All that Jazz 1976 on - DDS:PB 2016

[BYU 14]

Just prior to the 1976 season a series shockwaves reverberated through the basketball world. The first was the announcement that the New Orleans Jazz would be moving to Utah and much to the amusement of many, be retaining the Jazz nickname, despite the fact that Utah was about the last thing anybody thought about when they thought of Jazz. One national sportswriter went as far as to quip "They had to keep Jazz, polygamists doesn't fit on a tank top!"

The move was just the first salvo however, as the new ownership promptly announced the hiring of relative unknown Anthony Crooks to assume the role of GM and it is would be Crooks first move that brought forth the largest gasp from aficionados of the game.

The Utah Jazz trade SG Pistol Pete Maravich, C Rich Kelley, PF Paul Griffin and their 2nd round pick in the 1978 draft to the Golden State Warriors for PF Jamaal Wilkes, C Robert Parrish and SG Phil Smith.

What this means to us: Yes, we are giving up the most prolific scorer on the game, a man who can single handedly carry a team on his back, but his is really the only back capable of doing that and as he is prone to streaky performances, when he is off there are not a lot of options to pick up his 25.9 PPG he averaged in 1975. Nate Williams and the since departed Louis Nelson average 12+ PPG last season and Ron Behagen 11, but we need more. In Wilkes we get a young. solid inside presence, who can also work the pick and roll, as well as a raw big man in rookie Parrish, with a lot of upside. Phil Smith is no Maravich, but can put up 18-20 from the two spot and we also have Gail Goodrich off the bench here.

So, overall I think this makes us a more balanced team that can adapt better to how we need to play. I plan to bring Parrish along slowly, but Wilkes and Smith will start.

This will be my only pre-season move and I will look to get stronger at the point position, either through the draft or with an off-season pickup.

Roster * indicates starter

1976 Utah Jazz	Position	Rating	Age/Exp
Fred Boyd	PG	2.0/2.0	26 (4)
Jim McElroy *	PG	2.0/3.0	23 (1)
Gail Goodrich	SG	2.0/2.0	33 (11)
Phil Smith *	SG	3.0/3.5	24 (2)
Aaron James	SF	2.0/2.5	24 (2)
Isaac Stallworth	SF	1.0/1.0	26 (4)
Andy Walker	SF	1.0/2.0	21 ®
Nate Williams *	SF	2.0/2.0	26 (5)
Ron Behagen	PF	2.0/2.5	25 (3)
E.C. Coleman	PF	2.5/2.5	26 (3)
Jamaal Wilkes *	PF	3.0/4.0	23 (2)
Otto Moore *	C	2.0/2.0	30 (8)
Robert Parish	C	2.5/3.5	23 ®

House rules
Trades - I can only initiate two per season, though I can respond to any number offered to me.

Draft picks - Can be included in trades, but I can never have more than 3 picks total for any single season and must keep at least 1 each season

Stockton and Malone - The whole purpose of this is to give these two a title, so while I plan to play most games out, I may sim stretches here and there to get to 1984 quicker. Now there is no guarantee that these two will fall into my lap in the 84 and 85 drafts, so I must do whatever it takes to get them. If they are available, they are my draft picks. If they are not, I must trade whoever it takes to get them on the Jazz. This could hurt in the short term, but I don't want Stockton getting his rings feeding Jordan the ball somewhere (unless I can somehow draft him too)

[BYU 14]

	10/31/76 - Jazz 0-0 at Celtics 0-0
	We open the season and come out fast shooting a blistering 56% in the first half to race to a 13 point halftime lead as Wilkes and Fred Boyd fill the scoring void left by Pistol Pete with 37 ist half points combined, while Parrish adds 6 points off the bench. Boston comes out inspired in the second half and hangs 38 in the 3rd quarter to cut it to 5 as we forget how to play defense.The 4th quarter is a wild back and forth battle, but we keep up with the Celts and pull out the win 116-112.Both teams finish over 50% from the field, with Jamaal Wilkes being the difference maker for us as he drops 31 points and collects 11 boards. Boyd (25 points, 5 assists) and Parrish (8 rebounds) are big off the bench and our other newcomer, Phil Smith, chips in 17 points.
	11/1/76 -Jazz 1-0 at Nuggets 0-0
	Game has us stop over in Denver on the way back from Boston as David Thompson and co open the game up like they are shooting at a peach basket as we fall behind 35-23 after the 1st quarter and while the Nuggets cool off considerably in the second quarter, we can't close the ground and trail 59-43 at the break as we are losing the rebound battle by 7 and only get to the line 5 times the entire first half. We 'win' the second half getting under double digits a couple of times, but never draw closer than 7 as Thompson and Dan Issel combining for 53 for the home side.Wilkes is a non-factor this game with only 8 points and 3 boards in 25 minutes, as PG Jim McElroy leads our cause with 20 points, but only 1 assist. Phil Smith dishes 8 assists in the 110-99 loss

[BYU 14]

	11/2/76 - Jazz 1-1 vs Bulls 0-1
	This starts off as a wild one and the Bulls lead by as many as 11 in the first quarter as we are turnover prone early, but we ride 51% shooting and flawless ball control in the 2nd quarter to fight back and take a 45-44 lead into the break, despite being outrebounded 28-19 through 24 minutes. So much for that inside presence, though Jamaal Wilkes does have 8 for us.The insanity continues in the second half as the game is tied 13 times and sees 30 lead changes overall as rgulation ends tied at 94.We shoot ourselves in the foot in overtime and fail to tie it on consectutive possessions at the end falling 114-112 despite a balanced attacked that sees 7 Jazz in double figures, led by McElroy (18) and Coleman (17 off the bench) - Key stat 59-37 rebound gap
	11/5/76 -Jazz 1-2 at Trailblazers 0-1
	Can anyone play defense here? WTF, we gave up 46 points points in the second quarter as Portland is 7 for 11 from behind the arc (we are 0-6) which translates into a 68-53 halftime deficit despite the fact that we shoot 57.5% from the field in the first half, led by Phil Smith with 15 from the two guard spot.And when they are not hitting threes, Bill Walton is eviscerating us from inside the paint with 17.The second half is just ugly, especially the 4th quarter when both teams combine for just 29 points and we waste a 21 point performance from Jim McElroy, while Phil Smith hangs a goosegg in the 2nd after his strong first half.Walton only ends up with 21 and Parrish is decent with 10 points and 6 steals before fouling out in a 107-89 loss, with a 14 rebound deficit

I like that Elgin Baylor uses a deep bench, but I am not a fan of his passive rebounding strategy, which may result in me overriding him at some point if we keep getting sodomized on the boards. As a side note it is amazing how many great big men were playing in the 70's, which is a big reason I went after Parrish, but having to face Abdul-Jabbar, Walton, Artis Gilmore, Bob Lanier, Bob McAdoo etc, it could be a long year if we don't get the inside working.

Side note - Maravich is averaging 41.5 for the 3-1 Warriors

[Izulde]

[BYU 14]

	11/8/76 - Jazz 1-3 vs Nets 1-2
	Not a pretty first half as both teams are under 40% from the field, but we are able to get to get 22 free throw attemps and we sink 21, (9 of 10 for Jamaal Wilkes) which is enough to propel us to a 48-35 halftime lead and get 4 at least 2 fouls on 4 of their starters. Then comes the second half and despite living at the line again (we finish 41 of 48 from the stripe) we give up our customer second half run and complete collapse in the 4th quarter beinh outscored 36-23 and losing on a buzzer beater 102-100, WTF!Al Skinner does most of the damage for the Nets with 29 off the bench, while our futile effort is lead by Jamaal Wilkes with 22 points and 6 rebounds, with Robert Parrish getting 10 boards and Phil Smith chipping in 18 points and 7 assists.
	11/9/76 -Jazz 1-4 at Pacers 4-0
	Well, considering our recent track record and Indiana sitting at 4-0 this has all the markings of a blowout. This is where you wait for the heroic tale of the road dog turning the tables on the favored villians, but alas we were all too happy to follow the script, getting outshot 55% to 35.7% ending up on the wrong end of a 64-41 ass kicking into halftime.Second half better?Sure, if you were betting on us to not hit 100, which we didn't and end up victims of a very complete 118-91 beatdown as Indiana outrebounds us 52-33 and shoots 53.4% from the field, while we offer our backup point guard, Fred Boyd as the star with 22 points and 3 assists, which is 3 more than starter Jim McElroy.Our leader there is SG Phil Smith with 10 which says it all

[CrimsonFox]

False advertising!



One little bitty piece of me thought this might be Bob Fosse related.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

False advertising!



One little bitty piece of me thought this might be Bob Fosse related.

Hell if he can get a friggin rebound I'll take him!

[CrimsonFox]

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