The word on the street late this afternoon was that Antonio Daniels would be a no-go….checking the Google Reader around 8:30 brought me the news that Caron Butler would be out too. My heart sank. Down two point guards and a can of Tuff Juice, I’m just hoping the Wiz don’t get blown out. At least the team still has the heart, Antawn Jamison. [from Ivan Carter, Mike Jones or DJ Wiz-Radio…pick your poison]

Underway in Salt Lake

Quarter One

11:40] Well, Roger Mason comes out hot….a new career high from him will help.

10:31] Rog gets wide open again after a Jazz fell. Buckets. 4-4 game.

10:10] Andray gives up an offensive rebound to the Chris Noth look-alike, but then pokes away a steal. Okur didn’t play last night, he had a tummy ache. Blatche needs to get in his face more on the perimeter.

8:40] Pick and roll pass from Deron to Carlos splits Haywood and Mason. Someone missed the help-side assignment. Was your head on a swivel Andray Blatche?....but it’s tough since he’s gotta keep up with 3-point shooting Okur too.

7:55] Blatche hits a pull-up jumper on Okur…good to see him challenge aggressively on offense. 10-9 Wizards.

6:49] Roger Mason is stroking like Clearance Carter…no rim on the menu tonight, just some ripped nets. 7 points for Mase Jr., 13 all game.

It doesn’t matter how it happens, but the end result is Carlos Boozer points. Pick and roll? Sure. Passing back and forth across the court in the shape of a ‘Z’ and ultimately to Boozer for a dunk? Why not?

Throw in losing track of Ronnie Price sneaking to the corner on the break, and forgetting that Okur is a shooter and you’ve got yourself a 14-3 Jazz run. 23-13. [4:40

3:22] D-Mac and Songaila come in for Haywood and Blatche. Okur and Boozer have been causing all the trouble for the Wizards, they combine for 18 of the Jazz 25 points. The man from Alaska has a dozen.

2:55] Great. Matt Harpring is in the game. The Wizards don’t need anymore injuries.

1:12] Jamison trey stops a little of the bleeding,….his temporary band-aids keep the Wizards within double digits after 1. 31-22.

STAT: Both teams shot above 50%, but the Jazz have 11 rebounds and 11 assists to the 4 and 5 for the Wizards.

Quarter Two

10:41] The Jazz are really moving the ball well. I’m afraid they’re going to run the Wiz ragged. Utah’s tough D gives Washington the dreaded double-negative….24 second shot clock violation on the Wizards.

I tend to believe him since he’s the trustworthy vet…at least give him the benefit of the doubt. But does anyone else notice Antawn Jamison complaining a lot lately? I’m a witness to the abuse he takes and the lack of calls he receives…but was just wondering if anyone noticed the same thing.

10:00] Is it wrong to be exasperated with 10 minutes left in the 2nd?

Let me explain: Utah made tips off missed FTs; Calls against the Wizards mounting; Offensive rebounds leading to Korver treys; strips of Nick Young by Harpring; Clear path to the basket fouls by O-Pech. 43-24 Utah…need I go on?

I even think Steve Buckhantz and Phil Chenier have mailed this one in. They’ve put their "matter of fact" hats on.

Well, let me go on….Jazz get cute with touch passes and turn the ball over, Nick Young dribbles down on the break without purpose, Songaila runs into him from behind, turnover, Jazz 3-pointer, Eddie Jordan timeout. 46-24 Jazz.

7:36] Eddie Jordan puts Brendan Haywood back in the game for the hell of it.

The Jazz are running their offense to perfection. 17 assists on 20 made FGs. It’s almost too perfect….it makes me think, not only are the Wizards not playing defense, but they are doing something completely wrong…negative defense if you will. Washington is playing like they knew they didn’t have a chance to win as soon as they stepped on the court.

The camera pans over all the retired Utah Jazz jerseys hanging from the rafters. I think they show them all….of the 9 or so that I see, Jeff Hornacek is the only one with the dubious distinction of having the crappy Utah mountain Jazz jersey. Not the old school one. Stern should require the Utah to change their nickname....Jazz belongs in New Orleans.

6:46] I’d be content with just watching Nick Young go to the basket the rest of this game. 48-26 Jazz.

Shame on the Wizards for allowing Pecherov to continue to sport that haircut.

3:00] I think that Eddie Jordan is toying with Brendan Haywood by having him on the court. He just looks silly out there trying to guard Boozer on the roll. Slow Feet + Lack of Hustle = Can’t * Nope.

2:27] Now Okur is running circles around Brendan…..Jazz three-pointer. 64-37.

Is there any way the Wiz can just call this game can catch an early flight back to DC?

The Jazz have gone on at 73-41 run in the last 24 minutes. Utah is two individual FTs (Harpring and Korver) and a Deron Williams bucket from having 6 players in double figures.

Quarter Three

A Jerry Sloan Jazz team doesn’t let up.

7:04] The pedal is completely to the metal…..Jamison and Stevenson take advantage of the green light on some 3s. 82-53 Utah.

5:50] It doesn’t get any prettier. CJ Miles 3s, Deron Williams doing his thing. Now, I’m really starting to think someone will get injured if they keep playing. 88-55 Utah.

2:35] So go the offensive boards and second chance points for Utah. 96-59 Jazz.

Well, the Wiz only lost the 3 rd quarter by 7 points…..that’s good after losing the first by 9 and the 2nd by 23.

Double-Down: the score is not, Jazz only up 105-66, but get this (in favor of Utah, of course):

• Assists: 34-11
• Rebounds: 28-13
• FGs: 42-23
• 3s: 12-5
• Steals: 9-4

Quarter Four

Eddie has got to be disappointed with the effort from his team. I doubt that Boozer and Williams will even see time in the fourth. The least the Wiz could do is act like the score is 0-0 and they’re in a 12 minute long game.

Nothing doing so far.

10:00] Should have a fun and gun line-up with Blatche, Young, McGuire, Mason, and D-Song. Too bad they are running the offense with a practice-like urgency.

9:00] The Chili’s Keys to the Game:

1. Finish Strong
2. Execution
3. Win a Quarter

"Win a Quarter?" Ouch.

8:00] The Wiz are down 7-4 in the 12 minute game. It’s to the point where Kyle Korver, a bench player, gets taken out to applause so he can sit down like a starter.

6:00] Every time I think….here it comes, the Wizards are going to hustle and win a quarter….nope. Roger Mason is still hitting shots, but the Jazz are trading with the trey ball. 119-76.

With only 4 bench players, it’s the Wizards players 5-9 versus players 7-11 for the Jazz. Don’t worry, #12, Fesenko just got in.

5:31] It’s like waiting a certain amount of time after a tragedy before a comedian can make a joke about it….well, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson just shared a chuckle on the bench. AD wasn’t in on the joke. He doesn’t look happy having to sit through this on the bench in a suit.

They are actually showing a " pivotal play of the game" – the volume is down, but it’s one of Kyle Korver’s three-pointers. The pivotal play of the game should be the plane ride home.

The young Wizards practice their full court pressure…..cool.

0:35] D-Mac gets’ an alley oop! His second dunk in the last 90 seconds. The Wizards are down 22-21….They need a BIG stop.

0:19] Fesenko gets a tip off a Miles missed jumper…..fitting. The Wizards lose their 12 minute game 24-21. The final for the entire game is 129-87.

After the buzzer, Eddie Jordan practically ran over to Sloan to shake his hand and pay his respects to the longest tenured coach in all of pro sports.

You look at Boozer’s stat line: 19 points, 9-13 FGs, 2 rebounds – not spectacular, huh? Well, he played 27 minutes, he averages 35 on the year. Boozer was only 2.8 points off his season scoring average. Carlos Boozer’s early established presence painted the Wizards purple.

Jake already apologized, so let’s move on.

ATTENTION:

Gilbert Arenas Wants Your Attention.

See ya Salt Lake

flickr/kris247