Utah Jazz vs GS Warriors: Game 2 prediction

Written by Alleks

Thursday, 10 May 2007

Utah Jazz vs Golden State Warriors (1-0)

Press clippings:

By Tim Kawakami on ContraCostaTimes.Net:
"Utah coach Jerry Sloan spent Monday morning declaring that his bigger, brawnier team would be cooked if it played at the Warriors' pace, and maybe he was telling the truth."

By Tim Buckley (Deseret Morning News)

The Jazz still didn't know Tuesday if starting shooting guard Derek Fisher would be available for tonight's playoff game against Golden State.

"I'll just wait and see when he gets here," coach Jerry Sloan said.

Fisher has missed two morning shootarounds and Monday's Game 1 of Utah's second-round postseason series due to an undisclosed family matter involving one of his children.

Carlos Boozer ready to rebound against Warriors "Derek is a huge part of our team," teammate Andrei Kirilenko said Tuesday, "but, you know, things happen in the world. ... We understand that."

Besides altering their rotation and working in Brown, Williams suggested, the Jazz didn't change strategy because of Fisher's absence from Monday's 116-112 win.

"We just tried to attack the same way," Williams said. "When a guy goes out for whatever reason — he's injured, personal reasons, whatever — guys have to be ready to step up. And guys were ready (Monday) night."

Jerry Sloan isn't Mr. Transition. But since he took over the Jazz nearly two decades back, he's told his players to look for the break first. There are times during games when he takes on the appearance of a third-base coach waving runners home. After so many defensive rebounds, he flails his arms, urging his players to move the ball up the court.

"If the other team doesn't set up quickly, we're running for a layup," he said. "We'll get the ball up the floor, I've always wanted that. If the layup isn't there, we bring it back out and run the offense, because we haven't had a lot of one-on-one players here."

By Gordon Monson (Tribune Columnist)

I like to get out and run," Deron Williams said on Tuesday, less than 12 hours after he put 31 points and eight assists on the Lamborghinis. "We like to run, but we don't like to take quick shots. We just play basketball. We push the ball, and if we don't have anything good, we pull it back out and run the offense. There's nothing tricky about it, nothing hidden."

Kirilenko also said the Jazz often find themselves in a vast comfort zone against teams - such as Phoenix and Golden State - that run and run and run. Other teams cause them to be anxious and jumpy.

By Charles Barkley (TNT)

"The stuff (the Warriors) employed against (first-round opponent) Dallas they can't do against Utah," analyst Charles Barkley said on-air. "Baron Davis won't be able to bully Deron Williams like he did with (Mavericks) Devin Harris and Jason Terry. ... Utah is a deeper team and I think they have more offensive weapons. ... I think Utah is going to win this series, and as the series progresses their depth and Carlos Boozer are going to wear (Golden State) down."

Added studio partner Kenny Smith: "For Golden State to win, they have to come up with Plan B. Plan A of running them out of the gym, opening the floor and penetrating — that doesn't work against them. I believe Utah is the better team and they will advance, but (the series) will go a long way."

By Tim Roberts (Covers)

Utah’s ability to keep up with the Warriors in the opener seems to have turned a few heads, especially since it was the second-straight head-to-head meeting in which the two teams combined for 228 points.

Sportsbooks have adjusted accordingly, but Jones wonders if it’s not too much of an adjustment.

“There was a 72-point first quarter, but the remaining three quarters averaged 52 points per,” Jones says. “So for the last three quarters of the game, after they’d settled down, it played at the 207-point pace they’d set. (The Game 2 opening total) could be a little bit of an overreaction.”

Betonbasket.com analysis:

Public expect Utah to play lower tempo but have you ever tried to stop a train? The same story here. You simply can't stop Warriors if they don't want to play low tempo game with you. Sure I have read many Sloan quotes about playing slower basketball but let's be honest this Utah is not a Malone & Stockton team anymore. They have many shooters and many defenders in the roster and the most important they have good bench which can outscore Warriors bench. Many punters looks at regular season games which ended with average total of 197 points.. but stop.. with these Warriors roster and healthy Baron Utah played only 2 games so far and average total of those games was 228 points. But that's not because good percentage that's all about tempo.. In first 3 games these teams did 218.5 attacks per game (FG att + FT att /2 + TO) but after trade with Indiana they played 2 games and did 252.5 attacks per game.. Do you feel the difference? Utah is not a transition defence team like Spurs is.. during a season they showed that they can score a lot of points if opponent force them to attack.. and against Warriors they have one advantage...

Utah managed to win playoff game in this tempo because of main basketball rule who wins rebound battle - wins a game. In Game 1 Utah overrevbounded Warriors 54-36 and I doubt that this picture will change today. Utah is stronger phisically and they have more weight, height and defending ability under the basket. I think that Utah have enough power to limit some of the Warriors in the scoring but they have too much offensive talant to start playing with Warriors like the Spurs do.. With Mavs Warriors had matchup advantage but with Jazz they are relying mostly on tempo.. while Utah will rely on tempo, size and home court

Betonbasket.com prediction: Jazz 112 - 107 Warriors