Jazz Re-Sign Fesenko

After all the waiting it's over the Jazz have officially signed Fesenko.

"SALT LAKE CITY (September 27, 2010) – Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has re-signed restricted free-agent center Kyrylo Fesenko.  Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

A three-year NBA veteran, Fesenko (7-1, 300, Ukraine) appeared in 49 games (5 starts) for the Jazz in 2009-10, averaging 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.3 minutes.  He also appeared in all 10 Jazz playoff games (nine starts), averaging 3.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.50 blocks in 18.0 minutes.  Fesenko scored in double figures three times on the season, and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in Game 4 of the Conference Semifinals vs. the L.A. Lakers.  Originally selected by Philadelphia in the second round (38th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft, the Jazz acquired Fesenko’s rights in a draft-night deal that sent the draft rights to Herbert Hill (55th overall pick) to the 76ers.  Fesenko has appeared in a total of 79 regular season games (all with the Jazz) and owns career averages of 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.0 minutes per game."

All in a days work for the Jazz. Can't wait for some more interviews by Fesenko.


~Jazz4thewin

Possible trade including Kirilenko

Yes you read that right Kirilenko is part of trade talks including Denver, Bobcats, and the Nets.
 Under the trade proposal, the Nuggets would receive rookie power forward Derrick Favors, the third pick in the 2010 draft, Utah’s Andrei Kirilenko, who has an expiring contract, and two future first-round picks from the Nets. The picks include New Jersey’s 2011 first-rounder and the 2012 pick the Nets own from the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors’ pick would include some kind of a lottery protection.
The Nets would also send Harris to the Bobcats, who would move forward Boris Diaw to the Jazz. Nets guard Quinton Ross also would be sent to the Nuggets.

I don't know how this is going to work out. I hope it doesn't.


~Jazz4thewin

Jazz to sign guard Earl Watson

 Looks like the jazz are getting a possible new backup for Deron. From SpearsNBAYahoo  on twitter.

"Vet guard Earl Watson has committed to sign a guaranteed deal with Utah Jazz, Y! Sports has learned. Terms still being discussed."

Earl Watson usually plays the point guard position. He was waived the Thunder in July 2009 and would later sign with the Pacers. He moved ahead of T.J. Ford as the starting point guard for the Pacers. He is 31 years old and graduated from UCLA. He actually played along side Baron Davis back in 2000-2001 season.
Earl is 6′ 1″ and weighs in at 195 lbs. Last year he averaged 7.8 points per game, 5.1 assists, and shot about 43% in about 29 minutes per game. So he could provide some minutes for Deron and is more of a traditional PG than Ronnie Price. So depending on matchups he could the first backup behind D-Will. I wonder what this means for Sundiata Gaines. Although he could move over to the SG postition he is a little undersized at 6-1.
I'll have more on this as it comes.



~Jazz4thewin

It's offical Jazz sign Francico Elson

 I found this in my email inbox today:

JAZZ SIGNS FRANCISCO ELSONCenter spent 2009-10 campaign with Milwaukee and Philadelphia

SALT LAKE CITY (September 15, 2010) - Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor announced today that the team has signed free-agent center Francisco Elson. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

Elson (7-0, 240) owns career averages of 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds over seven NBA seasons with Denver, San Antonio, Seattle, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Elson has also appeared in 30 playoff games (10 starts), averaging 2.9 points and 2.8 rebounds. Elson's best statistical season came in 2006-07 with San Antonio when he appeared in 70 games (41 starts), averaging 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in 19.0 minutes.

Stay tuned to www.utahjazz.com for more details.

~Jazz4thewin

USA WINS THE GOLD! Highlights

USA won the gold in the FIBA World Championships yesterday. Kevin Durant averaged 22.1 points and 6.2 rebounds over the course of the tournament and won the MVP award. Great job to USA and I can't wait for the Olympics in 2012.



~Jazz4thewin

Game reminder: USA vs. Turkey

USA plays Turkey today at 12:30 MST on ESPN and the re air at 5:00 MST on ESPN2.
 This is for the gold medal so you better be tuning in!




~Jazz4thewin

USA vs. Lithuania highlights

Won't let me embed the highlights for some reason so here is the link


~Jazz4thewin

Durant’s 38 points carry US to title game

Kevin Durant carried the United States into the gold-medal game at the world championship, scoring a U.S.-record 38 points Saturday in an 89-74 victory over Lithuania.
With a special 9/11 message on his sneakers, Durant soared over defenders or stepped away from them for 3-pointers, scoring 17 in the first quarter to stake the Americans to an early lead that was never seriously challenged.
He went on to surpass Carmelo Anthony’s single-game record of 35 points and raise his average in the tournament to 22.1, which would be the best ever by a U.S. player. More importantly, he guaranteed the Americans a chance at their first world title since 1994. They will play Turkey or Serbia on Sunday.  

~Jazz4thewin

Jazz sign Francisco Elson

 Jazz signed Francisco Elson the following is from Utah360.com

"The Jazz have signed Fancisco Elson to a guaranteed contract. This is all according to the the tribjazz on twitter.
http://twitter.com/tribjazz 
His agent told the Trib that he may be 34 years old, but he has a 28 year old body.
It should be interesting how he fares for the Jazz. The tribjazz said he should be competing for about 10-15 minutes a night. All in all this isn’t a terrible signing. Elson is a seven footer and brings a bit of experience. It seems he and his agent are convinced he’s still got some game left. The terms have not been disclosed, but I wouldn’t imagine it’s any more than the vet’s min for a year and player option or something.
Also in other news SLC Dunk posted something about Big Fes being back in Salt Lake now. He embedded the Facebook post that Fes put up. So this might mean he is coming back to really start working on the contract and plan on suiting up for the Jazz this year. Hopefully all goes well with that. Fes really might be some help for us with some playing time and continued growth. Plus who else would make us laugh in the postgame locker room interviews. Maybe Deron can make fun of Steve Brown’s ties more often.
http://www.slcdunk.com/2010/9/9/1678236/the-downbeat-9-september-2010-312"

Still waiting for the jazz to sign Fess


~Jazz4thewin

Greg Ostertag Attempting Comeback in NBA D-League

Thats right you read it right the retired Utah Jazz center is making a comeback on the Frisco Legends.

"Former NBA big man Greg Ostertag has been working toward returning to basketball for over a year now and it seems that a team is finally willing to give him an opportunity. It isn't with an NBA franchise like Ostertag had hoped, but instead with the NBA D-League's newest franchise.

The Frisco Legends, a team owned by Dallas Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson and coached by Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman, is looking at Ostertag to join the team either as a player or an assistant coach -- and possibly both -- according to a report from the Dallas Morning News.

Ostertag has been working toward a comeback for some time, as the first mention of it came a year ago this week when the center best known for his work with the Utah Jazz auditioned with the Portland Trail Blazers following three years of NBA inactivity. At that time, he told the Lawrence Journal-World that he was still attempting to get back into shape. "

Full article here

How will this turn out? Stay tuned.


~Jazz4thewin

USA vs. Russia Highlights

~Jazz4thewin

NBA Summer Report Cards

Every year around this time the NBA summer report cards are posted on NBA.com lets take a look shall we?

FRONTCOURT 

"Carlos Boozer is gone, but Paul Millsap remains and Al Jefferson arrives. Concerns are Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko staying healthy."

B+

I agree with this grade although the jazz did improve with Jefferson, there are concerns about Memo and AK.

My Grade: B+

BACKCOURT

Despite the stacked competition, Deron Williams may be the league's best point guard. C.J. Miles took a step forward in the playoffs, while vet Raja Bell enters the equation.

B

A "B"? Really? We have the best point guard in the league in Deron Williams, a budding C.J. Miles, a vet in Raja Bell, and a lottery pick Gordan Hayward. I'm think that deserves a bit more than a B

My Grade A-

DEFENCE

Solid showings last season in points allowed and field-goal percentage. Jefferson should help rebounding and Bell is a dogged perimeter defender.

B

Yeah, pretty much it but I think the addition of Jefferson and Bell is a huge improvement on the defensive end.

My Grade B+

BENCH

Took a hit with losses of Wesley Matthews and Kyle Korver. Kosta Koufos was traded and Kyrylo Fesenko's situation is unresolved. Lottery pick Gordon Hayward steps in. 

C

Although our bench took a hit with the loss of Kyle and Wes. Koufos was not a big part of the bench all he had was garbage minutes. Our bench has is at least better than a C.

My Grade: B

COACHING

Just having Jerry Sloan on the bench promotes stability, even if the roster is in flux. Major challenge is pushing Jefferson, who has All-Star talent.

 

An "A" is an "A" I totally agree that Jerry Sloan promotes stability. He really gets the best out of his players.

My Grade: A+

OVERALL

Made the best of losing former franchise cornerstone Boozer by trading for Jefferson. Bringing on board a 20-10 bruiser hungry for the chance to win should lead to a big payoff for both Jefferson and the Jazz. Bringing back Bell makes sense on the court and inside the locker room.

Money continues to be tight, as the front office maneuvers within luxury-tax territory. The team couldn't afford to keep Matthews, who signed a $33 million deal with Portland after his rookie season. Korver also bolted, joining former Utah teammates Boozer and Ronnie Brewer in Chicago.

Whether or not the Jazz have enough to seriously contend in the Western Conference is uncertain. What's crystal clear is contending for a title is Williams' only priority, and keeping the All-Star playmaker satisfied is an ongoing concern in Salt Lake City. D-Will has two years left on his contract before he can opt-out.

B

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, They could have at least given us a B+ but, I'm not going to waste your guys time with my opinion I'll just give you my grade.

My Grade: A-

This has been a rather long post. I'll post again tomorrow with Team USA game information.

~Jazz4thewin

Shaq to Utah? It almost happend

 From Utah360.com


"I was one of those guys. Yep, one of those “the Jazz should try and bring in Shaquille O’Neal”-guys. I was one of those guys that said “what harm could it do if he is willing to take a role off the bench? Certainly he is better than the Fes/Koof super-combo, and we could probably get him on the cheap”. Yes, I was one of the few. I mean Shaq doesn’t exactly have a stellar record as a solid contributor over the last few seasons, so why would I want him in SLC? Would he really want to play in Utah? He did just sign a deal in Boston for $2.8 mill over two years, and the Jazz definitely could have offered him more than that. Come on, Fes wants more than that, and who would you rather have on the bench as your backup Center, Fes or Shaq? Even a 38 year-old, out of shape, ego-centric Shaq would be better than Fes right? Especially when we have no money to spend and are in desperate need to fill our most glaring roster spot… Shaq would be a no-brainer, obviously; a brilliant move, even. That is if you could get him to come play in Utah, which apparently the Jazz have tried to do before. Yes, you heard (read) that right. According to an interview The New Orleans Times Picayune had with the Big (whatever you want to call him) a deal between the Lakers and Jazz almost went down in ’04. Read on...



All my thoughts on this are summed up in that article/blog post.



~Jazz4thewin

USA vs. Russia Preview

So Russia plays zone, has a cool American coach, and has size and depth. Your up to date.

Tune in Thursday on ESPN 9 A.M. MST or if you feel like staying up late the re air is 11:30 P.M. MST on ESPN2


~Jazz4thewin

USA wins 121-66

USA wins by a commanding 55 points. Chauncey Billups led US with 19 points, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, and Eric Gordan all had 17. With the US coming off with a 121-66 win. USA is now 6 and 0 in the FIBA World Championships. Next game is Thursday US plays the winner of Australia /New Zealand on ESPN 2

Full Box Score Here


~Jazz4thewin

USA Starts 5-0

Game has started if you aren't watching tune in now! USA leads 5-0



 ~Jazz4thewin

Game Preview: U.S. ready for elimination play

Tomorrow at 9 A.M. USA plays Angola. US does have some history with Angola in the Olympics 
2004 Olympics - USA 89, Angola 53
2008 Olympics - USA 97, Angola 76

Offence
Angola is a 1 on 1 offensive team They'll run pick-and-rolls, but mostly to free themselves up for a quick shot or drive to the basket. They recorded assists on only 41 percent of their field goals in pool play, the third lowest in the tournament.

Defence
Angola plays both man and zone, and they will use a 2-2-1 press at times. Angola was above average in two key statistics defensively. They ranked sixth by forcing 20.8 turnovers per 100 possessions. And they ranked seventh by allowing their opponents to attempt just 24.5 free throws per 100 possessions.

Other
Angola was the worst team to qualify for the elimination rounds. They were outscored by 19.1 points per 100 possessions in pool play.  Angola was the second worst defensive rebounding team in pool play, securing just 62 percent of available defensive boards. Witch means more chances for USA witch could be easy baskets.

Key players

Olimpio Cipriano -- The wing was Angola's leading scorer in pool play, averaging 14.8 points in four games. He dropped 30, hitting four of his six attempts from 3-point range, in the big win over Germany. Andre Iguodala will likely get the assignment of containing him.

Joaquim Gomes -- The big man averaged 11.6 points in pool play and had a double-double against Germany. He's a center who can step out and shoot from the perimeter, a contrast from most big men in this tournament who like to roll to the basket. He could be a problem on the pick and roll.

Carlos Morais -- The combo guard doesn't shoot particularly well, but he can get to the rim.

Get ready for elimination play Win or go Home

~Jazz4thewin

Deron to Dallas? Don’t Be Stupid

Check out this blog post from UtahJazz360.com


"As many of you know this article, posted by Dime went viral this week, and it has caused a bit of an uproar in the online Jazz community. The impact of that article was compounded when Mark Stein made these comments in an article for ESPN. Both articles allude to Deron Williams possibly being the next major star to go all Carmelo Anthony on the team that drafted him and demand a trade. And while both have received some major online publicity (for obvious reasons), there is absolutely no reason why Jazz fans should pay any attention to either one of them. First of all, the Dime post speaks with so much generality, that it amazes me that a site with a reputation like Dime would even allow it to be posted. The title “Why Deron Williams will Leave Utah for Dallas” speaks of authority, but, after taking the time to read the body of the post, authority is exactly what this article is lacking. The following is a breakdown of the authors’ arguments one at a time:
Argument 1: ..."


Continued here



~Jazz4thewin

Game reminder

Monday: Angola at United States 9AM MST on ESPN 2 ~Jazz4thewin

A Game to be Rembered

"As he stood on the scorer's table Thursday night in the middle of a delirious EnergySolutions Arena, having hit a shot so spectacular it eclipsed LeBron James' starburst, Sundiata Gaines was evidence that NBA dreams do come true." 

Man I was so mad when I missed this game. At least now you can relive it here in one of the best highlight movies I have ever seen.

~Jazz4thewin

Hello World!

Hello everybody, My name is Jazz4thewin and if you didn't notice by the title I love the Utah Jazz. I have been a fan for over five years. This blog will mostly be about the Jazz but I may also blog on different teams in the NBA. I will be blogging about USA basketball in the off season just because there really isn't any other basketball news at that time.

Let The Blogging Begin!!!




~Jazz4thewin