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Indiana Pacers (6-10) @ Utah Jazz (10-7)
Notes:
-The Jazz are up to 11 players... barring issues before the game today.
---> This is with the return of AK and, for the first time this season, CJ.
-The Jazz have won 3 straight games and 6 of 7.
-The Pacers, meanwhile, have lost 3 straight... and given up 110+ points in each one.
---> This is their 3rd game in a 4-game Western Conference road swing.
-While the Jazz still have some injury concerns, the Pacers have a much different concern.
---> It's known as "Who the heck do we start?"
---> Yeah... no real injuries for them right now. Lucky.
-The Pacers started the season 5-3, and are 1-7 since. Yikes.
---> During the relatively hot start, they gave up under 98 ppg.
---> Since that, they've given up 108 ppg.
-The Jazz are going to be wearing throwback green unis.
---> Hopefully the next thing is a move from the mountains back to the music note J.
-There are some limits for the Pacers (self-imposed)... Dunleavy has 20 minutes, and Hansbrough has 16.
-There was a game last year where Okur went off for 43 on the Pacers. Seriously. 43. It'd be nice if he could get half of that (well, rounded up or down) tonight.
-The last time the Jazz played a game, Kosta Koufos was 11 years old.
Jerry Sloan, in case you missed it, has agreed to another 1 year contract extension that'll leave him as coach next year. It's kinda sad how this is going to keep happening provided the Jazz look semi-competent out there, and the next time they spend a half-season looking horrible, he just going to call it quits. Anyhow, if you didn't see this coming, you're blind. By the way, I don't know how much credit he deserves for Booze finally starting to play like he should be playing every game, but I'm guessing he's getting more credit from the Jazz brass than I would give him. (I know... I know... there isn't a better option out there for the Jazz. Just like there wasn't a better option for the injury-decimated Spurs than Bob Hill. And like there wasn't a better option for the Pistons than Rick Carlisle. Whatever... just because there isn't a clear "better option," doesn't mean the guy you have is going to lead your team to a NBA Finals win.)
Matt Harpring, meanwhile, is not coming back this season. And maybe not ever, unless he decides to pull a MJ/Brett Favre. Like the slow thing... if you didn't see this coming, you're blind. His toughness will probably be missed. His constant missed shots, blown defensive coverages on teams that were trying to run and the many "he used to play football" references... not so much.
Remember, before the season, how there was talk of the Bulls potentially trading the Jazz Tyrus Thomas & Jerome James' expiring contract for Booze (I think it was rumored in a 3-way with Portland)? Yeah... didn't happen (thankfully). Since then, Tyrus Thomas got hurt lifting weights or something. And now there's rumors of the Bulls & Knicks considering a Tyrus/James for Al Harrington deal. Nothing against Harrington, but he's no Booze. Oh, also... as a Jazz fan, I really hope this deal happens.
I wonder how KOC & slow are going to feel... seeing Roy Hibbert & Tyler Hansbrough wearing blue (or whatever the Pacers are wearing) and not green tonight. I'm sure there'll some tears shed at some point... probably after the game. Because during the game would just be awkward. Maybe evena Koufos & Fesenko for Hansbrough & Hibbert trade offer, with Harpring's contract or Brewer or CJ tossed in to sweeten the pot. They also have likely DNP-CD Luther Head, who was Deron William's teammate at Illinois.
The aforementioned Pacers "who the heck do we start?" rotation just adds to the confusion. Roy Hibbert has been in and out of the starting line-up, and is back in right now, with Jeff Foster moving to the bench. Dahntay Jones, meanwhile, is back in as well, with youngster Brandon Rush heading to the bench. There's an interesting dilemma at PG, where TJ Ford & Earl Watson are combining to average under 6 assists/game. What they do have, though, is high-volume shooter Danny Granger.
With the Harpring saga ending, that leaves our wing rotation a bit cle... nah, never mind. It's still a mess. Brewer. Korver (when he comes back). CJ. Matthews. AK. Deron (when using the Deron/E3 back-court). What happens? Do the Jazz trade one of them (CJ, Korver, Brewer, or AK in a highly unlikely move)? Release Matthews before his contract becomes guaranteed? Or just stick it out & hope none of them pout over losing minutes that they believe they should have?
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