With Carlos Boozer's return, they now have every major player back from injury. They've beaten four potential playoff teams in their last five games (LA, Boston, Atlanta, NO). And, most importantly, they are now inspired by a Cause. It no longer is just a run-of-the-mill season any more. It's now a season dedicated to Larry H. Miller. That emotion alone should propel them back to the top of the division and at least into the second round of the playoffs. Never underestimate the Cause. (See: the Civil War.)
On another basketball note, I'm still waiting for a decent tribute to Mr. Miller on either espn.com or si.com. Let's review...the man single-handedly created a viable basketball team in the smallest market in the NBA, a place so unappealing that free agents don't want to come and players frequently hate getting traded there. Salt Lake City should be an absolute black hole of suckitude when it comes to professional basketball. Instead, Miller crafted teams that embodied Utah values: hard-working, low-key, productive, and excellent at exploiting others' weaknesses. (Okay, so that's not a great value, but Utahns sure are good at going after church and family relations in getting people ensnared in MLM schemes.) And he managed to keep the team ultra-competitive for 20+ years. There should be national recognition. David Stern should visit and express his condolences. There should be a three page article in the upcoming SI. But, alas, I fear there will be nothing.
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