Reading Their Own Press Clippings?

[RonnieBrewer (Ronnie Brewer)]

Reading Their Own Press Clippings?
By  Travis Heath
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Nov 28, 2006, 00:28 

The Utah Jazz had been enjoying life as the comeback kids of the NBA's early
season. The Jazz overcame deficits of 21, 16, 16, and 15 prior to Saturday's
game in Oakland against the Golden State Warriors.

On one hand, this was an amazing series of events to watch unfold. It appeared
as though the Jazz were never out of a game no matter how far behind they fell
early.  This led to a supreme sense of confidence the team brought with them
every time they took the floor.

This had to be a good thing, right?

Well, it was the other edge of the sword which worried Jerry Sloan and his
assistants.  How long could the Jazz keep falling behind early and coming
back to win basketball games?

Apparently not too much longer as both Saturday's loss to the Warriors and
Monday's loss to the Orlando Magic proved rather definitively.

"We came out again a little bit flat," asserted Sloan after the game.

Unfortunately for Jazz fans, it looks like a pattern is developing which
involves complacent starts.

Another disconcerting development for the Jazz has been their inability to
take care of the basketball as well as their rebounding woes.  Yes, their
rebounding woes.  For a team that has been ordained as perhaps having the
best frontline in the Association in the early season by more than a few
media pundits, getting crushed on the offensive boards 15-5 as the Jazz did
Monday night is simply not acceptable.

"The offensive rebounds were embarrassing, the way they came flying around
and went after the basketball right under our feet, right around us," Sloan
explained.  "That's not what our fans deserve. I think they deserve a better
effort.  That doesn't mean we're going to win every game, but I think they
deserve a better effort."

What about the turnovers, coach?

"Huge number of turnovers -- 21 turnovers -- and a lot of them were unforced
turnovers," Sloan lamented after the loss.  "We just threw the ball away.
I think this team right now is not mentally in the game."

This begs the question: Has success gone to the collective head of the Jazz?

Has the team been reading too many of their own press clippings?

"They had some success, and you see that happen at times after a little
success," Sloan said.  "Then you have to regroup and start all over, and we
need to regroup and find out who we really are.  These things reveal a lot
of things to you as you move forward."

The Jazz will get their chance to move forward and prove who they really are
in less than 48 hours when the San Antonio Spurs travel to Salt Lake City.
If the Jazz can get back on track with a win against Tim Duncan and company,
all will be forgiven for this quick two game blip on the screen.  However, if
the Spurs come out on top Wednesday, the Jazz will take a three game losing
streak into Los Angeles to battle a 9-4 Lakers team that is 8-1 at Staples
Center so far this season.

Oh, and by the way, the Northwest Division rival Denver Nuggets have won five
in a row and eight of nine and are just two and a half games back of the
Jazz.  All of this despite the best start in the history of the franchise.

The NBA has a cruel way of bringing even the most talented and cohesive clubs
back down to reality, but two games does not a season make.

So has this Jazz team been seduced into believing they are better than they
might actually be?

We should know a lot more by week's end.


http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_19635.shtml

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