A Jazz Killer is, naturally, some guy on the other team who routinely lights us up. Many times this individual is a star recognized all over the globe, like a Kobe Bryant. It’s not ‘special’ when Kobe lights the Jazz up – he lights everyone up. It hurts so much more when the Jazz killer is a guy who is decidedly average, but his eyes light up when playing against us. Probably the best example, in recent history at least, is the Toronto Raptors Linas Kleiza. We fear and respect him. We also wonder: "What did we ever do to him to make him hate us so much?" He’s done everything to us. He set his career high. He even had close to a double double in just garbage time. He always seems to find a new way to rip our hearts out of our chests. He is one in a seemingly endless line of Jazz Killing role players. Here’s a look at only 5 (there are more) of his Jazz Killing games:
I could go on and on, listing all the times he came away with a win, while embarrassing our scouting department. In the old LHM days he would have demanded that we somehow trade for him or sign him as a free agent. For his career he averages 8.6 ppg (44.6 fg%), 3.6 rpg, and 0.8 apg. Against the Jazz, well, I don’t even want to tell you. He’s a beast.
No. He’s a Jazz Killer.
0 recs | 6 comments
Jody did a great piece on this that he posted around the same time this was uploaded
so I hid this and let things cool down for a while . . . also Prod. Punk had a great game recap up. No need to messy the site.
AllThatJazzBasketball - January 26, 2012
Yup. Just about sums it up.
JazzHype - January 26, 2012
i kept saying that last night
what did we ever do to you Kleiza! I also said after his first 3, that he was going to freaking win the game for the Raptors last night and he did.
I hate last nights game.
Thanks for posting his good games against us, I only remembered his career high against us the 41 that was just so embarrassing, but seeing the others and including last night we have good reason to hate this Jazz killer.
dianaallen - January 26, 2012
I was thinking about that too last night when I saw Kleiza, that he was going to be the hero.
Then I thought after the game, “Well, isn’t that really a sign of great coaching?”
Dwane Casey either knew the history or recognized Kleiza’s effectiveness during the game and left him out there to be the hero. Aaron Gray was not effective because the Jazz bigs were too quick… started, but only played 15 mins. They went with a fast, mobile grouping at the end that included Amir Johnson, Barbosa, Kleiza, and James Johnson. Starters Gray, Bargnani, and DeRozan all sat through big chunks of the last 15 mins. Bargnani was injured and may have prevented them from winning had he not been, but all the factors came together to make Casey look like a mastermind.
JazzHype - January 26, 2012
And in contrast coach Ty
went with being strict with his rotations. I guess he thought “habit” or being in the same situation, having that comfort level, would help the players rather than going with an unexpected rotation. I guess it’s a learning experience for both the players as well as the coach.
softdrinks - January 26, 2012
I hate it when a below than average guy like Kleiza
comes into our building and does as he wishes and acts like he owns us. I hate the Jazz being pushovers especially to guys like Kleiza. I would rather praise him for his good play but if it’s Mr. average dude Kleiza doing that 3 finger pointing after making a 3, I’m sorry, I am not going to like him.
softdrinks - January 26, 2012
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