3 quarters in, and you can call it.

Wow. I guess I should apologize for my game 5 prediction... This game was never close. When you let the home team go on three 7-0 runs, when the Jazz can't even hit half of what's supposed to be a "free" throw, and when your first bench point comes with a minute left in the 3rd, the score is going to look like it does now.. Houston simply looks like they want it more.

It's been a long time since I've seen a performance this absolutely hideous. The Jazz really better think long and hard about this one, because if they put in another night even kind of like tonight's, this series will be over.

First Half Thoughts: This is Uuuuuuugly

Ok this first half was just a joke. Houston is dominating us on every angle of the game. We are just standing around picking our butts waiting for whoever has the ball to do something. First of all, Deron, where were you in the first quarter?? Boozer, you are playing like a joke, step up and play like the all-star you are. Andre, no points? Standing around on offense? Also, where is the Jazz bench?? I could go on and on but I don't want to because it is just making me more sick.

We better get our acts together fast and stop playing like a bunch of pansies. Seriously, when did we get so afraid of these guys? I hope I can write a better post after the game but it's not looking to good. I am pretty surprised we cut the lead to 11 by the end of the half.

Game 5

Like many of you, I'm sure, I am none too pleased that the Jazz are headed back to Houston for a game 5. I had very high hopes that after unexpectedly winning games 1 and 2 in the Toyota Center, the Jazz would capitalize on that momentum, and run the Rockets in 4 games. So props to Houston for coming into Utah and punching the Jazz square in the teeth. I have no idea why I would ever think that a Jazz-Rockets series could ever end in a sweep... There's an entire Wikipedia article dedicated to the Jazz-Rockets rivalry, specifically the heavily contested playoff series the two teams have had over the years (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockets-Jazz_rivalry). Game 4 was yet another testament to the fact that this is not going to be series that anyone is going to simply walk away with.

Unlike a few of my friends in the JazzNation, I do not despise or disrespect the Houston Rockets; they've been one team that has truly impressed me all year long, what with their ability to string off the streak they did with one of their megastars out. That takes a certain level of grit and determination that Utah fans are notorious for holding in high regard; and that grit has not abandoned this Rockets team in the playoffs either, it has only seemed to intensify as the series goes on. So as we turn our focus towards tonight's game (which has been shoved off the TNT airwaves and will only be shown on NBAtv, which is a topic worthy of its own post), I am quite apprehensive as to what the outcome will be. If I were to drive down to Vegas and throw a few bucks down a basketball game, I'd have to leave this one alone, because your guess is as good as mine.

I would have to agree with the assessment of ESPN.com's Scouts Inc for this game (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/columns/story?page=ScoutingRocketsJazz-Game5)... You can basically flip a coin for this one.

As much as I'd like to put on my "homer hat" and say "WOOOOO JAZZ iz guna KILL ya fools in hoston!!!!11 T-mac suxx soo bad!" -- okay, now that's a lie, I have absolutely NO desire to ever put on my homer hat and sound like that... At all. I'm fairly certain I'd have to censure myself for eternity if I ever sounded like that... In fact, if any of our good readers here at Jazz Hype find themselves writing anything similar to that on the ESPN.com or any respective website's "Conversation" sections following the game, please email us at jazzhype@gmail.com for a free lesson on how to not sound like an ignorant d-bag when rooting for your team.

But I digress... I fully expect game 5 to look like games 1-4. A physical, low scoring, intense game. I lean towards giving Houston the edge in this one based on the fact they have home court, but that seems to have not been a real factor for either team thus far. Look for Houston to continue to clog the middle, and make the Jazz absolutely battle for every point in the paint. Cross your fingers that the Jazz don't go 0-for from behind the arc, hope that Houston doesn't find a way to solve D-Will's absolute dominance of any point guard they throw at him, and pray that McGrady disappears in the fourth yet again... If most or all of those scenarios fall in Utah's favor -- the Jazz are looking towards LA -- if they fall in Houstons', however, we're coming back to Salt Lake for a game 6.

Remembering the days of yesterday. Motivation for today.

Going into game 5 at Houston, I can't stop thinking about Game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals against Houston. This day will go down as one of the best days of my life. I remember it like it was yesterday.... The weather was warm, playoff fever was in the air, and I was watching the game with my family. (I was 14 or 15 at the time)

When the ball left Stockton's hands, we all knew it was going to be nothing but net. After the game we drove out to the airport and celebrated with thousands of other Jazz fans as our team had brought something to Salt Lake City that we had never tasted before. I actually remember a couple players crying, including Greg Foster and Chris Morris, as they drove away in their cars.

So while you are watching the final two minutes of this video, take the time to remember how good that felt and only hope that we get the opportunity to feel that again.

Jazz Haters in Houston

Browsing online today I stumbled upon our old friend and foe The Dream Shake. You know what I have come to realize over the past 10 years with Jazz Haters? They always pick thee dumbest things to criticize and make fun of. 

The Dream Shake is no different. They are still whining about Karl Malone and his "dirty" tactics he used when he played back in the day. And most recently, wrote a brilliant post on Karl Malone being a dead beat dad. Let's face it people, I good sum of the players in the NBA are dead beat dads and illegitimate fathers to kids they don't even know about. It is a shame, I must say, but why bring that up to hate on a Jazz team that is up 3-1 on your team and will probably close you out tuesday night?

If you are going to be a jazz hater, at least come up with some good material that is current and up-to-date. I am going to be a nice guy and give The Dream Shake some examples on what they can post on their next blog about hating on the Jazz. Seriously guys, you are welcome to use any of the following suggestions for absolutely free.

"Deron sucks so bad. He completely posterizes our players and makes them look so insanely stupid. That is so not fair how he treated Rafer Alston and Shane Battier last game, I hate Deron!"

"I hate the jazz fans! They support their team so much. They are so loud, they know how to get into T-Mac's head, and they just all around suck! Other than the fact that Tracy is a complete choke artist and is afraid to help us out when it matters, the jazz fans are mostly to blame for keeping Tracy at a combined total of 12 points in the fourth quarter in the entire series! Go to hell Jazz fans!"

"Jerry Sloan is too good at coaching. I hate the guy. I wish he would just give up and retire like every old man should do. Year after year he makes us look bad during crunch time and I am getting sick of it. How does he know how to beat us so much? I hate his guts!"

Come up with some better material Rockets fans and stop living in the past. Present day says you are one game away from vacation. At least Carl Landry will be happy so he can go get his tooth fixed and have a normal summer. 

Come on Coach... Man up...

I want to preface this post by saying that I really respect Rick Adelman as a coach. He's given the Jazz fits ever since he coached the Trailblazers way back when Dikembe Mutombo was mere 38 years old. With that being said, I was pretty disappointed to hear some of his comments after game 4, basically nearing what could only be described as pure whining when it came to questions about physical play. I was further disappointed to read an article in the Salt Lake Tribune reporting that Adelman is sending some tapes to the NBA hoping to "resolve" the physical play on Tracy McGrady. (read the full article here: http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_9085695)

Now let's get one thing straight here, I'm not one of those fans who walks around pretending like my team does no wrong, while the opposing team is nothing but a bunch Tysonesque baby eaters. I fully realize that the Jazz have a tendency to play hard and foul... a lot... I also realize that they probably get away with some bumps and shoves that could be called as fouls, but aren't; but let's get one thing straight, it's not like the Rocketeers are out there defending the Jazz with nothing but foul-less defense and the patented "Tracy Scowl" -- In fact, I would submit that the only thing that's kept the Rockets hanging as close as they have in this series is their own scrappy and physical play. With the exception of the Shooting Guard, the Jazz have the talent advantage over Houston in every position, as well as the bench as a whole. As Jazz fans should recognize, the best way to compete against a more talented team is to get out there and "Matt Harpring" your opponent.

Matt Harpring - verb - To out-hustle, out-muscle, and drive your opponent literally insane with physical play until they "Ron Artestify" and become less effective in the game at hand.

Ron Artestify - verb - See "Rasheed Wallaceticate"

Anyways, back to my point. Just watch the play of Carl Landry, Old Man Mutombo, or any other non-McGrady on Houston's squad, and you'll see them hanging in the games at hand by out-hustling and out-muscling the Jazz. The Jazz aren't the only ones playing physical, they aren't the only ones fouling, and they aren't the only ones getting away with calls. Officiating is no exact science, and both teams are going to be on the good and bad end of calls throughout the course of a game. Now sure, the Jazz are zeroing in on Tracy with as many players as possible, but I can guarantee you that Kobe isn't going to melt down and drop a total of 12 combined points in all 4th quarters of first 4 games of the series come next round. Yeah, he'd probably be just as likely as McGrady to throw every member of his team under the bus before shouldering the responsibility himself, but I just have a feeling that now Coach Adelman is subscribing to the McGrady philosophy of "I know it can't be my fault I've folded like a bad hand in the 4th quarter all series long, so I just have to figure out who I can blame so I don't cry at the press conference this year."

We expect that kind of thought process out of Tracy, but Coach, we didn't expect this out of you...

Deron Williams Schooling Rafer Alston!

"Skip-to-my-Lou" nothin!  I don't care if you had a fancy nickname in the and1 mixtapes and you would pull these types of moves. Deron owns you on the offensive end, that's all there is to it. 

Masha Kirilenko's Store - Fleur de Lis

Masha Kirilenko has a new boutique down at Gateway. It is called Fleur de Lis. From what I hear it's a great little shop and it is providing some much needed style to people in Utah. Yes, people in Utah could use some style advice.

Here are a few pics from the grand opening party. Jazz crew in full-effect:

Dee Brown? Come back to the team Dee!

CJ looking pretty stylin.

Andre trying on some new clothes. Think he has to pay?

Deron looks like he is looking for someone.

Andre playin on the phone.

The Second Round Virgin

Don't know who made this sign but it is out of this world genius and about to ring true very quickly. If you know who made this sign, let us know!

Who is this guy??

If you didn't catch this, after last night's game, Tracy McGrady was at the podium talking to reporters and decided to forget who Deron Williams was. Who is Deron Williams? Come on McGrady, give me a break! You are a pathetic excuse for a superstar! It's time for you and your massive ego to start your summer vacation. Good luck in the fourth quarter in game 5.