A close decision
I can't argue with the decision to make Houston's Tracy McGrady the Western Conference Player of the Week. T-Mac averaged 32.3 points, 7.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds and Houston won three straight games. Those numbers are outstanding and make him a deserving winner of the weekly award.
That said, I am certain nobody in the NBA played better last week than Jazz point guard Deron Williams, including McGrady.
With Williams playing the best basketball of his career, Utah beat Dallas, Minnesota, Phoenix and Denver last week by an average of 17.5 points. He averaged 19.2 points, 15.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds. He shot 51 percent from the field and, head-to-head, outplayed two of the best point guards in league history in Jason Kidd and Steve Nash.
The Jazz swept their four games without Andrei Kirilenko, who always makes Williams' job a little easier with his help defense and ability to occasionally set up and run Utah's offense.
Even without Kirilenko's help, Williams was Stockton-esque, and I don't throw that comparison around lightly.
John Stockton could take over a game, just like Williams did in the Jazz's closest wins of the week -- 116-110 over the Mavericks and 126-118 at Phoenix.
Jazz followers know how rarely coach Jerry Sloan piles praise on any individual player. At Monday's shootaround, though, I asked him why his team was able to play so well with Kirilenko still sidelined with a sprained hip.
Listen up.
"I think we played well as a team, that's what gave us a chance to win," Sloan said. "We passed the ball [well] and Deron Williams played his best basketball, I think. All the things he's done -- the way he's taken the team and pushed [us] to another level with his determination to get things done -- has been really good for our team."
-- Steve Luhm
That said, I am certain nobody in the NBA played better last week than Jazz point guard Deron Williams, including McGrady.
With Williams playing the best basketball of his career, Utah beat Dallas, Minnesota, Phoenix and Denver last week by an average of 17.5 points. He averaged 19.2 points, 15.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds. He shot 51 percent from the field and, head-to-head, outplayed two of the best point guards in league history in Jason Kidd and Steve Nash.
The Jazz swept their four games without Andrei Kirilenko, who always makes Williams' job a little easier with his help defense and ability to occasionally set up and run Utah's offense.
Even without Kirilenko's help, Williams was Stockton-esque, and I don't throw that comparison around lightly.
John Stockton could take over a game, just like Williams did in the Jazz's closest wins of the week -- 116-110 over the Mavericks and 126-118 at Phoenix.
Jazz followers know how rarely coach Jerry Sloan piles praise on any individual player. At Monday's shootaround, though, I asked him why his team was able to play so well with Kirilenko still sidelined with a sprained hip.
Listen up.
"I think we played well as a team, that's what gave us a chance to win," Sloan said. "We passed the ball [well] and Deron Williams played his best basketball, I think. All the things he's done -- the way he's taken the team and pushed [us] to another level with his determination to get things done -- has been really good for our team."
-- Steve Luhm
11:12 AM
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1 Comments:
I was at the game on Saturday night against the Thuggets and Deron played like an MVP candidate. Hopefully he will start getting more MVP consideration as he keeps up this high level of play.
You know who else deserves player of the week honors?
MEMO! He has been on fire, and rebounding with consistency.
John
http://jazz-talk.blogspot.com/
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