Welcome Utah Jazz fans to Jazz Fantasy Update. This is where James Morris, Senior Basketball Editor at Rototimes, will evaluate the fantasy prospects of Jazz players to help you make roster decisions for your own fantasy team(s). Enjoy!

Week of Apr. 7, 2008 | By James Morris

There is only one word I can think of to describe this week for the Jazz, brutal. If the team can come out of the week 2-1 I think it is a victory, but since two of the three games are on the road and the home teams do not lose very often at home. I like the Jazz as a team and think they could win out the series if they are able to play their game.

Tuesday, Apr. 8 at New Orleans:

Deron Williams versus Chris Paul… battle of the titans. I still play Williams here as there isn’t anyone in the NBA that can stop him. Shooting Guard has been an area of concern for the Jazz as of late with Ronnie Brewer down due to a strained groin the team has been running Ronnie Price at the two. If Brewer is back I play him because of the steals and solid point production, but Price offers nothing outside of points so I sit him. Andrei Kirilenko missed three games at the end of March, but then came back and looked like the AK-47 of November. I think he has a good match-up with Peja Stojakovic here and his well rounded game should flourish once again. Carlos Boozer and David West is almost a mirror image of the Williams/Paul match-up. Stockton and Malone face Stockton and Malone. Play him! Mehmet Okur has Tyson Chandler and Okur has been money lately, so I play him here even if he is facing Shaq five years ago! Kyle Korver and Matt Harpring are about the best there is coming off the bench for the Jazz and I will play Korver for the 3’s and Harpring only if I am in a really deep league and in need of 12 points and 5 rebounds.

Thursday, Apr. 10 at Dallas:

The Mavericks have lost a total of seven games at home all season heading into this week, so this doesn’t bode well for the Jazz. Jason Kidd isn’t what he once was and that Kidd for Harris deal looks horrible right about now. I play Williams here and love it! Shooting Guard doesn’t change, if it is Brewer I play him but realize that he is facing Stackhouse/Jason Terry, so steals are more likely than point. Kirilenko has Josh Howard so I am going to sit him here. Howard is too athletic to think the AK-47 can chase him all night long and still produce good numbers. The defense will tire him out. Boozer has Nowitzki, so play him here, but expect the same thing to happen with Boozer that happened with Kirilenko. Dirk likes to go outside and hang around the 3-point line, where as Boozer plays around the paint more. Okur has Eric Dampier and I LOVE this match-up. Play Okur and look for one of those monster rebounding nights. Korver should have his 10-15 points with some 3’s sprinkled in and Harpring will do the same without the 3’s.

Saturday, Apr. 12 vs Denver:

The Nuggets are in a dogfight for the final playoff spot, so they will fight tooth and nail to the bitter end to win this one. Williams has Anthony Carter and I fully expect Williams to dominate this one. Brewer would face Allen Iverson, so I sit him here. Iverson just runs around way too much for me to really expect Brewer to put up good fantasy numbers. Kirilenko would guard Carmelo Anthony and I actually think I am going to give him the play here. Melo can light it up on the box score, but he doesn’t really shut people down, so Kirilenko could end this one with some surprising stats. Boozer would lock up with Kenyon Martin, but I am not worried. Boozer does his thing just fine and he always comes through for me. Okur has Cotton Camby, so play him here. Camby is an enigma for most fantasy owners. He is either a monster in the game or someone that looks very average. In Sunday’s double-OT loss, Camby barely managed a double-double. I look for Okur to have 20 points and 10+ rebounds. Korver vs. J.R. Smith in a 3-point contest… could be. I play him here as the Nuggets give up the points. Same with Harpring if you have him.