7StraightIsGreat
Well-Known Member
I'm certainly rooting for Utah to win every single game, but I believe that making the playoffs in someway continues a "culture of winning" is pretty much BS. I would almost bet the house that the Spurs sweep Utah should the Jazz get in. Is that really going to instill confidence into our younger players? Is D-Favors going to come out of a 4 game series more mentally strong after the Spurs front court abuses him? Hell, one could argue that a bad series against the Spurs does way more harm than good. Not to mention that it's also costing you a 1st round draft pick.
I would change my opinion if I thought the Jazz could be competitive in a 1st round series and push it 6 or even 7 games. I think then the young players would actually be gaining some positive experience. I just don't see that happening. A series with the Spurs would end in 4 games and I don't see the Jazz coming within 20 pts of the Spurs in any of those contests unless the Spurs get bored.
My best case scenario is that Utah finishes off the season playing well and just misses the playoffs. That way, they can be trending in the right directions, players can keep some confidence intact (without San Antonio blowing it up) and Utah retains their 1st round pick process. It would allow the Jazz to finish the season with a winning taste in their mouths, players can feel like Ty Corbin is leading them in the right direction and the whole orginization can turn it into a moral victory. The offseason rallying cry could then be something along the lines of: In the last half of the season, we lost the winningest coach in franchise history, traded away arguably the best PG in the NBA, suffered through a major rash of injuries and roster turnover and yet still almost made the playoffs.
I would change my opinion if I thought the Jazz could be competitive in a 1st round series and push it 6 or even 7 games. I think then the young players would actually be gaining some positive experience. I just don't see that happening. A series with the Spurs would end in 4 games and I don't see the Jazz coming within 20 pts of the Spurs in any of those contests unless the Spurs get bored.
My best case scenario is that Utah finishes off the season playing well and just misses the playoffs. That way, they can be trending in the right directions, players can keep some confidence intact (without San Antonio blowing it up) and Utah retains their 1st round pick process. It would allow the Jazz to finish the season with a winning taste in their mouths, players can feel like Ty Corbin is leading them in the right direction and the whole orginization can turn it into a moral victory. The offseason rallying cry could then be something along the lines of: In the last half of the season, we lost the winningest coach in franchise history, traded away arguably the best PG in the NBA, suffered through a major rash of injuries and roster turnover and yet still almost made the playoffs.