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Are we going to be an "elite team" by Philbert Jackson's definition?

i am glad that Jeanie Buss's boytoy has something to say about the definition of an elite team.

and no, the Jazz is not an elite team yet.
 
2006/07 Jazz team reached 40 win mark before losing 20 games. They were 43-19 at one point of the season. I do not think they were legitimate contenders that year. The first time the team was able to get production from all of its cornerstone players and have the offense click in. Teams adjusted to Jazz. I do not buy that statement. Schedules might have a big role on this.
 
2006/07 Jazz team reached 40 win mark before losing 20 games. They were 43-19 at one point of the season. I do not think they were legitimate contenders that year. The first time the team was able to get production from all of its cornerstone players and have the offense click in. Teams adjusted to Jazz. I do not buy that statement. Schedules might have a big role on this.

That team did make the WCF. Sure, it was with a lot of luck - but the Western Finals are still the Western Finals. I think, had they drawn anyone else in the 3rd round not named the Spurs, they actually have a real good shot at winning the west that year.

So it's hard to say being three games away from the NBA Finals - and giving the Spurs a far better series than Cleveland did in that Finals - isn't 'elite'.
 
I think the best Jazz team of this era was '07-08, and they gave the Lakers a tougher series than most remember that yr. I don't think we won 40 before we lost 20...remember we started really bad and then made the Korver deal and got red hot. 54 wins tho was only good enough for the 5th seed that yr. Gut feeling? We'll be 39-19 and lose the next game ;)
 
That team did make the WCF. Sure, it was with a lot of luck - but the Western Finals are still the Western Finals. I think, had they drawn anyone else in the 3rd round not named the Spurs, they actually have a real good shot at winning the west that year.

So it's hard to say being three games away from the NBA Finals - and giving the Spurs a far better series than Cleveland did in that Finals - isn't 'elite'.

You might be right. I, actually, always believed that '07-08 Jazz were an improved version of that team and had much better chance to reach to Finals for a great Celtics/Pistons-Jazz matchup. Gasol trade caused a big change in power balances in Western Conference. I cannot blame the Jazz for not getting such a blockbuster trade done, btw. That trade was obviously a gift from Jerry West.
 
You might be right. I, actually, always believed that '07-08 Jazz were an improved version of that team and had much better chance to reach to Finals for a great Celtics/Pistons-Jazz matchup. Gasol trade caused a big change in power balances in Western Conference. I cannot blame the Jazz for not getting such a blockbuster trade done, btw. That trade was obviously a gift from Jerry West.

I agree. The '07-'08 Jazz were better, but faced an improved west that kind of balanced out the differences.

With that said, I was far more impressed with their playoff run in 2007 than a year later. They played Houston, who entered that series at full strength, far more impressively than a year later, when the Rockets were missing Yao.
 
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