Can you see the swagger?
As I was waiting in the locker room to talk to a couple of Jazz players after their methodical win over Indiana on Wednesday night, owner Larry Miller walked past.
He did not pick up one of the nearby cigars that new father Andrei Kirilenko had made available, but he was smiling when he stopped to say hello.
And why not?
The Jazz are on cruise-control, winning games handily even when some things are working against them.
-- Memo Okur gets two fouls in the first 70 seconds and ends up going 1-for-8 in only 19 minutes.
-- The Jazz shoot 39 percent through the first three quarters and never trail.
-- Gordan Giricek and Matt Harpring, whose play off the bench has sparked the Jazz during their recent hot streak, go a combined 6-for-21.
Still, the Jazz's control during the game never seemed in doubt, even when the Pacers pulled within six at the end of the third quarter.
That's why Miller was smiling.
This team has developed a swagger — a belief it is going to win, even if the Jazz's five-game winning streak has been accomplished against NBA bottom-feeders or capable opponents, like the Pacers, who have been on the road and aren't at their best.
Miller's favorite moment against Indiana?
On one sequence, three different Jazz players dove on the floor after a loose ball. Eventually, Harpring saved it to rookie Paul Millsap, who secured it and flipped the ball to Giricek.
Even though the Jazz didn't score on their possession, Miller said, it didn't matter.
The effort was apparent to everyone, including the boss.
— Steve Luhm
He did not pick up one of the nearby cigars that new father Andrei Kirilenko had made available, but he was smiling when he stopped to say hello.
And why not?
The Jazz are on cruise-control, winning games handily even when some things are working against them.
-- Memo Okur gets two fouls in the first 70 seconds and ends up going 1-for-8 in only 19 minutes.
-- The Jazz shoot 39 percent through the first three quarters and never trail.
-- Gordan Giricek and Matt Harpring, whose play off the bench has sparked the Jazz during their recent hot streak, go a combined 6-for-21.
Still, the Jazz's control during the game never seemed in doubt, even when the Pacers pulled within six at the end of the third quarter.
That's why Miller was smiling.
This team has developed a swagger — a belief it is going to win, even if the Jazz's five-game winning streak has been accomplished against NBA bottom-feeders or capable opponents, like the Pacers, who have been on the road and aren't at their best.
Miller's favorite moment against Indiana?
On one sequence, three different Jazz players dove on the floor after a loose ball. Eventually, Harpring saved it to rookie Paul Millsap, who secured it and flipped the ball to Giricek.
Even though the Jazz didn't score on their possession, Miller said, it didn't matter.
The effort was apparent to everyone, including the boss.
— Steve Luhm
10:49 AM
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1 Comments:
The Jazz, in the last 5-10 games, have reminded me of the late 1990s teams. They start the game by just out executing the opposition on offense, hustle and box out on defense and by halftime, they're up a few points. Then they spend the second half building on what they started and before you know it, Utah wins.
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