Only John Thompson The Idiot worries aloud about how the Kings play from behind during the part of the game where the Kings are leading by thirty points.
I mean, I get what he's saying, but there's a TIME and PLACE for it. Leading by thirty points ain't the time, and Arco Arena ain't the place.
I was SUPPOSED to go in with some friends on Warriors tix for the Friday game with the Kings, but I haven't heard from anybody yet...
Is it just me, or have the Jazz done a horrible job of developing the future of their franchise? Take away Malone and Stockton, and who the hell do they have? Am I right? I haven't really seen the Jazz much this year.
I believe John Thompson is the announcer for the TBS/TNT broadcasts of NBA games. And the Jazz haven't done anything to build for the future after the departure of Malone/Stockton.
Yes, John Thompson is the TBS announcer and ex Georgetown coach, great great coach, don't like him as an announcer.
As for the Jazz, Karelinko is another one of those good foreign players that nobody knows about. Other than that there isn't much future. Donyell Marshall, averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds per game, is still only 28 so he has some years left, but once Stockton and Malone are gone, if these two guys are expected to put numbers like Malone and Stockton then the Jazz are in trouble. They were expecting for DeShawn Stevenson to be a key part of their future. Haven't seen much from him yet, but he's only 20. Also didn't they have another player they were trying to build the future around who had drug problems or problems with the law or something?
Stevenson himself was convicted on some sort of sexual assault charge... is that what you're thinking? Only other Jazz player I can remember getting into legal trouble is Olden Polynice. He is a repeat offender for the crime of impersonating a police officer... I'd imagine this is probably unique among pro athletes. He's old as dirt though.
On paper, the team is really not much worse than the one that went to the Finals twice. Malone and Stockton are simply not aging, and I see no reason why they should retire before, say, 2005. The surrounding talent used to be Hornacek, Russell, Ostertag, Eisley, and Shandon Anderson/Jacque Vaughn. Now it's Marshall, Kirilenko, Ostertag/Jarron Collins, Starks, and Stevenson. A slight dropoff, especially at backup point, but not really a drastic difference IMO. I think it's mostly a situation where they've done all they can to stay afloat (it's hard to improve when you have the #25 pick in the draft every year), while the teams against whom they're competing have gotten much, much better. Put the Jazz in the East, and I'd imagine they're still like a #5 seed.
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