A skinny dog, everything is fleas. The case of the Jazz is not so faithful to the expression, because we are talking about a team with a well-built squad and that has many victories throughout the year, but it can be said that it is at a moment when it is absolutely weak. Defeats are not the only thing, of course, in situations in which the world turns upside down for you, it is not just a problem that usually triggers a crisis. It’s what Utah is going through, it’s a crisis. Of the size that is chosen, but a crisis. A set built to pass the regular season without problems and that this season was showing, until the turn of the year, that it fulfilled the order perfectly. It is another story the moment of the playoffs, but they were adding victories that are necessary to give themselves peace of mind. Now they are not even getting to that.
The last example is in Phoenix against the Suns, the runners-up in the competition, and doing a good job; Chris Paul had to appear, as he has had in other games, to rescue his team. 115-109 the meeting ended. He played a comeback in Arizona due to the outburst of rage from Quin Snyder’s men and that, to follow the line they have been stepping on, it was not enough for them to win.
And it is that not only what is seen on the track can someone live to describe the situation of the Jazz as a crisis. It is better understood by adding that they have several players who cannot even step on the court. The usual five starters weren’t there for this match and, furthermore, the inexhaustible Joe Ingles. Gobert injured his calf in the previous game and joined other casualties, such as Mitchell due to concussion, O’Neale and Conley (knee) or Bogdanovic due to a broken finger on his left hand. Against Phoenix they were lacking in guarantees although, you know, everyone can beat everyone in a tournament like this. The fade-out It’s starting to get real for the Jazz. They are two wins in the last two weeks and eight losses in ten games. They were fighting with the Warriors and, precisely, the Suns in the upper part and they begin to fall to positions.
The Suns started with a lead that quickly went over ten. It looked good for them. Booker hit shots in positions he liked, coming off screens with or without the ball and making midrange his home. Almost eight minutes it took the Jazz to get into double digits. The distance was going to be maintained between 7-8 and 10-12 for many minutes, beyond the middle of the second quarter. But, of course, the reaction could come at any moment. In those six minutes until the break the partial was 10-21, having the first advantage after a layup by Danuel House after a beautiful play. The visitors were coming up, weighed down by casualties but with players who really wanted to show that they can step up and hold the fort. With Forrest, Hughes, Butler, names that will not ring a bell to some, or the aforementioned House, they stayed with the lead on the scoreboard to enter the final room. With the help of an active Biyombo, the decisive Chris Paul landed in the game to tip the balance. A triple scored by him and another by Johnson to his pass broke the Jazz when they tried to hold on to the Suns because their life was running out. ‘CP3’ scored 27 points tonight, improving his record for the season, and 15 of them were in the fourth quarter. It is a result of those that show which team is right where it wants and which one is really uncomfortable.
