Suddenly Jazz are interesting

Now that every reason to win games is gone from the Jazz season, let me be the first to admit they actually got my attention. After guaranteeing themselves a losing season Thursday against the Blazers, I’m more intrigued by the Jazz than I’ve been in several years.

I mean it. Covering losing teams isn’t usually interesting, but neither is covering numbingly predictable teams. Considering they have become a below average team, I sort of like the mystery of what’s behind door No. 3. Who will they draft? For a long time, the draft picks didn’t much matter to the Jazz (see Eric Maynor, Kosta Koufos, Morris Almond). When they were picking 20th or 25th, it was never all that interesting.

Then there’s the fact the Jazz have a lot of new faces. There was something about knowing the Jazz would make the playoffs every year with Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams, and then would lose in the first or second round, had started to bore me.

There was a touch of suspense as to whether the Jazz would be seeded fourth or fifth in the playoffs for a few years. But no such worries now. Nowadays people can worry about the Jazz making the playoffs, period. Much more titillating than playing for seeding.

Mediocrity and losing get boring, too, but for the moment I’m more interested in the Jazz than I should be. The person they draft might actually be the person they play. Who is their best player is actually debatable.

And those annual contests against Washington and Toronto?

Can’t-miss games, as far as I’m concerned.

Derrick Favors (I think)