The Tyrone Brazelton Show
The odds of an undrafted, 6-foot point guard out of Western Kentucky making the NBA are longer than long. But Tyrone Brazelton might have made the case in the second half of Tuesday night's game that he deserves a look from the Jazz in training camp.
After sitting the entire first half of the Jazz's victory over New Jersey, Brazelton checked into the game with Ricky Paulding in the third quarter and proceeded to score 16 points in just 16:41 of action, including 12 points in the fourth quarter.
"Ty Brazelton came in and really did a great job of energizing us and getting us running the floor and pushing the ball and then he made some great shots," Jazz assistant Scott Layden said.
The way Brazelton played "tells you that he's ready," Layden added. "It's hard to sit on the bench and then be ready, and then when you get in, actually have success. You've got to give him a lot of credit."
Brazelton slashed for baskets, pushed the ball from end to end for layups and found Morris Almond for a three-pointer. He also made two plays in the last two minutes that were critical for the Jazz to win a game in which they trailed by 14 early.
With 1:30 left, Brazelton used a screen to drive baseline and ducked under Brook Lopez for a layup that gave Utah a five-point lead. He capped his night by drilling a jumper off an inbounds play with 28.8 seconds left to make it 84-79.
"If you noticed, he got us in our offense, too," Layden said. "It was a good floor game, and that's what you look for. It's drive the ball up, push it, score on opportunities. If you don't have it, get in the offense. He seemed to manage all of that very well."
The Nets switched Jaycee Carroll off Brazelton and Chris Douglas-Roberts onto him late in the fourth quarter. Brazelton finished with four assists and two turnovers and described his game afterward as "attack, attack, attack."
What made Brazelton think the Jazz were the right team to play summer league with?
"I knew the Jazz liked me a lot after I came and worked out for them [before the draft]," Brazelton said. "I know they have a lot of point guards, but I figured I could do what I can and try to make a name."
We'll see what happens, but I'm not betting against Brazelton being in Boise after watching Tuesday's game.
* * *
I was really looking forward to seeing Kyrylo Fesenko battle Brook Lopez in Tuesday's game, but the matchup never really materialized. Fesenko finished with four points and five rebounds in 18 minutes and didn't play in the fourth quarter.
Even so, Fesenko did have his moments against Lopez. He flipped in a shot over the lottery pick in the first quarter and blocked him twice in the third quarter.
The first time, Fesenko blocked Lopez but was called for an offensive foul for swinging his arms into Julius Hodge as he controlled the ball. The second time, Lopez tried to spin on Fesenko but was soundly rejected.
Fesenko did blow a dunk early in the second half and went 2 of 4 at the foul line. Lopez (2 of 11, four points) and Sean Williams (two points, six fouls, 16 minutes) both had miserable nights for the Nets.
* * *
Morris Almond went just 4 of 11 from the field but finished with 24 points by going 14 of 18 from the foul line. Once he stopped launching jumpers and started driving the basket, Almond was able to pile up points at the line.
"That's how you have to complete your game," said Layden, who was especially impressed considering it was Almond's fourth game in five nights. He now has gone 29 of 35 (82.9 percent) from the line in four Revue games.
Not that Almond's night wasn't without a few hiccups. He nearly carried the one time he brought up the ball. He caught teammates off guard when he rose to shoot and fired passes instead. He gave up baskets to Julius Hodge on the defensive end.
* * *
After the game, Almond was spotted in the locker room wearing a pair of black Crocs. Considering the abuse he'd been getting from his teammates, Almond asked for reporters not to pile on. "My feet hurt and they're comfortable," he said.
Almond said he got the Crocs as a giveaway at Deron Williams' charity golf tournament last tournament. It probably isn't the start of a trend around the NBA, but Almond saw some endorsement potential.
"If the bigwigs see me with them," Almond said, "maybe they'll give me a deal, man."
* * *
Yaroslav Korolev might have been the Jazz's best player in the first half of Tuesday's game, knocking down one long jumper with the shot clock about to expire, hitting a three-pointer off a kickout and cutting to get open and earn a trip to the foul line.
Korolev finished with eight points in 12 minutes. He did struggle in the fourth quarter, missing a technical free throw after a defensive three seconds call and getting beaten on defense by Julius Hodge, leading to two Ryan Anderson free throws.
--Ross Siler
After sitting the entire first half of the Jazz's victory over New Jersey, Brazelton checked into the game with Ricky Paulding in the third quarter and proceeded to score 16 points in just 16:41 of action, including 12 points in the fourth quarter.
"Ty Brazelton came in and really did a great job of energizing us and getting us running the floor and pushing the ball and then he made some great shots," Jazz assistant Scott Layden said.
The way Brazelton played "tells you that he's ready," Layden added. "It's hard to sit on the bench and then be ready, and then when you get in, actually have success. You've got to give him a lot of credit."
Brazelton slashed for baskets, pushed the ball from end to end for layups and found Morris Almond for a three-pointer. He also made two plays in the last two minutes that were critical for the Jazz to win a game in which they trailed by 14 early.
With 1:30 left, Brazelton used a screen to drive baseline and ducked under Brook Lopez for a layup that gave Utah a five-point lead. He capped his night by drilling a jumper off an inbounds play with 28.8 seconds left to make it 84-79.
"If you noticed, he got us in our offense, too," Layden said. "It was a good floor game, and that's what you look for. It's drive the ball up, push it, score on opportunities. If you don't have it, get in the offense. He seemed to manage all of that very well."
The Nets switched Jaycee Carroll off Brazelton and Chris Douglas-Roberts onto him late in the fourth quarter. Brazelton finished with four assists and two turnovers and described his game afterward as "attack, attack, attack."
What made Brazelton think the Jazz were the right team to play summer league with?
"I knew the Jazz liked me a lot after I came and worked out for them [before the draft]," Brazelton said. "I know they have a lot of point guards, but I figured I could do what I can and try to make a name."
We'll see what happens, but I'm not betting against Brazelton being in Boise after watching Tuesday's game.
* * *
I was really looking forward to seeing Kyrylo Fesenko battle Brook Lopez in Tuesday's game, but the matchup never really materialized. Fesenko finished with four points and five rebounds in 18 minutes and didn't play in the fourth quarter.
Even so, Fesenko did have his moments against Lopez. He flipped in a shot over the lottery pick in the first quarter and blocked him twice in the third quarter.
The first time, Fesenko blocked Lopez but was called for an offensive foul for swinging his arms into Julius Hodge as he controlled the ball. The second time, Lopez tried to spin on Fesenko but was soundly rejected.
Fesenko did blow a dunk early in the second half and went 2 of 4 at the foul line. Lopez (2 of 11, four points) and Sean Williams (two points, six fouls, 16 minutes) both had miserable nights for the Nets.
* * *
Morris Almond went just 4 of 11 from the field but finished with 24 points by going 14 of 18 from the foul line. Once he stopped launching jumpers and started driving the basket, Almond was able to pile up points at the line.
"That's how you have to complete your game," said Layden, who was especially impressed considering it was Almond's fourth game in five nights. He now has gone 29 of 35 (82.9 percent) from the line in four Revue games.
Not that Almond's night wasn't without a few hiccups. He nearly carried the one time he brought up the ball. He caught teammates off guard when he rose to shoot and fired passes instead. He gave up baskets to Julius Hodge on the defensive end.
* * *
After the game, Almond was spotted in the locker room wearing a pair of black Crocs. Considering the abuse he'd been getting from his teammates, Almond asked for reporters not to pile on. "My feet hurt and they're comfortable," he said.
Almond said he got the Crocs as a giveaway at Deron Williams' charity golf tournament last tournament. It probably isn't the start of a trend around the NBA, but Almond saw some endorsement potential.
"If the bigwigs see me with them," Almond said, "maybe they'll give me a deal, man."
* * *
Yaroslav Korolev might have been the Jazz's best player in the first half of Tuesday's game, knocking down one long jumper with the shot clock about to expire, hitting a three-pointer off a kickout and cutting to get open and earn a trip to the foul line.
Korolev finished with eight points in 12 minutes. He did struggle in the fourth quarter, missing a technical free throw after a defensive three seconds call and getting beaten on defense by Julius Hodge, leading to two Ryan Anderson free throws.
--Ross Siler
11:37 PM
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1 Comments:
Good info. Have you heard anything new about Miles? Do you think that Almond has shown enough to make the Jazz decision any easier?
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