5 Free Agents the Utah Jazz Must Avoid
Okay, we know, Salt Lake City possesses neither the Hollywood glamour of a Los Angeles nor the breezy beaches of a Miami, but they still have the cap space to lure in a free agent looking to make an easy pay day.
A job in Utah as a professional basketball player is rather easy at this point. Utah is lottery team lacking a clear direction, so the bar is already set rather low.
That being said, they don’t exactly want to fall victim for reactionary hype that often exists in free agent classes. Before signing a free agent, they need to ensure they are the real deal rather than settling for whoever is hot at the moment.
The best examples of this phenomenon are the streakiest of shooters—the sixth man who is either all the way on or all the way useless.
So keeping that in mind, whom exactly should the Jazz avoid signing this offseason?
View full post on Bleacher Report – NBA
Grizzlies end Jazz playoff hopes with 86-70 win (Yahoo! Sports)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis’ Zach Randolph helped end the postseason hopes of the Utah Jazz.
View full post on Yahoo! Sports – NBA News
Lakers Clinch Playoff Berth Following Jazz Loss
After 82 games of grueling anticipation, the Los Angeles Lakers have finally clinched a berth in the 2012-13 NBA postseason.
The Lakers didn’t need to play a minute of basketball to make it in, as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Utah Jazz by a score of 86-70. With the loss, Utah was officially eliminated from postseason contention.
Accompanying Utah’s devastating defeat was an overwhelming high as the Lakers snuck into the playoffs.
The Jazz were in position to prevent the Lakers from making the postseason for just the second time since 1994. Unfortunately, the Jazz were unable to capitalize on that opportunity as they fell apart during the third period of play.
Despite trailing just 40-38 at halftime, Utah’s momentum was cut short when it scored a mere 13 points during the third quarter.
Al Jefferson did all he could to keep the Jazz in it, tallying 22 points and 16 rebounds against All-Star center Marc Gasol. Unfortunately, the rest of the starting lineup combined for 30 points on 10-of-37 shooting from the floor.
That was an ill-timed effort on a night in which Utah’s season was on the line.
The Lakers, on the other hand, can let out a big, collective sigh of relief.
L.A. has been on a turbulent ride, playing under three head coaches and failing to permanently move above .500 until Mar. 8. Since Jan. 23, however, the Lakers are 27-12 and beginning to look like a playoff team.
Unfortunately, they’re also preparing for their first Kobe Bryant-less postseason since 1996.
The Lakers play the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night in a game that will decide their postseason seeding. If they win, they move ahead of Houston and into seventh to set up a first-round clash with the San Antonio Spurs.
If L.A. loses, it’ll remain in eighth and face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round of play.
Regardless of whom they play, the Lakers have made an improbable run from below .500 to the postseason just a month and a half later. How far they will go is unclear, but one thing is undeniable.
The L.A. Lakers have made the run to the postseason that few believed they could after their early-season woes.
Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – NBA
NBA Playoff Scenarios for the Jazz and Lakers on the Final Night of the Season
For the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers, the season is now on the edge of a knife. Depending on what happens Wednesday, either team can have its season end, and only one of the two can make the playoffs.
Right now most of Utah and California is laser focused on the bottom of the Western Conference playoff standings, which are:
7. Houston Rockets
8. Los Angeles Lakers
9. Utah Jazz
The Lakers are currently occupying the eighth and final playoff slot. Any team that finishes the season below eighth place will be watching the postseason from the couch.
The Utah Jazz (44-38) play the Memphis Grizzlies (55-26) on Wednesday night, and immediately following that game, the Los Angeles Lakers (44-37) play the Houston Rockets (45-36). Wednesday night will determine everything, but not just for two teams. Three teams will be affected by Wednesday.
There are four different possible scenarios that could surface on Thursday morning.
Scenario 1: Jazz beat Memphis, Lakers lose to Houston
If the Jazz beat the Grizzlies and the Lakers lose to the Rockets, then the Jazz would snatch the 8th spot, the Rockets would remain in the 7th spot and the Lakers would miss the playoffs.
Scenario 2: Jazz lose to Memphis, Lakers lose to Houston
If the Utah Jazz lose to the Grizzlies and the Lakers lose to the Rockets, then the Rockets would remain in the 7th seed, the Lakers would still be the eighth seed and the Jazz would miss the playoffs.
Scenario 3: Jazz beat Memphis, Lakers beat Houston
If the Jazz beat the Grizzlies and the Lakers beat the Rockets, then the Lakers would steal the seventh seed, the Rockets would fall to the eighth slot and the Jazz would miss the playoffs.
Scenario 4: Jazz lose to Memphis, Lakers beat Houston
If the Jazz lose to the Grizzlies, and the Lakers beat the Rockets, then the Lakers would capture the seventh seed, the Rockets would fall to the eighth seed and the Jazz once again would miss the playoffs.
Whichever team secures the eighth spot will play the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round, and whichever team is in the seventh spot will start the playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs.
In short, if the Jazz win their game in Memphis, they still need the Lakers to lose to Houston in order to make the playoffs. If the Jazz lose to Memphis, then both the Lakers and Rockets make the playoffs no matter what happens. If the Lakers can beat Houston, then the Lakers capture the seventh seed and the Rockets drop to the eighth seed.
The two games will be aired back-to-back on ESPN; this is without a doubt the most important night of the season for both of these clubs.
The stage is set—who has what it takes?
Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – NBA
Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers still fighting to stay alive.
Heading into the final day of the NBA’s regular season, both the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers are still facing elimination from the post-season.
The scenarios that can play out are as follows.
Please click here to read this story.
The post Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers still fighting to stay alive. appeared first on Players View.
View full post on Yardbarker: NBA
How the Utah Jazz Could Beat the Memphis Grizzlies and Secure a Playoff Spot
There’s one game left in the season for both the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers, and the fight for the final spot in the Western Conference playoff race is going down to the final game of the regular season.
The Jazz’s final game is against the Memphis Grizzlies, a team that they’ve lost to in two of three regular season meetings so far. Since they own the tiebreaker against the Lakers, they will have to hope that they lose to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday as well.
In order for the Jazz to secure the eighth seed, they will need to play a near-perfect ballgame to defeat one of the best teams in the Western Conference and hope the Lakers stumble to a loss.
View full post on Bleacher Report – NBA
Jazz beat T’Wolves, stay with Lakers in playoff race
Al Jefferson helps Utah stave off elimination for final postseason spot.
View full post on USATODAY.com Feed
Jazz beat Wolves to keep playoff hopes alive (Yahoo! Sports)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Utah Jazz have been playing with a win-or-go-home desperation for the last three weeks. And it’s all come down to one last game.
View full post on Yahoo! Sports – NBA News
Jefferson’s 40 lift Jazz over Wolves, 107-100 (Yahoo! Sports)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Al Jefferson took it upon himself to make sure the Utah Jazz didn’t lose ground in the playoff race.
View full post on Yahoo! Sports – NBA News
Jazz home finale could be farewell for 9 players (Yahoo! Sports)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — More than the playoffs are on the line in Utah’s regular-season home finale Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
View full post on Yahoo! Sports – NBA News
