Jazz 90, Spurs 64
Something tells me the Jazz are going to have more games like Friday at home in the playoffs. If you remember last year, the Jazz crushed Houston 81-67 in Game 3 of the first round and San Antonio 109-83 in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
As they tuned up for the playoffs Friday, the Jazz thrashed the Spurs so thoroughly, it was easy to forget they led only 40-38 at halftime, after trailing for most of the first half. I asked Kyle Korver what it was like to see 90-64 on the scoreboard when it was over.
"I've been on plenty of the other side against San Antonio, so it felt pretty good - - I'm not going to lie," Korver said. "I don't think we came into the game expecting that kind of score.
"It was a tough first half and we kind of stuck with it and once we started hitting our shots in the second half, we were able to kind of pull away a little bit."
Also asked if Friday's victory validated that the Jazz can play with anyone in the playoffs. Maybe instead of the Jazz wanting to avoid a series against the Spurs, it's the Spurs who want to avoid a series against the Jazz.
"I think we thought we could play with anybody before tonight," Korver said. "I think tonight just kind of shows us that again. But we're not expecting to go blow everybody out by 20 or 30 points.
"I think we probably caught them on a night when they weren't quite as sharp as they wanted to be and we were sharp, and especially in the second half, so it's a good win for us."
The biggest winner Friday might have been Kirk Korver, Kyle's youngest brother. Kirk had attended the Jazz's loss to the Lakers last month as well as the Jazz's loss to the Timberwolves on Sunday and was facing a third-strike situation Friday.
Kyle said he was going to ban Kirk from attending the playoffs if the Jazz lost to the Spurs. He's good to go now, and the Korvers are expecting to have a fun weekend with all four brothers together in Salt Lake City.
* * *
There's clearly a page in the scouting report on the Jazz that calls for opposing teams to switch to a zone defense as soon as Ronnie Price takes over at point guard for Deron Williams.
The Spurs did so in both the first and third quarter Friday. I've lost track of the number of teams that have done so in recent games.
* * *
This is the second time we've seen a team deviate from its normal routine and pay the price against the Jazz. The Celtics last month canceled an off-day practice in the hopes of getting their veterans some rest and watched their 10-game losing streak end the next night.
The Spurs didn't hold a pregame shootaround Friday morning. Gregg Popovich flew in for the game after accepting a distinguished graduate award at a luncheon at the Air Force Academy. Just like the Celtics, the Spurs saw their winning streak end.
With a three-day break between games this weekend, the Jazz will take Saturday off and return to practice Sunday and Monday in advance of Tuesday's game against the Hornets. Even if it's a short practice, I think keeping that rhythm of practice and games is key.
* * *
There were some pretty good quotes from Friday's game. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan on Matt Harpring's sequence of missed layups in the fourth quarter: "I thought I was going to die," Sloan said. "I think he was about to."
Deron Williams was asked about the MVP chants that grew in volume during the game. "I don't think I've got a chance for that," Williams said, "but I appreciate it."
And of course Spurs coach Gregg Popovich when asked what happened in the fourth quarter: "It's the NBA and there's 82 games and it's the fourth quarter and they played their [rear] off. I mean, the third quarter's where they kicked our [rear]."
I would have loved if Golden State had lost to Memphis on Friday and the Spurs had clinched a playoff berth on a night they scored 64 points in a horrendous loss.
--Ross Siler
As they tuned up for the playoffs Friday, the Jazz thrashed the Spurs so thoroughly, it was easy to forget they led only 40-38 at halftime, after trailing for most of the first half. I asked Kyle Korver what it was like to see 90-64 on the scoreboard when it was over.
"I've been on plenty of the other side against San Antonio, so it felt pretty good - - I'm not going to lie," Korver said. "I don't think we came into the game expecting that kind of score.
"It was a tough first half and we kind of stuck with it and once we started hitting our shots in the second half, we were able to kind of pull away a little bit."
Also asked if Friday's victory validated that the Jazz can play with anyone in the playoffs. Maybe instead of the Jazz wanting to avoid a series against the Spurs, it's the Spurs who want to avoid a series against the Jazz.
"I think we thought we could play with anybody before tonight," Korver said. "I think tonight just kind of shows us that again. But we're not expecting to go blow everybody out by 20 or 30 points.
"I think we probably caught them on a night when they weren't quite as sharp as they wanted to be and we were sharp, and especially in the second half, so it's a good win for us."
The biggest winner Friday might have been Kirk Korver, Kyle's youngest brother. Kirk had attended the Jazz's loss to the Lakers last month as well as the Jazz's loss to the Timberwolves on Sunday and was facing a third-strike situation Friday.
Kyle said he was going to ban Kirk from attending the playoffs if the Jazz lost to the Spurs. He's good to go now, and the Korvers are expecting to have a fun weekend with all four brothers together in Salt Lake City.
* * *
There's clearly a page in the scouting report on the Jazz that calls for opposing teams to switch to a zone defense as soon as Ronnie Price takes over at point guard for Deron Williams.
The Spurs did so in both the first and third quarter Friday. I've lost track of the number of teams that have done so in recent games.
* * *
This is the second time we've seen a team deviate from its normal routine and pay the price against the Jazz. The Celtics last month canceled an off-day practice in the hopes of getting their veterans some rest and watched their 10-game losing streak end the next night.
The Spurs didn't hold a pregame shootaround Friday morning. Gregg Popovich flew in for the game after accepting a distinguished graduate award at a luncheon at the Air Force Academy. Just like the Celtics, the Spurs saw their winning streak end.
With a three-day break between games this weekend, the Jazz will take Saturday off and return to practice Sunday and Monday in advance of Tuesday's game against the Hornets. Even if it's a short practice, I think keeping that rhythm of practice and games is key.
* * *
There were some pretty good quotes from Friday's game. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan on Matt Harpring's sequence of missed layups in the fourth quarter: "I thought I was going to die," Sloan said. "I think he was about to."
Deron Williams was asked about the MVP chants that grew in volume during the game. "I don't think I've got a chance for that," Williams said, "but I appreciate it."
And of course Spurs coach Gregg Popovich when asked what happened in the fourth quarter: "It's the NBA and there's 82 games and it's the fourth quarter and they played their [rear] off. I mean, the third quarter's where they kicked our [rear]."
I would have loved if Golden State had lost to Memphis on Friday and the Spurs had clinched a playoff berth on a night they scored 64 points in a horrendous loss.
--Ross Siler
1:20 AM
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