The Hell with Texas—Now THIS is a Series
A few notes from Russ Bengtson on Warriors/Jazz—and a fantastic photo of Memo.
Utah plays in the “EnergySolutions Arena”? When did this happen?
Holy threes. Al Harrington and Memo Okur, wow.
Jerry Sloan and Don Nelson have more NBA coaching experience between them than every other coach in the NBA combined. (I just made that up, but it sounds believable, right?)
This game is absolutely insane in the first quarter. In. Sane. Whatever the Warriors have is obviously contagious, because there’s really no other way to explain the Jazz scoring 37 points in the first.
Also, welcome to the playoffs, Al Harrington.
Derek Fisher is unavailable due to family issues. Doubly weird since he was a Warrior last year. So Dee Brown actually gets some burn after playing all of three minutes in the first round.
Gordan Giricek is actually harassing Baron Davis quite successfully on the defensive end. Shocking.
I still don’t quite get why it’s a foul if you graze a shooter’s hand after the release. Shouldn’t there be some sort of common sense used there? I understand that you don’t want defenders to be given free rein to tackle a shooter as soon as the ball is released, but incidental contact? Let it go. Please?
Who’s the Warrior that Charles Barkley dunks on in that T-Mobile commercial? (You know, the good one.) All I can tell is that he’s number 21 and it must be some time in the mid to late ‘80s. For whatever reason I don’t have a Warriors media guide here, and it’s driving me insane.
Reggie Miller: “Most of these players on the Jazz are used to playing streetball.” Um, yeah.
OK, the Jazz are a LOT better than I thought they were. They could grind it out with the Rockets and—for a half, at least—they can run with the Warriors. Color me impressed.
AND STILL: The Jazz trail at the half for the first time in the playoffs.
Matt Barnes. Not good enough to stick with the Knicks (he played six games for them in ’05-06), but good enough to be a key component of the Warriors. And I won’t even get into the fact that the Knicks once fired Don Nelson. Although I suppose I just did.
Andris Biedrins. Does he put that stuff in his hair EVERY DAY? He needs to hit up some clubs with Kirilenko.
Gordan Giricek appears to be drinking Orangina on the sideline. Or an Orange Julius.
The Golden State Warriors are pretty much a perpetual scoring machine. I’m still startled that the Jazz can keep up—although they have a lot of three-point shooters as well. And even their bigs can run the floor.
It’s nice that TNT let Dick Stockton announce the game involving the team that his great-great-great-grandson used to lead.
Does Carlos Boozer have to re-shave his head between quarters? He should donate an eyebrow to Jeff Van Gundy for re-seeding purposes.
Golden State is over 100 with six and a half to go, and the Jazz are just a minute (and two points) behind. Pedal to the metal.
The Jazz took a tremendous punch from the Warriors and survived. Deron Williams and Baron Davis both had fantastic games, but it was Carlos Boozer who made the difference in the end, with 17 points and 20 rebounds.
Final score, 116-112 Jazz.
And speaking of pedal to the metal:
56 Responses to “The Hell with Texas—Now THIS is a Series”
May.8 at 1:55 am
1hush D says:
I am not gonna say it
May.8 at 1:56 am
bert says:
first!
May.8 at 2:00 am
1hush D says:
What I am going to say is…….Damn!……………..the award for cracker I most want to see bleed like Steve Nash is Matt Harpring. And, when you are that ugly, you must drive a flashy car. And, the award for most stupid comments in a playoff game, tying his own record, Reggie Miller. WHERE THE HELL IS MUSBURGER?
May.8 at 2:04 am
1hush D says:
SteJax could have gone “Artest” on us tonight. He was so close to losing it. Yet he kept it together when he could have destroyed that fan’s anti-SteJax sign. Live by the three, die by the three. Warriors take game two in Mormoinville.
May.8 at 2:06 am
ALX8725 says:
There was a point in the game when Reggie was talking about the Warriors surge, and he says “the Jazz must not be un-rattled!” I didn’t know that you can combine unraveled and rattled to produce: un-rattled! Even though the Jazz controlled the offensive boards, the game was still a toss up with a minute left in the game. What a series indeed.
May.8 at 2:08 am
The Latvian says:
Last two possessions were absolutely terrible for the Warriors… enough said.
May.8 at 2:09 am
Dennard says:
Yeah, I heard Reggie say “un-rattled” as well. He was saying stuff like that all night. Damn that was a good game.
May.8 at 2:10 am
Dennard says:
Russ on that Barkley commercial it looks like he dunked on Sleepy Floyd.
May.8 at 2:13 am
Co Co says:
Russ someone needs to do a live blog on Reggie Millerisms. It should consist of what he said, then it should translate to what he should have said. I think this is a great idea. I might just do it to humor myself.
May.8 at 2:15 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Dennard, you are correct, sir. That was actually the first person I thought of, yet I didn’t think to do a simple Google Image and Wikipedia search. So yes, thank you.
May.8 at 2:24 am
Drolfe says:
If they start letting those ‘accidental’ after the shot fouls go things could get ugly. Getting hit on the hand during your follow through a few times in a game totally messes up your stroke (replace ‘your’ with ‘my’). Here’s a fun tip: During pick up games, fly out at your man’s jumper and slap him hard in the hand after his release. Continue throughout the game. Observe ensuing hilarity.
May.8 at 2:27 am
1hush D says:
I’m with Mhemet Ogur…..I love go karts!
May.8 at 2:34 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Drolfe: Oh, I understand that. I just think it shouldn’t be so black-and-white. Sending a guy to the line for three free throws because his fingertips were grazed—I’m not saying slapped—on the follow-through seems kind of retarded. Because hell, if you’re gonna give up the free throws anyway, why not be sure to get in a good shot? (Yes, I’m still mad about the whole Hubert Davis thing.)
May.8 at 2:51 am
Drolfe says:
You’re right about the grazing. But in most cases, it’s not like the refs are seeing guys hands getting grazed, they blow the whistle because the shooter reacts like a deer that just go shot. I would like to think that if a ref just saw someone get grazed after a shot he wouldn’t make the call.
May.8 at 2:57 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Which leads back to the whole idea of refs being able to T guys up for flopping and generally acting like, um, soccer players. Of course that would mean training refs better, and probably raising the pay level to attract more people to the profession. You know, unless the NBA couldn’t afford it.
May.8 at 3:05 am
klobben says:
Well put Russ. We don’t want nba players to act like soccer players. Take that Lang. Soccer is gay and sucks
May.8 at 5:34 am
Jonathan says:
man, what would be even better would be a picture of memo trying to actually get his 6-11 frame into a car that is less than half his size!
1hush D - you are just jealous, after all have you seen his woman!
May.8 at 5:36 am
Nothin_personal says:
Try telling that to crazy Uruguanese centrebacks(i.e Paolo Montero), or to Erick Cantona for that matter. Be sure to have a bodyguard right next to you.
May.8 at 6:08 am
James says:
I honestly think that they should pay additional officials to just watch each player on the court, so they can catch them doing the underhanded shit to eachother, like the jazz with malone and stockton used to do. It would help with the really difficult calls, and they could overrule the officals on the court if they had a better sense of something. I remember doug collins saying he was just waiting for the day that all the jazz players missed their cue and would flop at the same time
May.8 at 7:57 am
shu says:
UTAH COVER! boy these 10:30 EST games are killin my sleep schedule. And I have a job that has nothing to do with hoops so it’s definately not an excuse. UTAHCOVER. This is the second game out of over 500 that I’ve seen the team not hit triple digits first and still pull off the victory. I have no idea why or how this works but I’ve noticed it in every freakin NBA game, even the ones that are in the 130’s. The other? 2005 finals game six, Pistons trail 99-100, but pull off a game seven. UTAHCOVER. Doesn’t AK drive a Porsche?
May.8 at 8:22 am
Tariq says:
Uruguanese?? Whatever Reggie has appears to be contagious! (I mean contractious)
May.8 at 8:40 am
Rod Strickland says:
Memo to Memo: You will have back problems getting in/out and driving that thing. And Jerry Sloan will kill you.
May.8 at 8:43 am
Tariq says:
If I had to say one thing about the Jazz, it would be “…they’re not the Atlanta Hawks!”. Whoo! Word to Lang.
May.8 at 9:03 am
StephenJacksonLovesOakland says:
Warriors need to rebound. Why wasn’t J-Rich given a clear path foul on the loose ball that Williams tried to save in the corner?
May.8 at 9:11 am
Ryan Jones says:
klobben: When you dis soccer, you insult not only Lang (and your own intelligence), but most of the SLAM staff. Just so you know.
May.8 at 9:24 am
Tariq says:
Ryan: You have my everlasting respect. Anyone who disses soccer should be kicked in the scrotum by the 1992 version of Ronald Koeman.
May.8 at 9:53 am
W. Mack says:
My thoughts on the game last night:
1. Reggie Miller is an idiot. He talked all night about how the Jazz dominated the Warriors on the offensive glass, blah blah blah. It looked pretty even to me (even though I’ve yet to look at the box score).
2. I used to respect Dick Stockton, if for nothing else, for him marrying the almost boneable Leslie Visser. This guy lost me a million times last night. There was a foul near the end of the game when both Baron Davis and Darrent Williams both had 5 fouls. Williams drove the lane and was fouled by Steven Jackson, but you could tell Stockton had loaded up his cannon to scream Baron Davis’s name….and he did. “BARON DAVIS!!!!” And then he humbly corrected himself. “Oh….umm..not Baron Davis. Stephen Jackson actually.”
3. I heard that streetball comment by Reggie as well. I wanted to choke him.
4. There was a play where Baron Davis got a foul called in his favor while shooting a 3. The foul was called late and if he was fouled, he was fouled by the guy’s breath. And Reggie waxed poetic about how it was a foul whether it was late or not. He even raised his pitch a few octaves to get his point across.
5. The fact that Jerry Sloan has never won a Coach of the Year award is a travesty, sham, and a mockery. A traveshamockery. And if I had to take any 100 year old white guy into an alley with me to fight a group of 20 or 30, Jerry Sloan would be that one. Listening to him in the press conference last night reminded me of a younger Bill Parcells. I like this guy.
May.8 at 9:53 am
1hush D says:
Johnathan, I would date the Ogur for the money he gives his hot girlfriend that I have not seen. But that doesn’t make him any less ugly. And what I am jealous about is their damn victory!
May.8 at 10:00 am
Ben says:
Hope he doesn´t ride it like the Undercover Brother: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62VmJReYNNI
May.8 at 10:18 am
Ryan Jones says:
Tariq: Ouch.
May.8 at 10:20 am
2G40 says:
If a guy grabs 20 rebounds in one game his name better be Wilt or Rodman…common GS boxout!
May.8 at 10:20 am
Jeronimo says:
Man, how can such big guys fit into a Ferrari? I mean, do they do customized Ferraris for them or something, or the 7-footers drive all squeezed?
May.8 at 10:38 am
Ben Osborne says:
What will it take for TNT to get rid of Stockton? I mean, are they TRYING to make otherwise compelling games less watchable? Lang/Scooter…what is the deal?!
May.8 at 11:17 am
Billy Blanks says:
Dick Stockton and Reggie Miller are the Mike and Mike in the morning of basketball commentary
May.8 at 11:23 am
Ronald says:
Utah did dominate on the offensive glass. I think. Boozer had like 10 O-boards. I think overall boards were like 50-30ish I noticed how everyone said that Utah couldn’t run a high octane offense. But isn’t that what Dee Brown and Deron Williams did in Illinois? And you know what they say about a Point Guard and Fast Breaking. You gotta love how that TrueHoop dude makes it sounds like Utah dominated. It seemed pretty close to me. Even though there was a rebounding differential.
May.8 at 12:32 pm
bootlace says:
Utah played as well as it could, got all the 50-50 calls, played at home, B Diddy chose to play one quarter, S Jax was off, and missed a WIDE open three that woulda won the game. GSW take game 2 and this ones over in 6.
May.8 at 12:41 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Not saying it’s gonna happen, but if Utah plays San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals, I won’t be mad AT ALL.
May.8 at 1:00 pm
W. Mack says:
Neither would I. Especially since I picked a DET/SA Finals with DET winning in 7.
May.8 at 1:05 pm
Kev says:
Miller and Stockton?
U guys are lucky. In Asia, if we are lucky enuff to get a game, we get a couple of Asian announcers, who look like they have not only no real basketball IQ to speak of, but also probably failed gym class (and for some reason are partial to gigolo suits). So the play-by-play goes something like “Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah STEVE NASHEE!! BOUNCE PASS!!! No halftime show, or post game stuff.
On 2nd thought, maybe it’s about the same.
May.8 at 1:05 pm
Shiz says:
That picture of Memo reminds me of Police Academy where HighTower has to rip out the front seat of that hatchback and sit in the back in order to fit…@ Billy Blanks: I loved you in The Last Boyscout and The King of the Kickboxers.
May.8 at 1:10 pm
derreck says:
Who’s sick of the Tyler Perry ads? This is worse then the “how the west was won” ads and the closer ads. Also who knew Kirlinko was still in League…I thought he Retired…
May.8 at 1:11 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I would totally rather hear two Asian announcers who know nothing about the game of basketball and even less about the English language than Reggie Miller and Dick Stockton.
May.8 at 1:32 pm
bootlace says:
Chinese commentators are the worst, they scream like a 6 year old kid who dropped his ice cream everytime Yao Ming does something stupid…which as you can imagine, is every 2 minutes.
May.8 at 1:33 pm
slate says:
Ithink Reggie learned HIS English from those Asian announcers.
May.8 at 1:50 pm
Max Airington says:
Reggie would be appraised by that remark. He’s an astout announcer.
May.8 at 2:00 pm
Tariq says:
Dick Stockton might not be the best announcer, but he’s at least borderline acceptable. Reggie is horrendiferously adysmal. And his malapropism isn’t even my biggest problem; it’s more his lack of charisma and/or insight. Maybe Kenny and Charles have spoiled me.
May.8 at 2:06 pm
k says:
the warriors are going to have the same problems the suns had the last 2 years in the playoffs… they run and gun but if a team can stick around with them they take too many quick shots at the end of games and cant get a stop… they were even up 9 against dallas with 3 minutes left in game 5 and blew it… they need to win by 15 or they will struggle to pull out the close ones
May.8 at 2:24 pm
Kene says:
“Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah STEVE NASHEE!! BOUNCE PASS!!!”….that killed me:D
May.8 at 3:31 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I’m pretty sure Dick Stockton died five or six years ago and just never told anyone.
May.8 at 3:41 pm
Dennard says:
Dick needs to stick to football. Basketball games, especially games where uptempo ball is being played are waaaaay too fast for Mr. Stockton. And can TNT stop torturing us, for the love of all that’s holy, no more Reggie Miller.
May.8 at 3:58 pm
Remy says:
does anyone else see the resemblance between Andrei Kirilenko and Geena Davis when she was old and rotting away in Beetlejuice??
May.8 at 4:33 pm
AdamOxford says:
Russ,
Laughed my ass off regarding the Boozer Brow comment: “He should donate an eyebrow to Jeff Van Gundy for re-seeding purposes.”
May.8 at 5:00 pm
TKam says:
After flying in to SLC from San Fran, I coudn’t get a ticket. I ended up wathing the game (with 150 Warrior Fans) at a nearby brewery. The bar had the local Jazz broadcast doing the game. From what I hear, Stockton & Miller were idiots. The local crew in SLC did a pretty decent job. If we live by the three we’re going to die by the three. The past ten champions were all defensive minded. I know Utah is defensive minded but it was scary watching them keep up with the Warriors. They outrebounded us by 17 with a smaller team. Harpring is strong! I couldn’t believe him pulling down that board with three Warriors jabbing at the ball. It hurts to say but I think the Jazz will win in 7. The three ball is fun but it will doom us in the end. Don Nelson has never won it. In fact, I don’t think he has ever been to the big dance. I did get tix for game 2 along with 1,000 Warrior Fans. Go Warriors!
May.9 at 12:41 am
john marzan says:
GSW #21 eric sleepy floyd.
May.9 at 12:56 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Matt Harpring played quarterback at Georgia Tech—getting hit is nothing new to him.
May.9 at 10:33 am
Sesa says:
That Reggie Miller comments is kinda degrading, as if all street ball players are all flash and no substance.