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SALT LAKE CITY - It was all setting up perfectly.
The Nuggets and Grizzlies both lost.
The Warriors won, keeping the high draft pick in line.
| Rank | Team | GB |
| 1 | Oklahoma City | - |
| 2 | San Antonio | 1.0 |
| 3 | L.A. Lakers | 5.5 |
| 4 | L.A. Clippers | 8.0 |
| 5 | Memphis | 9.5 |
| 6 | Dallas | 9.5 |
| 7 | Houston | 11.0 |
| 8 | Denver | 11.0 |
| ^^ In Playoffs ^^ | ||
| 9 | Phoenix | 12.0 |
| 10 | Utah | 12.5 |
| 11 | Portland | 14.5 |
| 12 | Minnesota | 16.0 |
| 13 | Golden State | 18.5 |
| 14 | Sacramento | 21.0 |
| 15 | New Orleans | 26.0 |
But then, the Jazz lost.
Should I have expected any less? That seemed to be what the team expected. They didn't come out of the locker room ready to go. They didn't even come out of halftime looking ready. The Jazz didn't lose the game against the Suns Wednesday night on the last possession, they lost the game much earlier when they spotted the Suns 10 points early in the game and then again at the beginning of the half, and then yet again at the end of the third quarter.
When they want to though, for some reason they can turn it on - how is that?
Here is the problem - the Jazz are a .500 team. I have heard it all my life. At this point in the season, you are what you are, and the Jazz are one game over .500. I guess that's about right.
My problem is that the Jazz seem to lack the urgency to win. Last night against the Suns, it was well-documented that the game was gigantic! I spoke with Matt Harpring quickly in the tunnel before the game and he said it was "huge!" The Jazz could have put great distance between them and the Suns, and not to mention the basketball gods really smiled on Utah on April 4th. The Jazz had it all set up for them. And yet they lost.
I thought the team played hard, I thought they tried to execute (like they always talk about). What is missing? Why can't the Jazz put teams away? They should beat the Suns at home. They should beat the Kings at home. These questions are sincere. I feel like I know basketball. I know teams go through peaks and valleys. The best teams go through slumps; the worst teams beat teams they shouldn't.
Maybe this Jazz team is unfortunately, exactly what it is - a .500 team. It would be nice for them to make the playoffs to get a couple of home games, but in order to do that they need to play better than what they are.
There are 11 games left in the season. That's it. 11. Eleven. One-One. I want to see what the urgency is now that they have put themselves in this situation. The prize of getting into the playoffs is either the Thunder or the Spurs, two teams that the Jazz don't match up well with.
If they do get into the playoffs, they should at least win a couple games. After all, they are a .500 team.
E-mail: mgrant@ksl.com
Twitter: @mikegrantksl
