SALT LAKE CITY — Just over three weeks ago the Utah Jazz posted an impressive 115-101 home win over Golden State. The victory put the Jazz just percentage points behind the Warriors for sixth place in the Western Conference playoffs race. Spirits around the organization and fan base were high. Some even thought this Jazz team could eventually move up into the fifth spot, giving the franchise an even better shot to possibly win at least one playoff series.

Two days later, management decided to keep the team together by not sending away either Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap at the trade deadline. As Jazz General Manager Dennis Lindsey justified, “I’ve inherited a really good group of players and coaches — players that have been unselfish, that have come together, that deserve, at some level, the ability to compete for the rest of the year.”

Now fast forward to Wednesday night in Oklahoma City. Against the third-best team in the league, the Jazz looked scared — a team lacking in confidence and motivation. The Jazz played selfish basketball, and honestly, they looked done. Not for just that night, but the rest of the season.

The Sports Beat:

Who will be the odd team out in the Western Conference playoff chase?

With the regular season winding down, which team will be left out in the race for the Western Conference playoffs?

Now the Jazz find themselves on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, a half-game behind the hated Los Angeles Lakers. Funny thing is, the Jazz actually won the season series against the Lakers for the first time in eight years. So since that big Golden State victory, the Jazz have lost eight of 10 games.

Clearly the pressure is now mounting, particularly on coach Ty Corbin, who lashed out Monday at those criticizing his team.

“I tell the guys, 'You can listen to criticism, but most of the people that's criticizing don't have an idea of what you're going through. They probably haven't ever (done) anything at this level in their life. They can talk. Talk is cheap. We've got to go out and do what we've got to do.' "

So exactly what is it the Jazz are trying to do? Play awful defense? Not share the basketball? Not play the best players? Hold back the youth movement?

I know I haven’t played in the NBA — unfortunately, my 5-foot-9 frame held me back from that dream — but I think I’ve watched enough basketball to know when a team is in a downward spiral.

So what has happened? In my humble “non-NBA” playing opinion, the Jazz overestimated how good they truly were. They made their move up the standings during the soft part of their schedule. That changed recently when the team toughened up after more games on the road, particularly against winning teams. After the OKC loss, the Jazz are now just 2-17 against teams with winning records on the road.

In addition, you almost sense there was a letdown from Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap when they weren’t traded at the deadline. They both recently sat from injuries, which is a rare occurrence, at least from Millsap. Think about it: What incentive do they truly have to play nicked up? For those two, along with the other six unrestricted free agents after this season, it doesn’t make sense to go in and possibly struggle. That only hurts the stat line that they need to assist in their next deal.

However, the injuries did force Corbin to finally play his younger players — something that many “non-NBA” people, including myself, have called for all season long. And what happened? They all showed, particularly Enes Kanter, that they are NBA ready and deserve further playing time. But then the veterans return and the younger players go back to playing fewer minutes.

It’s easy to put all the blame on the coach. And yes, he deserves the criticism, whether he likes it or not — particularly when things go south. But he was also put in position by management to basically accomplish the impossible: win, make the playoffs and develop the younger players. Yes, the Jazz wanted it all.

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Now it’s possible the Jazz will accomplish nothing — no winning season, no playoffs and not fully taking advantage of developing the youth. In other words, a complete waste of a season.

“I tell our guys, 'A lot of people, they're going to pile on,' ” said Corbin. That's what they do. That's what sells. We have to make sure (we remember) who we are, what's at hand and play our game."

Not piling on, coach. Just telling it the way it is.

Kevin Graham co-hosts Gunther and Graham 3pm-7pm on 1320 KFAN. He is also the founder and editor of www.SportsMashup.com. You can follow him on Twitter @KevinGrahamKFAN and like him on Facebook (SportsMashup).

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