After Two Wins, Have The Jazz Problems Been Fixed?

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz are winners of two straight games, but are the team’s problems fixed? Ben Anderson from KSL Sports and Sarah Todd of the Deseret News sat down for the latest episode of the Jazz Notes podcast to breakdown the Jazz victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team’s first contest in a four-game East Coast road trip. 

The Jazz once again surrendered big scoring outputs to a perimeter scoring threat, in the Cavaliers case, Collin Sexton, and were vulnerable to both the Cavs ability to spread the floor with a small-ball center. Yet, the Jazz coasted to an easy victory behind 28 points from Bojan Bogdanovic. 

In the podcast, Anderson and Todd broke down what the main difference was against the Cavaliers that the Jazz hadn’t shown in their first four games returning from the All-Star break, and whether or not the team can replicate their success against better opposition. 

The duo discussed what Royce O’Neale has brought back to the starting rotation, and how he’s helped each player on the roster rediscover their individual identities. With O’Neale finding success as a shooter among the starters, will opposing teams search for a new approach to slow the Jazz offense, or will allowing O’Neale to shoot open threes be the poison teams prefer to take among the other options in the Jazz attack?

This is the way the game looks to me tonight — It's like most everyone on the Jazz are all returning to what they do best individually but they're still a little disconnected on the team aspects which is why the Cavs are hanging in

— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) March 3, 2020

The Bizarre New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are coming off their best win of the season, knocking off the red-hot Houston Rockets with rookie RJ Barrett having the best game of his career. But instead of celebrating the win, Knicks owner James Dolan has once again embarrassed the league by picking a fight with superfan and famed director Spike Lee. 

The Knicks no longer want Lee to enter through the team’s employee entrance, instead asking the Academy Award winner to enter through the VIP entrance which resulted in a confrontation between the filmmaker and Knicks security during the Knicks win over the Rockets. 

Lee appeared on ESPN Tuesday morning to share his side of the story, saying he’s “being harassed by James Dolan,” and doesn’t know why. 

The Knicks used the team’s PR department to issue a statement, calling the 28-year season ticket holders gripe “laughable.”

New York Knicks Statement on Spike Lee pic.twitter.com/19JcvhFKO7

— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) March 3, 2020

The Jazz will face the Knicks with both teams riding a two-game winning streak, having scored 125 points in back to back wins over the Chicago Bulls and Rockets. 

Western Conference Playoff Picture

Should the Jazz avoid the Rockets at all costs, even if it means starting the postseason on the road against either the Los Angeles Clippers or Denver Nuggets?

The podcast duo debated whether the Jazz and Rockets are on the verge of a true NBA rivalry, dating back to Rockets’ success against the Jazz in the 90s, and the two teams meeting in consecutive postseasons. 

BOGEY AT THE BUZZZZZEEEEERRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!! #TAKENOTE pic.twitter.com/87djt8z8My

— Zak Hicken (@zakhicken) February 10, 2020

Anderson and Todd discuss how the Jazz should maneuver over their final 22 games of the season to set themselves up for the most postseason success. 

Subscribe and review the Jazz Notes Podcast in Itunes.