RE: The key

["Sampath, Venkatesh" <Venkatesh.Sampath@microcell.ca>]

I think you have hit the nail on the head - the Jazz are in some kind of
a funk and they haven't come close to playing their best basketball yet.
However, you have to credit the Bulls for some of that - both Jordan and
Pippen (especially the latter) have shown up to play at the right time.
When you think about it, four of the 50 all-time greats are on the floor
at the same time - only two seem to be making their presence felt. What
*are* Stockton and Malone afraid of? The possibility that they might
actually win the championship? 

The Jazz have never been in this series, mentally speaking. Talent and
physical conditioning can only take you so far; if you don't have the
mental toughness to shut out the home crowd, the poor refereeing and the
excellent play of the opponents, you won't make it. The ability to
believe in yourself when the whole world seems to be doing better than
you (or is against you) is not easy to come by. 

However, if the Jazz do succeed in psyching up their minds sufficiently
to win this game, I agree with you that there is a good possibility of
their winning the championship. Unfortunately, that has become a big if.
  

venkat
>----------
>From: 	bocelts@scsn.net[SMTP:bocelts@scsn.net]
>Sent: 	11 June 1998 21:37
>To: 	Celtics
>Subject: 	The key
>
>The key is confidence and being able to perform under pressure.  Yes,
>the Jazz are getting screwed on calls by the refs.  Yes, the Bulls are
>arrogant and easy to hate.  Yes, the media makes a saint out of MJ and
>he ain't.  Rodman's probably not so bad either.
>
>But the fact of the matter is, to be a champion you have to execute.
>That game, and game 2 easily could have been won by the Jazz with just a
>couple of rebounds to stop second shots and a couple of made baskets.
>They should have been fouling Pippen to take him out of his rhythm.  The
>bottom line is that the Bulls have the confidence and manage to get it
>into the hole.  The Jazz clang it off the rim when it needs to go in.
>Plus they don't want that ball bad enough.
>
>What is pathetic is the way the refs let Rodman wrap everyone up and
>then call the slightest touch fouls the other way.  They should have
>called Rodman when he wrapped Malone up, or let them play on.  And
>Jordan whines everytime a call goes the other way, but never gets a
>tech.  The ref agrees he missed the call and then t's up Sloan.  That is
>pathetic.  It is too bad that the NBA is letting Rodman play the way he
>does.  You tell me that the refs can't see him holding, pushing,
>undercutting, etc.  On the playground, someone would shoot him.  He'd be
>kicked out of the Y.
>
>But the bottom line is that the Bulls are confident and make their shots
>and free throws.  The Jazz lost the game, and most likely the series, on
>their own.
>
>Now, I believe the Bulls will close this out on Friday.  But, I will
>make one observation.  The Jazz have not played one good game yet where
>someone gets hot.  If Russell or Foster or someone could get their game
>going, they could get their confidence back and start playing like they
>did in the earlier playoffs.  If they managed to do that, their
>confidence would soar and they will be going home.  So, while I think
>the Bulls close it out on Friday, I will say this, if the Jazz win on
>Friday, there is a good chance that they will get on track and I will
>predict that if they do win Friday, the Jazz will win both games in Utah
>and close the Bulls down for good.
>
>The problem is, who is going to step up?  Russell seems to be the key to
>me.
>
>--
>
>Peace,
>
>Bentz
>bocelts@scsn.net
>http://www.scsn.net/users/sclaw
>
>
>