Nets 117, Jazz 115
With Andrei Kirilenko throwing an ill-advised pass to Mehmet Okur in the deep corner on the final play of Saturday's game, the question came up as to whether the Jazz have found themselves in that situation before this season.
It's surprising we're more than 60 games in and I can't think of one where the Jazz had to set up a last-second shot. It's definitely possible I'm missing something obvious after sitting in a car for 2 hours, 11 minutes to slog from LaGuardia to the Meadowlands.
They had to defend last-second shots at both Miami and Denver - - Dwyane Wade connected, Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson missed - - but not the other way around. Which is why I can't fault Kirilenko too much for the pass he threw in an unfamiliar situation.
Both Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, however, brought up how open they thought Williams was after Boozer screened Devin Harris. It looked like Kirilenko was pretty much locked into Okur, who had to take a next-to-impossible turnaround three-pointer.
Hard to believe Kirilenko scored the game's first two points on a night he finished with only that. New Jersey's Josh Boone should have been credited with an assist off the opening tip as Kirilenko had a layup just six seconds into the game.
The rest of the night was completely forgettable for Kirilenko, worse perhaps than his scoreless game against the Clippers earlier this season. He was headed to the bench with two fouls after just 2:04 of the first quarter.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan eventually brought back Kirilenko to finish the first half after some quality play from C.J. Miles. Kirilenko missed on two three-pointers in the first 3 1-2 minutes of the third quarter and later threw away a pass looking for Mehmet Okur.
Sloan again pulled Kirilenko, this time with 6:22 left in the third quarter, in favor of Matt Harpring. Kirilenko came back for the final 10:42 of the game and suffered through a nightmare end in the last 90 seconds.
In order of events: Kirilenko misses a three-pointer with 1:11 left, Kirilenko sends Richard Jefferson to the line with 1:05 left, Kirilenko gives up game-winning drive to Jefferson with 1.5 seconds left, Kirilenko inbounds to Okur in corner at buzzer.
Kirilenko talked about it being a tough game for everybody when he was asked about never getting anything going. Sloan almost never admits such a thing, but he said afterward that he was second-guessing himself for not going with Miles in the second half.
What's alarming is how much Kirilenko's production has tailed off in the last month or so. Since the trade deadline - - subtracting the Dallas game in which he was injured - - Kirilenko is averaging 7.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
He's still shooting the three-pointer well (10 of 24, 41.7 percent) but the question is whether Kirilenko will be more than just a complementary player for the Jazz as they make their playoff push. His teammates talk regularly about the A.K. they need.
--Ross Siler
It's surprising we're more than 60 games in and I can't think of one where the Jazz had to set up a last-second shot. It's definitely possible I'm missing something obvious after sitting in a car for 2 hours, 11 minutes to slog from LaGuardia to the Meadowlands.
They had to defend last-second shots at both Miami and Denver - - Dwyane Wade connected, Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson missed - - but not the other way around. Which is why I can't fault Kirilenko too much for the pass he threw in an unfamiliar situation.
Both Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, however, brought up how open they thought Williams was after Boozer screened Devin Harris. It looked like Kirilenko was pretty much locked into Okur, who had to take a next-to-impossible turnaround three-pointer.
Hard to believe Kirilenko scored the game's first two points on a night he finished with only that. New Jersey's Josh Boone should have been credited with an assist off the opening tip as Kirilenko had a layup just six seconds into the game.
The rest of the night was completely forgettable for Kirilenko, worse perhaps than his scoreless game against the Clippers earlier this season. He was headed to the bench with two fouls after just 2:04 of the first quarter.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan eventually brought back Kirilenko to finish the first half after some quality play from C.J. Miles. Kirilenko missed on two three-pointers in the first 3 1-2 minutes of the third quarter and later threw away a pass looking for Mehmet Okur.
Sloan again pulled Kirilenko, this time with 6:22 left in the third quarter, in favor of Matt Harpring. Kirilenko came back for the final 10:42 of the game and suffered through a nightmare end in the last 90 seconds.
In order of events: Kirilenko misses a three-pointer with 1:11 left, Kirilenko sends Richard Jefferson to the line with 1:05 left, Kirilenko gives up game-winning drive to Jefferson with 1.5 seconds left, Kirilenko inbounds to Okur in corner at buzzer.
Kirilenko talked about it being a tough game for everybody when he was asked about never getting anything going. Sloan almost never admits such a thing, but he said afterward that he was second-guessing himself for not going with Miles in the second half.
What's alarming is how much Kirilenko's production has tailed off in the last month or so. Since the trade deadline - - subtracting the Dallas game in which he was injured - - Kirilenko is averaging 7.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
He's still shooting the three-pointer well (10 of 24, 41.7 percent) but the question is whether Kirilenko will be more than just a complementary player for the Jazz as they make their playoff push. His teammates talk regularly about the A.K. they need.
--Ross Siler
1:32 AM
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2 Comments:
I think AK is a liability on offense and I think the Jazz play less than stellar team defense when he is in the game. It's almost if his teammates subconsciously know AK might bail them out on D if their man blows by them. Seems the Jazz, especially Boozer, play stiffer defense when AK is absent. I would not be disappointed to see them trade AK after the season and go with Miles in his stead. One thing is certain, you won't have the liability on offense.
I think that "since the trade deadline" is the key phrase here. I noticed that too, and suspect that AK had hoped to be traded, and went into sulk/tank mode when he wasn't.
Frankly, I'm sick of him.
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