Donovan Mitchell late scratch Game 1…

[PlainsUte]

What are locals saying about the late scratch of Donovan Mitchell, apparently a Jazz decision not Mitchell’s.

[Ute Dub]

F**king pussy is what went through John Stockton’s mind having played 82 games 17 out of 19 seasons with deep playoff runs several times.

[utefansince79]

Sounds like Donovan was completely ready to play Sunday and was quite unhappy when doctors/trainers decided to scratch him shortly before the game.

 

[Ute Dub]

That’s pretty easy to say “AFTER” the game. 

[younglurch]

It seems obvious to me that Donovan was ready to go, but then was then told right before the game by Jazz trainers/medical staff they weren’t comfortable with him playing yet. And team medical staff has final say–not the player. Why the timing and messaging around his injury has been so unsual is anyone’s guess. Most common thought I’ve heard is that his ankle sprain is a bit worse than they initially let on and they didn’t want him getting re-injured, like Kevin Durant did in the 2019 finals after being rushed back. I think they also thought game 1 at home against a young Grizzlies team would be a gimme. I personally see very little evidence for the idea that Donovan “wipmed out.”

At the end of the day none of this really matters if he comes back and they win the seires. To be honest most hardcore Jazz fans I know still think they win it in 5 or 6.

[Stone]

I do not doubt that the medical staff has the “official” final say (i.e,. that is what the protocol says), but one can be pretty sure that Stockton would have over-ruled any medical staff that told him to sit out a playoff game. Again, not doubting anything about it – also not doubting that Mitchell wanted to play. Just saying that Stockton was a hard-headed, tough SOB. And I loved that about him.

[RedRocks]

I think they are more careful about injuries in the modern NBA. Stockton likely would not have had the pull to override a decision like this today.

There are many things that irritate me about the NBA, but being more cautious about player health is not one of them.

[Central Coast Ute]

Are people in Utah saying he whimped out?

[RedRocks]

No; just a few people on the internet, I suppose.

[noneyadb]

3 days isn’t going to make a huge difference in an ankle sprain recovery. Jazz thought they could get past Memphis without Mitchell and decided to test their position with a throw away game.

[Central Coast Ute]

Yep. Stockton missed less games in 19 years than today’s stars miss in one season. That’s why I had to laugh at Chris Paul when he accused the Stat keepers in Utah of “home cooking” when he was asked about not being able to best Stocktons assist record. Like I said, Paul missed more games that season than Stockton did his entire career.

[utefansince79]

Stockton and Malone each played a lot of seasons where they sat zero games all year.  One of Karl’s longer unbroken iron man streaks ended when he sat out a game for suspension after a rather hard foul against Isaiah Thomas. 

Have to think in some of those games they were playing a bit ‘banged up’ but went out there on the court anyway.  You sure never saw them take a rest day that is far too common in today’s league.

 

 

 

[Central Coast Ute]

Very true. When Malone was in Utah I only remember him missing that suspension game, when his mom died and I think he was sick once, I could be wrong on that one but still, he missed very few games.

[noneyadb]

This 🏆 goes to the”Gawd awful take of the week!” 👏🏆👏

[EagleMountainUte]

The thing that is silly is when Mitchell eventually leaves to New York for a huge super star deal. He would have said Jazz staff are terrible people. They made me play and I wasn’t 100%. He would have said this to New York media to make the fans all happy about him coming to that team.

Comparing the players now to the past just isn’t fair. Their are guys who play hurt still but nothing like back then.