarcus Alridge
6. Pau Gasol
7. Kobe Bryant
8. Blake Griffin
9. Chris Paul
10. Dirk Nowitzki
11. Tony Parker
12. Manu Ginobili

It was actually hard to come enough worthy representatives for the East squad. At least three, and maybe four, players wouldn’t come close to making the West team.

As for the West, which we care about the most, it was hard to leave off Tim Duncan and Kevin Love, who is putting up huge numbers for an awful team. Blake Griffin is in a similar situation, but his team is improving and he’s simply too spectacular to omit.

Duncan’s statistics aren’t nearly as good as he’s had, but the Spurs are the league’s best team and his coach is keeping him rest for the playoffs. At least San Antonio is represented with two players.

2/2/11

The brilliance that Jazz management foresaw in Andrei Kirilenko years ago has manifest itself recently.
In the last three games, Kirilenko is averaging 18 points, 8.7 rebounds, five assists, 2.7 steals and 1.3 blocks. Shooting 45 percent from the field this season, his number is 63 percent over the last three games.
His impressive play begs the obvious question: Is Kirilenko’s production tied to the absence of Deron Williams?
After suffering a wrist injury in another home loss to San Antonio, Williams has missed the last three games. Coincidence or not, Kirilenko has put together a run the Jazz expected when they gave him a maximum contract.
It’s hard to believe that Kirilenko is a better player with Earl Watson at point guard rather than Williams. This isn’t the occasional baseball situation in which a pitcher prefers throwing to only a particular back-up catcher.
There’s a reason Williams is an NBA All-Star and an Olympic champion. And there’s a reason Watson is an NBA journeyman, playing for his sixth franchise – counting two separate stints with Seattle/Oklahoma City – in 11 years.
This isn’t to knock Watson, who has become one of the better reserve point guards the Jazz have employed in several years. To his credit, the former UCLA Bruin knows how to get the best out of Kirilenko.
“You get him going in transition, I think it makes the game a lot more consistent for him,” Watson said.
No matter who is directing the offense, the Jazz have to run in order for Kirilenko to be effective. In a stagnant, halfcourt offense, he solidifies his longstanding reputation as the franchise’s most overpaid player (and, yes, Greg Ostertag and Luther Wright are included in the equation).
With Williams sitting courtside, Kirilenko had his best game of the season last week against Minnesota. The lanky Russian stuffed the box score with 28 points, seven assists, six rebounds, five steals and one block in a game that stopped the Jazz’s six-game losing streak.
Playing a season-high 39 points, Watson dished off 13 assists in that game while posting his only double-double with 10 points.
In an interview on 1320 KFAN, the Jazz flagship station, Watson stated his preference to push the ball on all appropriate occasions. Unless the opponent’s center is stationed under the rim, Watson is looking to run.
Once Williams returns, he’s got to make the same commitment to the transition game. And it shouldn’t be a problem since he’s also indicated a desire to get up the floor quickly.
While not exactly Lennon and McCartney, the combination of Williams and Kirilenko can make sweet basketball music. Earlier this season, Kirilenko put together a streak in which he scored in double figures 14 out of 15 games. Not coincidentally, the Jazz went 13-2 during that time.
There’s no question the Jazz need consistent offensive production from Kirilenko, especially now that proven scorer Carlos Boozer has departed. No one can dispute that Boozer is a far superior consistent scorer than either Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap.
As crazy as it sounds, Kirilenko’s defense is often predicated by his offense. One shouldn’t be connected to the other, but that’s not reality.
For Kirilenko to fill up the box score, the far right category has to have a number high enough for his liking. When the points are there, the other numbers tend to follow. And so do the wins.

1/31/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Jan. 31:

1. San Antonio
Does the first team to 40 wins mean an NBA championship? It did the last time (2004-5) the Spurs got there first. And furthermore, of the previous seven teams to reach 40 wins in 47 games or fewer, six went on to win it all. Last week: 1.

2. Boston
The time to begin a second-half push has begun now that center Kendrick Perkins has returned to the lineup. Last week: 2.

3. Miami
With LeBron James and Chris Bosh trading time out with injuries, they went 2-4. With the Big Three intact again, they won at Oklahoma City. Last week: 5.

4. Chicago
Only a one-point loss to Charlotte stands in the way of a nine-game winning streak. But they start a five-game road trip that includes a game in Salt Lake City. Last week: 6.

5. Lakers
What, me worry? After losing to Boston at home, two days after doing the same to Sacramento, Phil Jackson said: "Is it the playoffs yet? No. We're still playing regular-season games. We'll get there in time." Last week: 3.

6. Orlando
It’s hard to take a team serious that lost at home to Detroit last week and is 1-4 against teams with winning records this month. Last week: 4.

7. New Orleans
Just when this team was about to make a serious leap into title contender, they follow a 10-game winning streak with losses to Sacramento and Phoenix. Last week: 7.

8. Dallas
They are 21-1 this season when scoring at least 100 points. Last week: 10.

9. Oklahoma City
The emergence of Russell Westbrook: In double overtime win over Washington he became just the 4th player in the last 25 seasons to record at least 35 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists in a single game. He is the only one of the four whose team went on to win the game. Last week: 8.

10. Atlanta
They play only one game against a team with a winning record until after the All-Star break. Last week: 9.

11. Utah
They’re only two games behind last season’s pace. Somehow, it doesn’t seem that way. Last week: 11.

12. New York
Who? In his first appearance since Jan. 9, Russian center Timofey Mozgov had career highs of 23 points and 14 rebounds in win over Detroit. Last week: 14.

13. Denver
Not sure if this is good news or bad news: Kenyon Martin does not play in back to back games. Last week: 12.

14. Portland
Light week turned into an awful week, with losses in both games to Sacramento and Boston at home. Last week: 13.

15. Memphis
Just as they reach .500, O.J. Mayo gets suspended for 10 games for testing positive for a banned substance, which he says came from a dreaded energy drink. Last week: NR.

1/25/11

Minutes after the Jazz got creamed in Boston, I tamed the urge to go crazy negative but still decided to tweet: “Fighting myself not to go to extremes after tonight's game.”

Within seconds, the fans reacted. Some of the responses include:

- pk on Monday I expect to hear a major rant.
- undeniably bad body language by the Jazz recently, don’t fight it PK!
- That’s what you do best, let ‘er fly. Oh I think you should just go ahead and do it!
- Maybe J-Slo has privately announced to the team his retirement next yr. Don't see much energy from him either.
- Sap & Dwill have seriously regressed. Time to make trades? Not really competitive with the good teams now.

Never question the passion in Jazz land.

Even as my original point is to preach patience, it’s hard to argue with the ticket buyers. Mired in a four-game losing streak, which includes three defeats to sub .500 teams, the Jazz don’t appear headed for good times this week, not with games against the Lakers in Los Angeles and at home less than 24 hours later with the league-leading San Antonio Spurs.

Since starting 15-5, the Jazz have gone 12-12. During that time they are 2-8 against teams with winning records.
Dark times, for sure.

“We just don’t have any confidence as a team right now, at either end of the court,” Deron Williams said before Monday’s practice.
Credit Williams for being honest. The first step toward recovery is admitting the problem.

However, it might behoove the team’s best player to tone down the negativity. As the team leader, Williams has to balance speaking his mind without burying his teammates.

So what now?

For starters, it’s still too early to wave the white flag. This is same group of players that started 7-3 against plus .500 teams.

For now, Jazz management needs resist the urge to make wholesale changes. Sweeping moves rarely lead to improvement.

Ask the Phoenix Suns and Pittsburgh Steelers about change for change sake.

Every two years, or so it seems, the Suns start over. The revolving door of players, except for Steve Nash, always has led back to the same place.

The Steelers, as coach Mike Tomlin points out, have followed the same blueprint for 30 years. And yet again, they are one win away from another Super Bowl championship.

With no sarcasm intended, there’s a reason the Jazz are the NBA’s best franchise never to win a championship. There’s not enough reason to divert from being the model of consistency.

This isn’t to say the Jazz need to stick with the same failing routine. Given the competition, even the most ardent Jazz fan can foresee a six-game losing streak. But if it stretches to seven or eight then it might be time to regroup.

Just as last week’s losses to New Jersey and Washington were unacceptable, the same can be said if the Jazz fall to Minnesota, Golden State or Charlotte in the next week. There’s no excuse for anything other than 3-0 against this group.

Before making any definite statements on this team, give it another week.

1/24/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Jan. 24:

1. San Antonio
They started a string of 12 out of 13 games on the road with a 24-point loss at New Orleans. Last week: 1.

2. Boston
One night after crushing the Jazz, they scored only 27 points in the second half in loss at Washington. It was the fewest they have scored in a second half since KG and Ray Allen joined the team. Last week: 2.

3. Lakers.
Kobe really does care. After the team’s big men played well in win over Denver, the league’s best player said: “It's important for me to keep my guys involved, and build their confidence. I know I can score at any moment or get looks at any moment.” Last week: 4.

4. Orlando
With Superman in the middle, it’s the offense that determines their success. They are 50-1 since the start of the 2008-09 season when shooting 50 percent or better. Last week: 5.

5. Miami
Scoreless in home games this season, which consisted of four games, Mike Miller went for 32 points to help his team break a four-game losing streak. Last week: 3

6. Chicago
In the 20 games since starting center Joakim Noah went down with a torn ligament in his right hand they have gone a respectable14-6. Last week: 6.

7. New Orleans
The team that allows the fewest points in the league held Atlanta and San Antonio to 59 and 72 points in consecutive games. Last week: 10.

8. Oklahoma City
Despite having missed 15 shots in the game, Kevin Durant still had the courage to take – and make – a game-winning three-pointer to beat the Knicks in the final second. Last week: 9.

9. Atlanta.
The Dubious Distinction Award: In the 100-59 home loss to New Orleans they became the fifth team to score fewer than 60 points and shoot under 30 percent from the field at home in the last 25 seasons and the first since the Heat in 2001. Last week: 7

10. Dallas
Since returning from a knee injury Dirk Nowitzki is shooting only 37 percent from the field.. Last week: 11.

11. Utah
Anybody think the losing streak stops at four when they play the Lakers on Tuesday? Didn’t think so. Last week: 8.

12. Denver
After scoring only 12 points in consecutive games, Carmelo Anthony has averaged 31 points in the last three games. Last week: 13.

13. Portland.
Marcus Camby, who had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, is the latest to go down, but they still have managed to win five consecutive games. Last week: 14

14. New York
Six-game losing streak includes home losses to sub .500 teams Sacramento and Phoenix. Last week: 12.

15. Nobody
Phoenix almost got to .500, which is a requirement to make the top 15, but they blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter to Detroit.

1/19/11

This time, don’t blame Gordon Hayward.

Sidelined with an illness, the rookie forward didn’t play in the Jazz’s embarrassing loss to Washington on Martin Luther King Day. Unlike earlier this season, when he failed to run through to the other side of the court in transition, Hayward couldn’t have been the target of the team leader’s wrath after the game.

“We don’t run hard. We don’t run through. We don’t execute. We don’t screen. We don’t’ know the plays,” said Deron Williams.

Although a day later he backed off those comments a bit, Williams still spoke from the heart, even if it was shrouded in frustration. It’s not all rosy in Jazz land.

Williams was miffed at some teammates.

Scanning the box score, it’s easy to eliminate potential offenders. Either some teammates played well or didn’t play enough minutes to make a difference. From there, it’s relatively easy to deduce at whom Williams was directing his anger.

What’s it all mean?

At least this time Williams didn’t flash his frustration in the moment, as he did in the Hayward situation. In that circumstance the veteran chastised the 20-year-old on the court, in front of 19,000 people.

Fortunately for the team, Hayward handled getting showed up publicly in stride. The episode quickly ended without further turmoil.

In the latest situation, Williams went after at least one veteran, and probably two. And if they are smart, they’ll take the comments to heart.

On this team, there’s only one general. The others fall in line from there, to varying degrees. Salary, in this case, makes no difference.

Rather than poison the team, this incident could serve as a motivation. After a completely unacceptable loss, which was Washington’s first win over a plus .500 team, something needed to be said. Credit Williams for having the courage to say it.

Too much is at stake for the Jazz to blow off the loss as just a game in an 82-game schedule. “One of those games” already has been played this season.
Aside from the surprising San Antonio Spurs, all Western Conference contenders have had periods of inconsistency. The No. 3 seed, which is a great spot for the first go around with this Jazz group, is there for the taking.

More than likely, the Washington loss won’t linger. Even as the Jazz haven’t been able to string together more than three consecutive wins since November, they also haven’t lost more than two games in a row all season.

For comparison sake, the Lakers have had losing streaks of four and three games this season. Having lost three consecutive games earlier this season, the Dallas Mavericks are mired in a six-game losing streak, with their next game against the Lakers.

San Antonio, which owns the league’s best record, had its first losing streak – road games on consecutive nights against New York and Boston – two weeks ago.
Another positive is the Jazz have displayed a great ability to shake off bad losses – not to say any are good – to lousy teams.

After starting the season 0-2, which included a home loss to Phoenix, the Jazz responded by crushing the Thunder in Oklahoma City. One night after losing to Golden State, they beat the Clippers in overtime.

In the best example, after losing by 29 points at New Orleans, the Jazz won the next night in Milwaukee. While this isn’t to say they will beat Boston on Friday, it does bode well for the games against Philadelphia and New Jersey.

1/18/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Jan. 18:
1. San Antonio
Only two more home games before they play 12 of the next 13 games on the road. But with an 8.5-game over Dallas, it may not matter. Last week: 3.

2. Boston
After missing nine games, Kevin Garnett returned in win over Orlando. Through all the injuries, they still have the best record in the East. Last week: 5.

3. Miami
So LeBron tweets about karma and the Cavs, and then he goes out with an ankle injury and his team loses three consecutive games. He didn’t win as the Nice Guy so why not try being the Villain? Last week: 1

4. Lakers.
They are only 6-5 against teams with winning records. Four of the next five games are against plus .500 teams.
Last week: 4.

5. Orlando
The nine-game consecutive win streak has given way to losing three out of their last four games. They are winless in last three games against teams with winning records. Last week: 2.

6. Chicago
With Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah both out injured, Derrick Rose responded with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in win over Memphis. Last week: 9.

7. Atlanta.
In Al Horford’s last five games, the center is averaging 17.8 points, 10 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 2.8 blocks. He swatted away seven shots in the win over Sacramento. Last week: 7

8. Utah
Deron Williams lashed out after the embarrassing loss at Washington. Since he’s usually cranky, we’re not sure if this really news or the same old stuff. Last week: 8.

9. Oklahoma City
Is it time to include Russell Westbrook into best point guard discussion? In his last five games he is averaging 24.8 points, 11.6 assists and 6.6 rebounds. Last week: 10.

10. New Orleans
In a quiet manner, they have gone 8-2 over their last 10 games and have won five straight. Last week: 12.

11. Dallas
Even Dirk Nowitzki didn’t help, as they lost both games since he’s come back. But defensive specialist Tyson Chandler missed both games with an illness. Last week: 6.

12. New York
Since reaching seven games over .500 for the second time this season, they responded by losing four of five games. First time they got there they lost three consecutive games.. Last week: 11.

13. Denver
The Carmelo Anthony saga could last right up until the trade deadline next month. Last week: 13.

14. Portland
Bring on the T-Wolves. LaMarcus Alridge had 37 points and 12 boards against Minnesota on MLK Day, running his season average to 34 and 11 against this putrid franchise. Last week: 14

15. Blake Griffin
No way the Clippers deserve this spot, but their rookie power forward is so darned fun to watch.

1/14/11

Answering the first question in his postgame remarks after the Jazz beat New York, an unprompted Jerry Sloan addressed the hot topic involving his team.

“Do I got to change starters now,” he said, drawing a slightly uncomfortable response from the assembled media.
No, coach, you don’t.

To circumvent the Jazz’s perpetual slow starts, there’s a line of thinking that Sloan should consider changing the starting lineup. One mere alteration would erase the problem.

Not likely. It just doesn’t make sense.

Unless the team slips into a serious funk, Sloan is right to stick with the usual starting five. They are the solution to the slow starts.
For the sake of argument, assume Sloan decided to make a change. Who’s it going to be?

Not even Deron Williams is immune from the possibility. Even the thought of messing with the NBA’s best point guard seems preposterous, but maybe the Jazz would benefit if Williams moved off the ball in favor of Earl Watson or Ronnie Price.

While the other two guards could provide an energy boost, it makes no sense to take the ball out of Williams’ hands.

What about making Watson or Price the off guard? The 6-foot-7 shooting guards around the league would smile.

Another possibility would be to start Gordon Hayward for either Raja Bell or Andrei Kirilenko. Don’t’ look for Sloan to do it.

Forget all the “growing up before our eyes” talk when Hayward had 17 points and six rebounds in 44 minutes during a win over the Clippers. It’s obvious all that was nothing more than rhetoric.

With Kirilenko back in the lineup, last June’s No. 9 pick is again regulated to spot duty. The majority of his minutes come in garbage time, usually when the Jazz are hopelessly behind.

If Sloan were to make a change, C.J. Miles is the best option. Although still only 23, Miles is in his sixth season and possesses the maturity to handle being a starter.

Exchanging Miles for Kirilenko is the most logical choice. Despite his erratic play the last several years, Kirilenko has proven that he can sit the first several minutes and still be effective.

If Kirilenko would embrace the role, which he has, he could be an outstanding momentum changer if the starters sleepwalk through another first quarter.

But Miles is too valuable too mess with. After teasing us for five years, he is beginning to show the consistency his team desperately needs.

When Miles scores at least 15 points this season, the Jazz are 12-1. Keep him in his familiar role and let him flourish.

With Mehmet Okur still working his way back to full strength, Sloan can fiddle with four big men. Anybody here think Paul Millsap or Al Jefferson should come off the bench? Didn’t think so.

Starting in place of an injured Millsap, Francisco Elson bombed in the home loss to Atlanta last week. Playing 18 minutes, Elson went scoreless and had one more rebound than a dead man. The first-year Jazzman has found a niche coming off the bench to provide occasional relief to Millsap or Jefferson.

No way Sloan would dare to start Kyrylo Fesenko other than in an emergency situation. . It’s best to close your eyes and hope for the best during his limited minutes.

Sloan is starting the right five players. This same unit, with Miles often substituting for Bell or Kirilenko, is largely responsible for all the impressive comebacks. The task is to wake up a little earlier.

1/11/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Jan. 10:

1. Miami
The Big Three combined for 96 of 107 points in overtime win at Portland. Elias reports the 89.7 percent of the total is the highest percent they have combined for this season. Last week: 2

2. Orlando
After losing eight of nine games, including the first two after two major trades, they have won nine consecutive games. Last week: 5.

3. San Antonio
They needed a late rally against Indiana in the fourth quarter to avoid going 0-3 on recent road trip. It was the fifth time this season they erased a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Last week: 1.

4. Lakers.
They held the Knicks to only 87 points in a game in which they got four technical fouls. “I think we can definitely win a championship with this type of defense,” said Phil Jackson. Last week: 9.

5. Boston
Starting in place of injured Kevin Garnett, Glenn Davis hasn’t been afraid to shoot. Not so much with rebounding. In the last five games he’s attempted 72 shots, but has totaled only 19 rebounds. Last week: 3.

6. Dallas

Team medical personnel told Dirk Nowitzki to stop after he experienced knee pain during a work out Thursday. They are 2-5 since Nowitzki got injured. Last week: 4.

7. Atlanta.
Since Joe Johnson returned from an elbow injury on Dec. 17, they have gone 9-3 and have won four consecutive games. Last week: 11

8. Utah
The time is now. The next 12 games include only four against teams with a winning record. Last week: 6.

9. Chicago
Carlos Boozer was benched for the entire fourth quarter in a two-point loss to lowly New Jersey. He then averaged 26 points and 11.5 rebounds the next two games. Last week: 7.

10. Oklahoma City
Tied with the Jazz for first place in the Northwest Division, they are 6-5 in their last 11 games. Last week: 8

11. New York
The 128 points they scored against San Antonio were the most since Tim Duncan joined the team in 1997. Last week: 10.

12. New Orleans
All you need to know – they got outscored 38-21 in the fourth quarter to lose at home against Golden State. Last week: 12.

13. Denver
Say goodbye to the guts have the team that reached the Western Conference two years ago. Hello rebuilding. Last week: 13

14. Portland.
In the last five games LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging 27.8 points and 11.6 rebounds. Last week: 14

15. Nobody
Memphis is getting close, but still nobody meets the required .500 record.

1/5/11

It’s all right there for the Jazz, the chance to take a quantum leap up the Western Conference standings.

As the halfway point of the NBA season approaches, the next few weeks has the potential to break right for the Jazz. As is the case all season, the Jazz need to win, but it could go beyond that.

Going into Wednesday night’s game with the Atlanta Hawks at EnergySolutions Arena, the Jazz sit in third place in the Western Conference, 5.5 games behind the Spurs. While closing the gap on San Antonio is not impossible over the next 46 games, it’s reasonable to conclude the Jazz won’t finish with the West’s best record.

But the No. 2 seed is well within reach, considering the circumstances.

Right behind San Antonio, the Dallas Mavericks have been the biggest pleasant surprise so far. But the great equalizer could work against Mark Cuban’s team.

The last two weeks injuries have hit Dallas hard, the most severe resulting in Caron Butler being lost for the season. The short-term has been even more damaging, as Mavericks try to cope without Dirk Nowitzki.

Without their MVP candidate, who is averaging 24.1 points and 7.4 rebounds a game, the Mavs are 2-3. It looks like Dallas is in no hurry to rush Nowitzki back from a sprained knee.

“When Dirk's ready to play, we'll let everybody know when he's ready to play," coach Rick Carlisle said. "In the meantime, he's making gradual progress, but that's going to be it. We're not going to have a daily Dirk update, Dirk watch."

It’s worth noting that Nowitzki said his knee had been bothering him for several games before he went out. At age 32, he may need to monitor the knee the rest of the season.

The Mavericks, who haven’t had much success in the playoffs in recent years, are not a contender without a healthy Nowitski.

In addition to challenging the Texas twosome, the Jazz face the difficult task of holding off the Lakers. The two-time defending champions are the league’s most baffling team.

Since Dec. 21, the Lakers have 2-3 at home, losing big to such mediocre teams as Milwaukee and Memphis.

After the Lakers lost to the Grizzlies, which had lost to the Jazz the night before, coach Phil Jackson let loose with a poignant comment.

“Kobe had to screw up the game and start energizing the team by going one-on-one; it takes the rest of guys out," Jackson said. "And as a consequence that didn't bring us back in."

Jackson later clarified to say he wasn’t individually criticizing Kobe Bryant, as opposed to identifying a team-wide problem. Other reports have surfaced about the Lakers have internal problems.

The latest is Jackson had a “loud confrontation” with Ron Artest. Whatever the case, the Lakers appear to be a mess.

Of course, none of this matters if the Jazz don’t win. And there certainly aren’t any guarantees.

Who knows about this team? Do all these close games mean they are great in the clutch or aren’t good enough to blow out lousy teams? The debate rages on.

To me, the evidence is clear. The Jazz are a team that can win close games but aren’t capable of consistently crushing opponents. And there’s nothing wrong with it.
Of course, the goal is to play well in all four quarters, but apparently that’s asking too much for this team. It’s better to start slow and progressively improve as the game moves into crunch time.

Taking the silver lining approach, this method of madness is better suited for success in the playoffs

1/3/11

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Jan. 3:

1. San Antonio

It’s time to start giving the team with the league’s best record its due. The 29-4 start is one of the 10 best in NBA history. Last week: 4.

2. Miami

The 10-game road winning streak is the first time in NBA history a team has won that many in a calendar month. Last week: 2
3. Boston

They can’t seem to get on the same page. Rajon Rondo returns from an injury two games after Kevin Garnett goes out. It adds up to going 2-3 in last five games. Last week: 1.

4. Dallas

Any doubt who is the NBA to this point? With Dirk Nowitzki injured, they have gone 1-3. Now comes word that Caron Butler may be lost for the season. Last week: 3.

5. Orlando
Stan Van Gundy believes the referees are picking on Dwight Howard, who has 12 technical fouls. He said: “Why he's been the guy to get all the technicals, I don't know. But there are a lot of guys around the league who are a lot harder on officials, yell at them, swear and everything else and get away with it." Last week: 7.

6. Utah

The Gordon Hayward Show is here to stay, even if his minutes come at the expense of one particular higher paid – make that, overpaid - veteran. Last week: 5.

7. Chicago

Coming of age in his third season, Derrick Rose is averaging 24 points and 8.6 assists a game. Last week: 9.

8. Oklahoma City

Kevin Durant was held to 16 points vs. San Antonio, the third time he’s been below 20 points this season. They have lost all three games. Last week: 10

9. Lakers.
What the heck is going on? They have lost 3 of their last 4 at home. Studio host James Worthy wonders if there’s a locker room cancer. Last week: 6.

10. New York

In last four games, which they have split, Raymond Felton is shooting only 33 percent with 13 assists and 11 turnovers. Last week: 8.

11. Atlanta.
Josh Smith is averaging 22.3 points and 9.7 rebounds over his last three games. Last week: 12

12. New Orleans

Chris Paul became the first player in six years to have at least six steals in consecutive games played on two consecutive days. Last week: 11.

13. Denver

Kenyon has returned to the lineup but is taking it slow. He’s not expected to play on the second night of back-to-back games. Last week: 13

14. Portland.
Rose Garden continues to smell sweet. They have won eight consecutive home games. Last week: 14

15. Nobody
Houston is getting close, but still nobody meets the required .500 record.

12/29/10

Until Jake Heaps started to find consistency against the likes of UNLV and Colorado State, his frame of positive reference was leading BYU's offense to a touchdown against Florida State and a field goal against TCU.

Suffice to say, the points of success were slim.

The same can be said for Gordon Hayward.

The lankly forward for the Jazz hasn't done much in his rookie season. In searching for bright spots, he can turn to the win over Minnesota in which scored five points in 12 minutes, including a three-point play in the final minute that put the game away.

Other than that game, he’s enjoyed a few fleeting moments during garbage times of lopsided games.

But all that can change in a hurry, starting on the two-game road trip with stops Los Angeles to play the Clippers followed by a rematch with Portland, which beat the Jazz on Monday. Hayward figures to get significant minutes because the Jazz will be without injured Andrei Kirilenko and possibly a sick C.J. Miles.

Even without the extenuating circumstances to his teammates, Hayward was in line to play more. Coach Jerry Sloan liked what he saw against Minnesota and followed it up by again playing Hayward all of the fourth quarter in Monday’s loss to Portland.

“He played well the other night and deserved to play more than I played him,” Sloan said.

Hayward admitted the time in the fourth quarter has provided a confidence boost. Now it's up to him to cash in permanently.

The grade for Hayward’s rookie season could be determined over the next week. If he plays well in Kirilenko’s absence, expect him to get consistent playing time.
This is actually Round 2 of Hayward’s audition. He started the first three games, averaging 20.3 minutes.

Playing a season-high 25 minutes in the second game, Hayward endured the embarrassment of Deron Williams screaming at him for being in the wrong place. His playing time then decreased in three consecutive games before being regulated to garbage time.

In Hayward's final 50 games as a rookie, don't expect much different from what he's shown if he doesn’t play well over the next two weeks. Unless the Jazz get buried by a barrage of injuries or one of the rotation regulars suddenly loses his skills, Hayward could be destined for spot duty.

If the rookie plays well, then Sloan owes it to the organization to increase Hayward’s time. But if Hayward struggles, then Sloan can’t afford to waste his time.
If the latter is the case, the question then becomes should the Jazz send him to the D-League. On one condition, the answer is yes.

Unless Hayward plays at least 10 minutes game in the big leagues, the Jazz should strongly consider sending him to the minors. As Rick Majerus used to say - actually, he probably still does, it's just that nobody cares anymore - no player gets better by sitting on the bench.

With only two years of college, Hayward needs to play. The more his only highlight of the night comes in pregame workouts, the more he loses his edge, along with confidence.
Simply watching the minutes tick away on the scoreboard clock is not the way to improve. Hayward can only observe so much before it begins to stunt his growth.

This is not to say the D-League is a solve-all. History has proven that D-League sensations don't usually translate (ie, Morris Almond).

As the Jazz continue to remain in contention for a top four position in the West, Sloan can’t afford to be patient with Hayward. More or less, the 20-year-old is basically an insurance policy.
Ideally, Sloan can spare at 10 minutes a game on the team’s highest draft pick since Williams. But if the roster is at full strength, Hayward may only get garbage time – or even worse, he and Jeremy Evans might rotate on the inactive list.

Either way, the verdict ought to be in soon.

12/27/10

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Dec. 27:

1. Boston - Christmas Day loss at Orlando snapped a 14-game winning streak, but another run of five consecutive wins in on tap until the next test Jan. 5 against San Antonio. Last week: 1.

2. Miami - Over the last 15 games, they have held each opponent under 100 points, allowing on average only 86.7 points. Last week: 2

3. Dallas - A six-day holiday break ought to refresh the legs of 30-somethings Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler. Last week: 3.

4. San Antonio - The league’s most underrated team has a big chance to send a strong message. Games this week are against the Lakers and Dallas. Last week: 4.

5. Utah - With 11 rebounds against Minnesota, Paul Millsap snapped a streak of 17 consecutive games without reaching at least 10 rebounds. Last week: 6.

6. Lakers - All of a sudden the offense stinks. The last two games, which were losses, they have scored only 79 and 80 points, respectively. Last week: 5.

7. Orlando - After beating San Antonio and Boston, they became only the second team in NBA history to snap back-to-back win streaks of at least 10 games, The 1996-97 Lakers snapped Phoenix’s 11-game win streak and Utah’s 15-game win streak Last week: 9.

8. New York - After opening the season 3-8, the Knicks have gone 15-4 over their last 19, averaging over 110 points per game. Last week: 7.

9. Chicago - Over his last five games Carlos Boozer is averaging 26.2 points and 11.2 rebounds. Last week: 8.

10. Oklahoma City - They have eight wins against teams over .500, tying the Jazz for the fourth-most in the NBA. Last week: 10.

11. New Orleans - They have gone more than one month since winning a road game. Last week: 12.

12. Atlanta - Joe Johnson is rounding into shape since returning from an injury that kept him out nine games. In his last two games he has averaged 23 points and five rebounds Last week: 13

13. Denver - A look into the future – they have lost the last two games without Carmelo Anthony, who left the team due to a death in the family. Last week: 11

14. Portland - Indicative of a team with a .500 record, they are 3-3 in their last six games.. Last week: 14

15. Nobody - Much like playing in a bowl game, no team gets in this prestigious poll without at least a .500 record

12/20/10

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Dec. 20:

1. Boston - Without a doubt they are the best “team.” Injuries to Rajon Rondo and two centers haven’t stopped the assembly line from continuing to produce. Last week: 1

2. Miami - LeBron James needs to take over more often. They are 6-2 when he scores at least 30 points. Last week: 3

3. Dallas - Dirk Nowitzki is 36 points short of matching Larry Bird's total of 21,791, which is 25th on the career list. Last week: 2.

4. San Antonio - After blowing out four teams, the last three wins have come by a total of nine points. Last week: 4.

5. Lakers - Look out for the two-time defending champion now that Andrew Bynum is back. The 7-footer returned during a 7-game road trip in which they went 6-1. Last week: 6.

6 Utah - With games against Cleveland and Minnesota this week, Jerry Sloan should come home having surpassed Pat Riley (1,210) for third on the career coaching list. Last week: 5.

7. New York - An eight-game winning streak was followed by three consecutive losses. They deserve to plunge in the rankings but the choices are slim. Last week: 7.

8. Chicago - They will miss Joakim Noah, who is out for 8-10 weeks with a thumb injury. In the first game without their best defensive post player, they lost at home to the Clippers. Last week: 8.

9. Orlando - Any team that actually believes Gilbert Arenas is part of the solution has more problems than it realizes. Last week: 9.

10. Oklahoma City - Maybe the kids need more time to grow up. That’s the only plausible explanation for losing at home to a short-handed Phoenix team that features two starters over 35. Last week: 10.

11. Denver - Since winning seven consecutive games, they have run in place by going 3-4. Last week: 12

12. New Orleans - Even with the impressive win over the Jazz, it’s hard to overlook that they are 4-6 this month. Last week: 13.

13. Atlanta - Joe Johnson’s return from injury should help a team that has lost 3 of its last 5 games. In his first two games back, Johnson has made 9 of 23 shots: Last week: 11

14. Portland - As Brandon Roy continues to go in and out of the lineup, Wesley Matthews continues to improve. Last week: 14

15. Phoenix - Robin Lopez and newly acquired Marcin Gortat provide the best center tandem this center-starved franchise has ever had. Last week: NR

12/17/10

Finished with the most favorable portion of their schedule, the Jazz begin a stretch that calls for six out of seven games on the road, including the next four.

The pre-Christmas trip has only two options – a four-game sweep or winning three out of four. Nothing else is acceptable.

Looking each of the four teams, the Jazz start the trip against New Orleans. The Hornets are a beatable team, their 11-1 start having given way to a 15-10 record.

Even though the Hornets are 10-3 at home, the Jazz have no reason to lose, especially considering they are coming off a three-day break.

In their last six home games, the Hornets are 3-3. The third win deserves an asterisk, as they needed to rally from a 23-point deficit to beat lowly Sacramento by three points.

The schedule-maker has given the Jazz a tough chore in game No. 2 on the trip. The 10-14 Milwaukee Bucks? Yes.

Owners of a five-game losing streak last month, the Bucks are better than their record indicates. Earlier this week Milwaukee went into Dallas and snapped the Mavericks’ 12-game winning streak.

On the next night down around San Antone’ the Spurs needed Manu Ginobili’s last-second shot to prevent Milwaukee from pulling off the upset.

Since returning from an injury that caused him to miss five games, Andrew Bogut has made Milwaukee a different team. The Bucks, who lost four of games that Bogut sat out, are 4-2 with him back.

Grossly under-utilized since entering the league in 2005, Bogut is quietly turning into a force in the NBA’s outpost. In his last five games, the former University of Utah standout is averaging 17.6 points, 13.4 rebounds and 4.4 blocks.

Fatigue may also work against the Jazz, who play Milwaukee on the second night of a back-to-back. The Bucks will have had three days off.

The final two games of the trip are nothing short of guaranteed wins. Cleveland and Minnesota are that bad.

Unless the Cavs manage a road win against Indiana, they likely will come into the game against the Jazz on a 10-game losing streak. Under new coach Byron Scott, Cleveland actually started the season at 5-5 before falling apart.

Minnesota is even worse, having lost 11 of its last 13 games. The only wins came against Detroit and Cleveland.

At least the Timberwolves have a marquee player in Kevin Love, who is featured in this week’s Sports Illustrated. In his third-year out of UCLA, the power forward has blossomed into a star, albeit on a losing team.

This non-leaper has become a rebounding machine. Love has had 12 consecutive games of at least 14 rebounds, and this doesn’t include the stunning 31-rebound, 31-point game he turned in against the Knicks last month.

Besides winning all four games, the biggest news to come out of this trip is Mehmet Okur’s return. The Big Turk, who says he’s 80 percent, could play for the first time since last season’s playoffs.

Okur’s return offers an ample dose of intrigue. A starter since joining the Jazz in 2004, he’s likely to come off the bench initially.

In any role, Okur will help the team’s frontcourt rotation. My guess is his days as a starter are over.

At age 31, Okur should be fine in his role as a significant bench player. It’s more about who plays at the end of the game, anyway.

12/16/10

As part of his Locked on Jazz blog, David Locke asked the 1320 KFAN staff and Jazz broadcasters to identify the team’s biggest concern.
For me, the answer is overwhelmingly obvious.

My biggest concern going forward is the team’s rebounding, particularly as it relates to allowing offensive rebounds.

In general, the Jazz haven’t proven to be a good rebounding team. Going into Friday night’s game, the Jazz rank 27th in the league in rebounding at 39.4 per game. The teams below the Jazz – Phoenix, Washington and Detroit – all are going nowhere this season.

As Pat Riley famously stated, no rebounds, no rings. The two things that will doom any team are points off of turnovers and second-chance points.
The most egregious example came early, when Golden State grabbed 21 offensive rebounds in an 85-78 win over the Jazz on Nov. 5. Even in victory on Monday, the Warriors outrebounded the Jazz 46-40, including an 18-10 advantage on the offensive glass.

In the two games against the Jazz, David Lee and Andris Biedrins combined for 59 rebounds, 26 of which were offensive. Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson combined for 42 rebounds, nine of which were offensive.

This isn’t to imply that rebounding is the only factor in a team’s success. After all, the league’s top-ranked rebounding team is Minnesota, which is years away from playing a meaningful game after Christmas.

But it’s clear poor rebounding has played a factor in some Jazz losses this season.

In a 94-82 loss to San Antonio on Nov. 19, the Spurs won the rebounding battle by 15 and enjoyed a 16-5 advantage on the offensive glass.

Miami also crushed the Jazz 42-28 in a win at EnergySolutions Arena last week. I find it alarming that no Jazz player has a rebounding average in double figures.

This season Jefferson has had six games in which he has recorded seven or fewer rebounds this season. At his position, the Jazz can’t afford Jefferson not to be a great rebounder.
By contrast, in 78 games last season Carlos Boozer only had 13 games in which he pulled down seven or fewer rebounds.

A three-time NCAA rebounding leader, Millsap hasn’t reached double figures in this category in 15 games. Boozer never went more than three games without at least 10 rebounds in his final season with the Jazz.

Putting aside any personal feelings, Boozer was the best rebounder the Jazz have had since Karl Malone went searching for an NBA championship with the Lakers. At least to this point, neither Millsap nor Jefferson are in Boozer’s class.

To combat the rebounding deficiency, the Jazz need to send at least three players to the boards, even if it curtails potential fast-break opportunities. It’s better to go with the set offense than to inbound the ball off the opponent’s second-chance basket.

12/13/10

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Dec. 13:

1. Boston - They are on a 10-game winning streak, during which they are shooting 51.7 percent from the floor and holding opponents to 41.2 percent. Last week: 1.

2. Dallas - With home games this week against Milwaukee, Portland and Phoenix, the winning streak should reach 15. Then comes a three-game road trip that includes Miami and Orlando – sound familiar? – on consecutive nights. Last week: 2.

3. Miami - During the eight-game winning streak, their average margin of victory has been 17.8 points. Dwyane Wade is averaging 26.6 points during the streak, while LeBron James is averaging 26 points. Last week: 6

4. San Antonio - The old man might last a little longer under Gregg Popovich’s plan. The 34-year-old Tim Duncan, who has played in 1,000 regular-season games, is averaging a career-low 28.8 minutes. Last week: 3.

5. Utah - In the last five games, in which they are 2-3, Deron Williams is averaging 25.2 points and 8.4 assists. Last week: 4.

6. Lakers - A 6-5 record over their last 11 games has Kobe Bryant miffed. "We have to muster up the energy and muster up the motivation to play every night," Bryant said. "I'm [annoyed] about it. We're not doing a good job of doing it.” Last week: 5.

7. New York - During the eight-game winning streak, Amar'e Stoudemire has scored at least 30 points in every game and is shooting almost 60 percent from the floor. Last week: 13.

8. Chicago - They are six games over .500 for the first time since finishing the 2006-07 season with a 49-33 record. Last week: 10.

9. Orlando - Hard to figure out these guys. After winning 9 of 10, they follow it with a four-game losing streak before beating the NBA’s ultimate slump buster, otherwise known as the Clippers. Last week: 7.

10. Oklahoma City - The current three-game winning streak should extend to seven, as the next four games are against teams with losing records. Last week: 9.

11. Atlanta - In his last five games, Al Horford 19.4 points and 10.8 rebounds: Last week: 12

12. Denver - As Carmelo Anthony continues to be coy about his future, reports are that he’ll only sign a contract extension if he’s traded to New York Last week: 8

13. New Orleans - Losers of 8 of 11, they shot just 14 percent from the floor in the first half and didn't make a field goal in a span that lasted 8:14 in Sunday’s 18-point loss to the 76ers. Last week: 11.

14. Portland - Same old stuff – Brandon Roy tweaked his knee early in Sunday’s loss to San Antonio and that it was "a little sore going" the rest of the way. Last week: 14

15. Indiana - Befitting a .500 team, they haven’t won more than two consecutive games all season. Last week: 15.

12/10/10

Through 23 games, the Jazz remain one of the NBA’s great mysteries.

Fresh off a four-game sweep of an Eastern Conference swing, the team was the talk of the league. One month later, the Jazz are left trying to explain horrible losses at home against San Antonio, Dallas and Miami.

Heavyweight or paper tiger?

As often is the case, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
For now, it’s reasonable to conclude the Jazz possess the capability to be great. The aforementioned road trip mixed in with a beat-down of the Lakers and a seven-game winning streak provides more than enough evidence.
But the bad offsets the good.

The good:
- Deron Williams, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson are the best threesome the Jazz have had since the NBA Finals teams of Karl Malone, John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek. The trio is combining to average 56.7 points, 21.3 rebounds and 14.1 assists a game.
- At 7-2, they are an excellent road team. The two losses are third fewest in the Western Conference behind San Antonio and Dallas, which each one tasted defeat away from home only once.
- Notwithstanding the 111 points Miami scored on Wednesday, the Jazz are much improved defensively. They are holding opponents to .a 432 field goal percentage, tied for second in the league with the Heat.
- They are unselfish. The average of 24 assists a game is second in the league.
The bad:
- Rebounding is a major issue, ranking 24th in the league. Allowing offensive rebounds has been particularly a problem. It’s disconcerting not to have a rebounder averaging in double figures.
- The bench is inconsistent, with only C.J. Miles as a proven commodity. And even he can be all over the map from game to game.
Has anybody seen Gordon Hayward lately? It’s about time he is spotted driving south on I-15, stopping in Orem to play in the D-League.
- Home is not sweet. The five losses at EnergySolutions Arena are two more than any division leader has. For comparison sake, Denver is 10-1 at the Pepsi Center.
- Susceptible to injury. With the starters playing big minutes, the chances of injury increase. And if Jerry Sloan is reluctant to play the reserves in big games, one injury to a starter could be catastrophic.

What does it all mean?

Taking a big picture approach, the Jazz have to be pleased to be 16-7 and in first place in the Northwest Division. With Portland’s annual injury issues, the Jazz and Oklahoma City are the two serious division contenders.

At this point, Denver also is in contention. But Carmelo Anthony’s stated desire to leave makes the Nuggets a huge question mark. The guess here is Denver will move Anthony closer to the trade deadline in February, thereby strengthening its position with any team offering draft picks. If the Nuggets wait to trade with New Jersey, it stands to reason that New Jersey’s draft position would be worse than if the trade is made now.

Right now, the best the Jazz could hope for is to finish fourth in the West, behind the Lakers, San Antonio and Dallas. Incorporating three new full-time starters, the No. 4 spot is a good position.

12/8/10

Who among us is a believer?

Ten days ago, the Miami Heat were a mess, ripe with the strife that accompanies overinflated expectations. Saddled with a 9-8 record, the primary focus centered on the fate of coach Erik Spoelstra.

The video of LeBron James bumping into Spoelstra during a timeout was replayed more than any of Michael Jordan’s game-winning shots. But apparently a face-to-face between the coach and South Beach’s favorite new import has worked wonders.

Since losing at Dallas on Nov. 27, the Heat have won five consecutive games.

"Our trust has gone a long way, it's come a long way in terms of just moving the ball and hitting the open guy and not worrying about anything else," said Spoelstra after the win over Milwaukee on Monday.

But a word to all the faithful, we need to see more evidence before believing. Any good team can work miracles against the likes of Washington, Detroit, Cleveland and the aforementioned Bucks. Miami has beaten only one winning team, Atlanta, during the streak.

Wednesday’s game against the Jazz in EnergySolutions Arena is a true indicator. If they beat one of the league’s better teams on the road, then praise be to the Heat.

Eventually the Heat will get there, but right now it’s too early to achieve lofty success. Dwyane Wade knows exactly why.

"Everyone talks about the Miami Heat, they're always comparing us to teams like Boston, Orlando, the Lakers, but those teams have been playing together for over 300 games,’ Wade said. We've played together, what, 20 something games? We've got a long way to go."

King James agrees.

"We've had times early in the season where we wasn't been able to right the ship right, and teams would make a run and we just couldn't get through that," James said. "But I think the early season trials and tribulations that we've been through just allowed us to calm down and worry about the next play.”

Until Mike Miller returns from an injury in the next several weeks, the Heat will be shy on scoring punch. At best, they can put only three scorers on the floor at once, which means the team needs to rely on defense.

On cue, defense has keyed the five-game winning streak. During the five games, the Heat are allowing 82.2 points per game, nearly 18 points less than in its previous 10 games.

The least of the Big Three also found a groove. Over his last 12 games, Chris Bosh is averaging 21.1 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 52 percent from the field. Over the first 10 games he averaged 14.5 points and six rebounds.

While most of the national focus is on Miami, the Jazz also have much to prove. As impressive as the four-game Eastern roadtrip was last month, the Jazz have suffered several embarrassing defeats.

At this point, trying to gauge this team is difficult. However, all those questions can be answered for the time being over the next three games.

Based on records and projections, the Jazz don’t face a tougher three-game stretch than they do starting with the Heat and continuing with Orlando and Dallas.

A sweep, even with two of the games at home, shows the Jazz belong among the most serious Western Conference contenders. The wrong kind of sweep raises more questions.

12/6/10

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Dec. 6:

1. Boston- Last month Joakim Noah called Kevin Garnett “mean” and ugly.” Garnett goes for 20 points and season-high 17 rebounds last week against the Bulls. Last week: 2.

2. Dallas - Riding a nine-game winning streak, next five games include only one – the Jazz – against a team with a winning record. Last week: 5.

3. San Antonio- Ten of their next 13 games are at home, where they are 9-2. Last week: 1.

4. Utah- Friday Night (high and low)Lights: Two embarrassing losses (San Antonio and Dallas) and best win (the Lakers) have come on Fridays. Last week: 3.

5. Lakers- After four consecutive losses, they blow out Sacramento. So what does it mean? "It's hard to judge," Phil Jackson said. "Have we broken free from the bonds that held us back, or did we just get a weak sister at this time of year?" Last week: 4.

6. Miami-Since The Man put the coach on notice, they have won four consecutive games. Now comes a four-game roadtrip, including Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena. Last week: 9

7. Orlando-Six-game winning streak comes to an end when Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson go down with the flu. Last week: 6.

8. Denver- A seven-game win streak has left George Karl one shy of 1,000 wins in his career. Last week: 13

9. Oklahoma City- Get a load of these numbers: In last five games, Russell Westbrook is averaging 25 points, 10 assists and 8.8 rebounds. Last week: 8.

10. Chicago- They are 1-2 since Carlos Boozer returned. His numbers increase dramatically in those games – 5, 12 and 25 points; 2, 2 and 9 rebounds. Last week: 10.

11. New Orleans- In first game after news broke that the league will assume control of the team, they lost by 25 points to San Antonio. Last week: 7.

12. Atlanta- With Joe Johnson out for 4 to 6 weeks with elbow injury, Maurice Evans (5 points a game) becomes a starter. Last week: Last week: 11

13. New York-They moved above .500 for the first time this late in the season since 2005. Overall, they’ve won 9 of 10, although only one (New Orleans) came against a team with a winning record. Last week: 15.

14. Phoenix- Alvin Gentry’s lineup change has made a difference. Since Hedo Turkoglu went to the bench, they are 3-1. Last week: NR

15. Indiana- They are averaging 6.71 blocks per game and are on pace for the highest average in the team's NBA history. Last week: 12.

12/3/10

To justify John Stockton’s place in history, Jazz partisans like to refer to Mr. Short Shorts as the best “pure” point guard in NBA history.

By adding the qualifier, it eliminates Magic Johnson from the discussion. Drives me nuts each time I hear it.

Ever the hypocrite, I’m going to use the phrase to state my case. Dirk Nowitzki is the best foreign player in NBA history.

But what about Hakeem Olajuwon, Steve Nash or Charles Barkley? OK, kidding about the last name.

Olajuwon, a two-time NBA champion, and Nash, a two-time MVP, are worthy candidates, except for the qualifier I’m using. By anointing Nowitzki as the greatest, I’m eliminating any player with U.S. college experience. The thinking here is Olajuwon, Nash and others had several years to get acclimated to the U.S. style of basketball.

My opinion, my rules.

The choice of Nowitzki, who leads the Dallas Mavericks into EnergySolutions Arena to play the Jazz on Friday, is clear. No player has ever done as much as him.

Since coming into the league in 1998, has career averages of 22.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists. The Germany native has played in nine All-Star games.

Since 2000-01, with Nowitzki in his second season as a starter, the Mavericks haven’t missed in the playoffs.

In other words, Dallas stunk before pulling off a heist to acquire smooth sharpshooter. On Draft night, the Mavericks took Michigan bulldozer Robert Traylor with the No. 6 pick and traded him to Milwaukee, which had selected Nowitzki at No. 9.

After struggling as a 20-year-old rookie, Nowitzki became a starter and averaged 17.5 points and 6.5 rebounds a game. By his third year, he began a string that will run to 11 consecutive seasons of scoring at least 20 points. During that time, Dallas has won at least 50 games every season.

The only knock on Nowitzki is he hasn’t led his team to an NBA championship. But that shortcoming doesn’t seem to matter as much anymore. Unless something changes, Nowitzki will an impressive list of championship-less players that include Barkley Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, Karl Malone and Nash.

As Kobe Bryant’s situation has proved, even the superstar needs a proper blend of role players and coach. Nowitzki isn’t solely – or even mostly – responsible for Dallas’ postseason failure.

In 2007, he became the first foreign-born player to be name league MVP. Unfortunately for him, after a season in which they won 67 games, the top-seeded Mavericks were bounced in the first round by the Golden State Warriors.

With Nowitzki as the all-foreign team’s anchor, my others for are forward Pau Gasol, center Arvydas Sabonis, guard Tony Parker and guard Drazen Petrovic.

12/1/10

The names roll off the assembly line – Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, Roy Hibbert.

Roy Hibbert? Come again.

Believe it.

Three years into his NBA career, the 7-foot-2 Hibbert is finally living up to the hype as the next great center to come out of Georgetown. His skills will be on display Wednesday when the Jazz entertain the Indiana Pacers at EnergySolutions Arena.

Drafted No. 17 by the Toronto Raptors in 2008, Hibbert was immediately part of a multi-player trade with the Pacers for Jemaine O’Neal. Through two seasons he posted a 9.5 points and 4.7 rebounds a game, numbers that still were good enough to indicate the Pacers fleeced the Raptors.

Still two weeks away from turning 24 years old, Hibbert might be typical of many big men who need a few years to mature. It certainly appears he’s making a strong case.

The New York City native has blossomed this season, averaging 16.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.13 blocks a game. Along with former New Mexico star Danny Granger, Hibbert is a primary reason the Pacers stand a great shot to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
“We can play with anybody," Hibbert said.

An outlandish statement? Over the long-term, maybe so, but the Pacers already have road victories against Miami and the Lakers.

Until this season, Hibbert seemed destined to a long career as an average NBA big man, which by virtue of the position is a valuable commodity. But now it looks like he’s in line to be an Eastern Conference all-star, backing up Dwight Howard.

In an era in which a true low-post big man is rare, Hibbert’s skills make him even more valuable than the numbers he posts. With health issues continuing to plague Yao Ming, Hibbert might be the second-best center behind Howard. Other possibilities include Chicago’s Joakim Noah and New Jersey’s Brook Lopez.

The new man began the season with a bang, totalling 28 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in the first game against Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs. One month later he set a standard for himself with 24 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in Indiana’s three-point win over the Lakers in Los Angeles.

Reporters at the game said Hibbert dominated L.A.’s seven-footer Pau Gasol, who many consider to be a top five NBA player.

“Roy had a great performance,” Granger said. “He was tough to handle down low. He was finding cutters and rebounding. A real good night for him.”

With Hibbert’s emergence, the Pacers actually could win the Eastern Conference’s Central Division. Chicago is the only other serious threat in the league’s weakest division.

His presence at the rim is a major reason why the Pacers are second in the league in field goal defense at .428 percent (going into Tuesday’s game at Sacramento). The Jazz lead the league in limiting opponents to shooting .423 percent.

For the Jazz to extend their winning streak to streak, Hibbert needs to be a major focus. A mere 6-foot-10, Al Jefferson will be giving away four inches. Look for Jerry Sloan to also throw his two 7-footers – Francisco Elson and Kyrylo Fesenko – at the game’s newest sensation.

11/29/10

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Nov. 29:

1. San Antonio - A 7-0 road record contributes to franchise-best 14-2 start. Erased a 17-point deficit at New Orleans on Sunday
2. Boston - Shaq still sticking it to Kobe: Of the Celtics, he said: "This is a great team. Best team I've been on. We've got a lot, a lot of weapons. Last week: 4
3. Utah - Since the overtime wins against the Clippers and Miami, they’ve allowed only one team (a loss to OKC on Nov .15) to score more than 100 points. Last week: 8
4. Lakers - Since the 8-0 start, they’ve gone 5-4. Pau Gasol is already gassed, waiting on Andrew Bynum’s return. Last week: 1
5. Dallas - Riding a five-game winning streak, including last three against OKC, San Antonio and Miami. Last week: 7
6. Orlando - Dwight Howard has six consecutive games of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. Last week: 5
7. New Orleans - An 8-0 start has given way to reality in the form of 4-4 in their last eight games. Last week: 3
8. Oklahoma City - Four home losses are the most of any Western Conference team with a winning record. Last week: 6
9. Miami - They are 2-7 against teams with a .500 record or better this season and have dropped four straight road games. Last week: 9
10. Chicago - Reports are that Carlos Boozer may begin practicing on Monday. Don’t get your hopes up, Bulls fans: Last week: 10
11. Atlanta - Josh Smith recorded his third triple-double against the Raptors, ranking him third in franchise history behind all-time greats Mookie Blaylock (6) and Doc Rivers (4). Last week: Last week: 11
12. Indiana - Time to start believing – went on the road and beat Miami and the Lakers. Last week: NR.
13. Denver - After scoring 30 points in win over Phoenix, J.R. Smith is still shooting only 36 percent from the floor. Last week: 14.
14. Portland - Even playing in front of star Kim Kardashian wasn’t enough to prevent them for losing in New Jersey, their third loss in a row. Last week: 12
15. New York - Four starters play at least 50 minutes in double overtime win over Detroit. Last week: NR.

11/26/10

Jazz vs Lakers, Top Five Material

With one being an automatic, if the other is in, then the Lakers have 40 percent of the NBA’s five best players.

Put aside any negative impressions, Kobe Bryant belongs on any all-NBA list. And his rightful spot is atop all those lists.

The debate centers on Pau Gasol.. Is this big man really among the league’s most elite players?

Many around these parts vote a resounding affirmative. But these same people are reluctant to anoint Bryant the game’s best player, calling into question their objectivity anything Kobe related.

The point is, promoting Gasol reduces Bryant. The problem is, it’s foolish to denigrate Bryant’s legacy; at worst he’s on track to be the game’s third best guard. (Note: I make no differentiation between a shooting guard and point guard. The truly great – ie, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson – can play multiple positions. Only height, not talent, limits them.)

Taking Bryant out of the equation, Gasol needs to stand on his own merits. And for me, he isn’t a top five player.

With Bryant entrenched as No. 1, the other four are Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki. As great as he is, Gasol is not better than any of the aforementioned players.

Starting with the Orlando Magic center, Gasol is not near the defensive force that Howard is. Taking into account Howard’s size and strength, nobody protects the rim better.
Given a choice, I’ll always sacrifice some offense – and in this case, horrendous free throw shooting – for a dominating defensive presence.

As the game’s best combination of size and skill, James is simply better than Gasol. James can take his talents to South Beach and anywhere else he wants. The only thing missing from the Cleveland heartbreaker’s resume is leading a team to a championship.

Nowitzki deserves the honor based on career achievement, along with the fact that he remains a great player. Individually, Nowitzki has done more than Gasol, and he’s not done.

Durant is a blossoming star, capable of becoming league MVP. The scary part is he’s only 22, potentially years away from his prime.

My all-NBA team also features a distinction that Gasol can’t match. Each player is the best on his team, an undisputed fact that Gasol can’t attain as long as Bryant remains a teammate.

The biggest knock against Gasol stems from his time with the Memphis Grizzlies. In seven seasons, the 7-footer is unquestionably the franchise’s best player, leading in games (471), total rebounds and total points.

In three of those seasons (2003-06), the Grizzlies made the only playoff appearances in Memphis history. But herein lies the problem – not only could Gasol not lead his team to a playoff series victory, the Grizzlies never won a playoff game.

If greatness is measured by championships, there’s got to be a knock for not being able to lead a team to one playoff game victory. Of course, there’s a certain amount of logic in arguing that Gasol has improved over the last several years, as has the quality of his new team.

All of this isn’t to suggest that Gasol is anything less than a spectacular player. By any measure, he is a star, an absolute lock to make the Hall of Fame.

No matter how great Bryant is, he was a playoff failure post-Shaq and pre-Gasol. Together, Gasol and Bryant have won two championships, with a third only a formality.

Gasol belongs among the game’s elite, just not in the top five.

11/24/10

D-Will or CP3 - The Choice is Clear

Such luminaries as Martell Webster, Charlie Villanueva and Marvin Williams are in this category. So is Ike Diogu.
All of the above are members of the 2005 NBA Draft. More specifically, they were selected in the top 10.

As much as that year’s draft was filled with a bunch of duds, 2005 was also known as the year of the point guard. Starting with the third pick, the Jazz chose Deron Williams, who was followed by Chris Paul and Raymond Felton.

While most teams were stuck with a lemon, the Jazz and New Orleans Hornets struck gold. Two stars, each capable of leading a franchise for a decade.

For five years the debate has raged on, D-Will or CP3? ESPN even got in the mix, running a sentence across the bottom of the screen that said “Chris Paul battles Deron Williams tonight,” referencing Wednesday night’s game between the Hornets and Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena.
As is often the case, geography determines the answer, or more accurately, allegiance.

Trying to look at it objectively, I’m sticking with my original thought process.

In June 2005, after the Jazz acquired Portland’s No.3 draft pick, I favored Williams. The choice was no knock on Paul, rather it’s simply a mathematical equation.
The numbers all pointed in Williams’ direction. At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Williams towered over the 6-foot, 175-pound Paul.

Five years later, nothing has changed.

While Paul is a dynamic player, at least as good or even arguably better than Williams, his small frame brings into question the injury factor.

In his first five seasons, Paul has yet to play in all 82 games. In three seasons, he has played in at least 78 games, a number that is more than adequate. But the other two seasons prove why Williams was the prudent choice.

Last season, Paul bottomed out with 45 games. In his second season, he played in 68 games.

As Carlos Boozer showed, and continues to show, a great player in sitting on the bench in street clothes does little in the way of contributing toward winning games. While has played brilliantly, averaging at least 21 points and 11 assists in two seasons, he’s more injury prone than Williams.

When their point guard is healthy, the Hornets are a great ballclub. Going into tonight’s game, Paul has played in all 13 games. Consequently, New Orleans is a stellar 11-2.
Even with new players added to the starting lineup, the Hornets go as Paul goes. Without Paul, New Orleans is not a playoff team.

The same can be said for Williams, who has proven to be a worthy successor to John Stockton. Without their point guard, the Jazz would be gearing up for the draft.

The case for Williams can simply center on the number of games played. Except for 2008-09 season, in which he played in 68 games, Williams has appeared in at least 76 games.

Even if Williams’ numbers were modest, anything is better than nothing.

Another reason to go with Williams is the grudge report. A moody sort, Williams uses any possible slight as motivation. In other words, the more you doubt, the better he tries to play.

Despite their friendship, Williams has a strong desire to play better than and beat Paul. Most likely, this motivation stems from the critics saying the Jazz drafted the wrong point guard.

While Paul flourished right from the start, Williams endured a rocky rookie season. As Paul posted All-Star numbers, Williams often enjoyed the games a few seats to the right of Jerry Sloan.

For all his confidence, Williams has big ears and remembers everything. He can cite chapter and verse from all the reports that said the Jazz made a mistake.

The only mistake lies in those reports. Fact is, the Jazz got this one right.

11/22/10

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Nov. 22:

1. Lakers - Only alarming statistic is they rank 19th in points allowed at 102.2.
2. San Antonio - Last year after 12 games: 6-6. This year after 12 games: 11-1.
3. New Orleans - Has allowed at least 100 points only once.
4. Boston - How valuable is Rajon Rondo? With point guard out injured, they lose to Toronto.
5. Orlando - The game’s most dominant defensive force in the middle anchors a defense that is first in points allowed at 90.3.
6. Oklahoma City - Who says this is a one-man team? With Kevin Durant out, they are 2-0.
7. Dallas - In an oddity, they are 4-1 on the road but only 4-3 at home.
8. Utah - So which team is it – the one that suffered a horrendous loss at home to San Antonio and the one that stormed back to win the next night in Portland?
9. Miami - Whatever depth they had suffers a major blow now that foot injury has sidelined Udonis Haslem for several weeks.
10. Chicago - Take your time Carlos – power forward Taj Gibson posts 17 points and a career-high 18 rebounds in win over Dallas.
11. Atlanta - In his last three games, Joe Johnson is shooting 34.2 percent from the field, 10 points below his career average.
12. Portland - Unless Brandon Roy can stay healthy, this team isn’t close to a serious contender.
13. Golden State - Typical of a perimeter shooting team – they are 2-5 on the road.
14. Denver - Chris Andersen’s return this week should bolster a defense that ranks 22nd..
15. Phoenix - With Steve Nash, they beat the Lakers and Nuggets on consecutive nights. Without him, they’ve been blown out in last three games.

11/2/10

PK’s NBA Top 15 for week of Nov. 1:

1. Lakers - No matter what any other team did in the offseason, there’s no reason to dethrone the two-time champions this early.
2. Boston - NBA’s best point guard? Rajon Rondo’s 24 assists make a strong case.
3. Portland - 3-1 leads to thought that this team may finally live up to expectations and talent..
4. Miami - 26-point win over rival Orlando showed that it’s time to get serious.
5. New Orleans - Hold off on reading too much into 3-0 start . They’ve done four times in last five years.
6. Atlanta - 3-0 start should run to 6-0, as the next three are against Cleveland, Detroit and Minnesota.
7. Orlando - What does Dwight Howard do all summer? 12 of 26 on free throws won’t cut it.
8. Denver - When does ‘Melo become a distraction?
9. Dallas - When will age take its toll on the starting backcourt of Jason Kidd (37) and Jason Terry (33).
10. Oklahoma City - Not Ready for Prime Time Players – see the stinker against the Jazz.
11. San Antonio - Future secure at point guard, as Tony Parker signs 4-year, $50 million deal.
12. Phoenix - Still fun to watch the old man run a team.
13. Chicago - Derrick Rose (averaging 33 points through two games) begins to dominate.
14. Indiana - Roy Hibbert (18 points, 10 rebounds, 2.7 blocks) is David Locke’s early favorite for Most Improved Player
15. Jazz - Expectations need to be high, as Thunder game proved.

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