Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Jazz Predictions

Yes the regular season is still a couple of weeks away, but the preseason is upon us and before you know it the Jazz will be playing their first real game. Time for some predictions!

Record: 62-20.
What!? you may say. Many predict the Jazz won't do so well, especially after a quiet offseason. But they already made the move they needed to make last season: trade for Kyle Korver. Remember the Jazz had the best record in 2008 and project Korver's Jazz over a full season and you arrive at 62-20. Plus the team won't have another dreadful December like last year.

Leading Scorer: Carlos Boozer 24 ppg
Assists leader: Deron Williams 11.3 apg
Rebounds leader: Carlos Boozer 11 rpg
Blocks leader: Andrei Kirilenko 1.2 bpg
Steals leader: Ronnie Brewer 1.3 spg
3 Point accuracy: Kyle Korver 44%
Free throw accuracy: Kyle Korver 91%

Projected starting lineup:
PG Deron Williams
SG Ronnie Brewer
SF CJ Miles
PF Carlos Boozer
C Mehmet Okur

Bench:
F Andrei Kirilenko
F Paul Millsap
SG Kyle Korver
PG Ronnie Price
F Matt Harpring
C Jarron Collins
PG Brevin Knight

C Kyrylo Fesenko
C Kousta Koufos
SG Morris Almond


Top 6 scorers:
Boozer, Williams, Okur, Korver, Kirilenko, Brewer

Really the only thing the Jazz lack is a dominant defender in the post. They have everything else.

Prediction: Utah Jazz 2008-2009 World Champions (if they play defense this year)

The sky is the limit with one of the best young players in the league in Deron Williams at the helm. They have 7 players who can drop 20 points: Boozer, Williams, Korver, Okur, Brewer, Harpring, Millsap. I believe they are the best offensive team in the NBA, the big question this year and what will determine how far they go is how much defense they are willing to play.

This is the deepest Jazz team ever. I don't know how they are going to find minutes for everyone. Harpring being hurt will help give more people minutes at SF/SG. This might be the deepest team in the NBA.

Jeff Hornacek said that this team is much deeper and dangerous and versatile than the 1997 and 1998 Utah Jazz.

There are good vibes coming from the players right now. Ronnie Price is saying he's never seen a team so focused on the same goal. Kirilenko is excited about leading the 2nd team as the 6th man. Williams continues to develop at an astounding pace. All the players are in top shape even Okur. They don't have a negative deterrent at the start of the season unlike last year when Kirilenko wanted to leave. The sky is the limit this year.

The bigger the better the Jazz!

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