Boozer lost the game for the Jazz

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by Hsaru

Stockton is one of my favorite players and one of the best pgs of all time, but he wouldn't make Williams look silly. The 97-98 jazz teams were much better than this year's team though.

I don't know about that. Malone was great, until the 4th quarter in critical games. Then you may as well have put me in the game. Stockton was fantastic, no question. Ostertag was a huge liability, and Anderson was a role player, certainly not on par with the current role players of Okur and Kirilenko or Korver or Harpring. This team has a legitimate chance to win the title in a year when the West is very strong. I can't wait for the playoffs.

[MikeWaters]

However if Utah doesn't have homecourt advantage in the first round (and as of last night they didn't), who knows.

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

I still think the Jazz are one piece away from contending seriously...not sure what that piece is, though. But it would likely be a defensive piece.

Sans injuries, I would be shocked if the Lakers were not everyone's pre-season favorite next year.

The Jazz are clearly onto something good, though.

I agree that the Lakers will be considered pre-season favorites. Along with being media darlings, it's true that they'll be damn good if they can stay injury free.

The Lakers and Jazz are clearly going nowhere but up.

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

I don't know about that. Malone was great, until the 4th quarter in critical games. Then you may as well have put me in the game. Stockton was fantastic, no question. Ostertag was a huge liability, and Anderson was a role player, certainly not on par with the current role players of Okur and Kirilenko or Korver or Harpring. This team has a legitimate chance to win the title in a year when the West is very strong. I can't wait for the playoffs.

Shandon Anderson saved our bacon a couple of times in playoff series during the Stockton/Malone era.

There's this huge misnomer that Karl Malone was a 4th quarter flub, which is a complete myth. He had certain games...like missing 2 free throws and getting stripped by MJ, but overall Malone was very good in the 4th quarters. Stockton however,,,was incredible in the 4th quarter.

When Stockton decided it was time for him to take things over, there was pretty much nothing the opposition could do. Many have argued over the years that if Stockton wanted to he could've been one of the leading scorers in the league, but he never viewed himself as that kind of point guard.

To this day, I have a hard time thinking of a better shooter at Point Guard than John Stockton, it was by far the most underated and overlooked aspect of his game, and anyone who wants to argue that can go ahead and look up his lifetime shooting percentage. For a PG,,it's just sick.

[realtall]

Boozer wasn't the only one. It looked like the whole team was doing a scramble drill.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

To this day, I have a hard time thinking of a better shooter at Point Guard than John Stockton, it was by far the most underated and overlooked aspect of his game, and anyone who wants to argue that can go ahead and look up his lifetime shooting percentage. For a PG,,it's just sick.

Did he ever participate in the NBA All-Star 3 point contest?

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Did he ever participate in the NBA All-Star 3 point contest?

I don't think he was ever invited, but I could be wrong. Honestly, I don't perfectly remember.

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by realtall

Boozer wasn't the only one. It looked like the whole team was doing a scramble drill.

Boozer's D was awful all night long.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

I don't think he was ever invited, but I could be wrong. Honestly, I don't perfectly remember.

I have a hard time believing he was never invited. I have a very easy time believing he may have been invited multiple times and the sullen, introverted Stockton declining.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Did he ever participate in the NBA All-Star 3 point contest?

His 3 pt percentage is not nearly as good as his FG percentage. 50% vs. 35% or somethign like that.

I loved Stockton and he was very impressive, but I am still in awe of the big O, who in 61 0r 62 averaged over 30 points, more than 10 assists and more than 12 boards PER GAME. Think about that when you think abotu all timw greta players and seasons.