Playoff Open Thread-Game 1#: Warriors @ Jazz - This is Why I'm HOT!

Go Jazz.

A low scoring affair but one of our stars stepping up at the end.  

Go Ws!!

Summary: Warriors win 4-2
I see this series playing out very similarly to the last, despite the fact that the Jazz present a very difficult matchup problem in the form of Carlos Boozer. The Warriors simply have no answer for him and, as much as I LOVE Al Harrington and Matt Barnes, we simply must address the need for a bruising PF in the offseason in order to handle the Duncan, Boozer, Stoudemire, Nene type players we will continue to see in the Western Conference playoffs for the next several years (yeah, I said it, Warriors in the playoff for the next several years!). That said, Monta is WAY too quick for Fish and while Deron is potentially a young Baron, Baron is the MAN right now and Deron is NOT going to be able to contain him forever. The key to the whole series is Stephen Jackson who will be an absolute BEAST and will average 26-7-7. In the end, the Jazz will have no containment for Jack (either inside or out) and the penetration and kick for open 3's will ultimately bury the Jazz.

Game 1: Warriors 106, Jazz 98
The Jazz try to be physical and the first half is a fairly low scoring affair. In the second half the Warriors force the pace and share the ball. Williams gets caught up in the frenzy of the Warriors and Jerry Sloan gets a technical in the 3rd as the fouls pile up due to GSW early offense and Baron's continued forays into the lane. Boozer goes for 30.

Game 2: Jazz 91, Warriors 86
Utah plays punishing defense. AK-47 comes alive as he realizes that he is the only Jazz player able to disrupt the Warriors offense the way that the Warriors disrupt everyone else. His long arms in the lanes prevent the Warriors from running as much and his help defense on the interior proves too problematic for the Warriors to overcome in a must win for Utah. BTW, this game plants the seeds in Mully's head for a sign-and-trade deal this summer of Pietrus (with a new $7-8 million annual contract), Jasikevicius and POB for Kirilenko. This trade creates the Warriors lineup that wins the NBA title in 2008.

Game 3: Warriors 122, Jazz 98
Blow out. The crowd is hyped, the team is psyched, and the track shoes are in full effect as the Warriors run the Jazz out of the Oracle Arena in convincing fashion. Barnes goes berzerk from behind the line and Monta scores 25+, mainly on wicked crazy and-1's in the lane.

Game 4: Warriors 112, Jazz 106
A closer game as Sloan makes some adjustments, but the Warriors are just too hot in their own building and the fans continue to make life miserable for a team that relies on communication in the half-court set. This is Baron's signature game of the series as he really gets his body feeling right again and simply abuses Deron Williams all night long.

Game 5: Jazz 104, Warriors 101 (OT)
This is the last gasp for Utah. The pace of the game is in their favor as regulation ends tied at 93. Unfortunately, the Jazz have been pounding the ball inside all night and Biedrins and Harrington both foul out. In the extra period Boozer takes over scoring 9 of the Jazz 11 points including the layup and the foul (by Matt Barnes who is simply overmatched by Boozer's power in the post) that put the Jazz over the edge. Boozer again goes for 30+.

Game 6: Warriors 124, Jazz 109
Utah is completely spent. After fighting, scratching, clawing, biting, spitting and generally willing themselves to the win to stave off elimination in Game 5, the Jazz have nothing left in the tank. The Warriors run and then run and then run some more. Deron Williams finds himself alone on the break over and over again and while he puts up a valiant effort (registering a triple-double in the defeat) the Warriors, and specifically JRich who has 36 and is just unconscious from outside while throwing down not one but two of the sickest dunks ever seen in the playoffs, simply run away with this one to close out the series.

Let's go!

This is going to be an interesting, possibly great, series.  

Go dubs!!!

I don't wanna think it so, but BD and Barnes with their hamstring issues from Series 1...I hope that they can keep it up in the game, or have someone else take a leadership role on the team.

he needs to play good and get back his starting job

monta too

He is doing the NBA Series Blog. Dave Simon's updates were much better. Jeff Dengate is just watching this game at home.

The Jazz boo whenever Carlos 'Boo'zer scores, as well as when the opposing stars have the ball, or the refs give the Warriors dumb calls.

Jazz fans boo almost every call that goes against us. Some because they're bad calls, some because they don't help our cause. Yes, it's whining.

There are quite a few Island people (Tonga, Phillines) in Utah.

GO JAZZ!

LET'S GO WARRIORS!!!

Marv Albert: "I ain't trippin'!"

• Gotta guard Okur anywhere from the center of the court and leftwards when he's getting ready for a 3.  That's his preferred area, like we've said all along.
• MP's gotta take it strong to the basket instead of getting himself stuck with the corner 3.  He's not exactly one to shoot himself out of things like some of the other Dubs.

then reggie can talk about speed.

LETS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LETS GO WARRIORS!!!!

Rest assured we'll show up again in Game 2.  Great effort...just one shot short of the W.

jesus man make another move

The delay of game tech in the first half hurt too.  In that situation, Pietrus needs to be smarter than to hit the ball.

I'm not sure what the W's can do about the rebounding disadvantage because its going to be there the whole series, but then again, how many teams can get out-rebounded by nearly 20 and still have a shot to win the game in the final 20 seconds. If they can cut down on the turnovers, play Harrington a bit more and hope to get a few more boards, and they can win game 2.

Also, Utah can "hang" for one game, but can they hang for 7? They started to look tired in the 2nd half, so we'll see.

that fan with the we believe too sign and curtis borchardt (i think) with a matt barnes mohawk are the best example i can think of right now.

that was a tough game but if the dubs can find a way to rebound, which i think don nelson can do, they can pull out game 2

That half-court Baron post-up or just stand there like Patrick Ewing is killing us!  No movement away from the ball, terrible passes.  We need to distribute the rock and make more transition plays.  Props to Utah defense, but we can be scoring more on them.

I love Barnes, but man he can break your heart with some spastic errors.

But we're in this. This is a great series!  Can you imagine how boring a Houston-Dallas game would have been?  I have respect for Utah, but I am hoping this is where Golden State shows some serious heart and character.  I'm psyched for Harrington.  If he keeps showing up, Utah should be worried.

Second of all, they got killed on the boards tonight, and there is no easy fix for this.  Play Biedrins more?  Pietrus has to give them rebounds as well.  Jack only had 1 board.  Final tally:  54-36 Utah.  There's the game.