Jazz 109, Suns 97
Thanks, first of all, to Steve for filling in this weekend so I could go to my best friend's wedding in Madison, Wis. Also, a shout-out to Shane, a Jazz fan from Hagerstown, Md., who introduced himself at the Wizards game in Washington last week.
You don't think of the Jazz having a national fan base, but there's always a handful of fans at every road game. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the church, but I think there's some who gained an appreciation for the Jazz from the Stockton-to-Malone teams of the 1990s.
Anyway, Shane was a credit to Jazz fans, asking about Carlos Boozer's future and Kosta Koufos' development. He also was probably the most excited person at Verizon Center when Brevin Knight checked in for the first time.
As for Monday's victory over Phoenix, the Jazz now are 5-0 at home, 2-4 on the road, and looking a lot like the team that went 37-4 at home last season but was doomed to open the playoffs without home-court advantage thanks to a 17-24 road record.
It seems to me that the Jazz's 1-4 trip as well as their victory Monday illustrated just how tough it is for teams to win on the road.
Between the injuries/absences of Deron Williams, Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko and a stretch of four games in five nights, the Jazz were doomed on their last trip. With Monday's game, Phoenix gave up a 17-2 run in the fourth quarter of what was the second game of a back-to-back set.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan makes no allowances for a tough schedule, but when pressed on the subject after Monday's game he mentioned the age of the Jazz players (primarily 18 to 25) as well as the fact they often practice during three-game, four-day stretches.
He noted that "I wouldn't say that if I hadn't played" or if he hadn't watched John Stockton and Karl Malone through "all those years."
"I think that's something you have to learn," Sloan said. "Learn how to compete when it gets a little bit tough. You get smacked around out there, you feel sorry for yourself."
* * *
Things you don't expect to see in a box score: Shaquille O'Neal having a better shooting game at the foul line (3 of 4) than from the field (3 of 11). O'Neal also played 32 minutes and grabbed one rebounds, which is one fewer than 5-foot-9 Brevin Knight.
* * *
C.J. Miles got on the kind of roll he said he remembered back in high school, scoring 15 points in the first quarter and 21 for the game. Miles hit a three-pointer against a zone in the first quarter and banked in a jumper to open the second half. It was the third-highest scoring game of his career after a 29-point night against Washington last season and a 23-point game against Golden State as a rookie.
* * *
In case you were interested, the Jazz have started keeping track of charges taken in red on the locker room white board. They used to keep track of just deflections, but apparently have added charges. Before Monday's game, Kyle Korver was in the lead with five.
* * *
Kosta Koufos played only 4:39 but give him credit for nearly coming up with a spectacular block of Amare Stoudemire in the first quarter. Stoudemire carried the Suns with Shaquille O'Neal ineffective and Steve Nash battling foul trouble and finished with 30 points. Carlos Boozer had his hands full with Stoudemire much of the game.
* * *
It's amazing to me how much the Jazz have become a zone-defense team. They went into the second quarter trailing by nine and went into halftime up 57-54 in large part because they played zone much of the quarter and frustrated the Suns. With Nash in foul trouble, the zone was especially effective with Goran Dragic in the game at point guard.
* * *
I guess the Suns must not have seen the NBA's points of emphasis video. How else to explain the three inbound fouls for which they were called Monday. That gave the Jazz five free points at the foul line . . . and that's not even counting the technical Kyle Korver converted after Raja Bell argued about his inbound foul with referee Derrick Stafford.
* * *
Kyrylo Fesenko was so proud of his outfit for Monday's game. He said it was the best he'd worn since coming to the NBA. Fesenko wore a blood red shirt, a red tie and a red pocket square. Too bad the shades of red weren't perfectly coordinated, but Fesenko is definitely making strides. He didn't get to wear it on the bench, however: Fesenko dressed for the game and Morris Almond went to the inactive list with the Jazz wanting an extra center against Shaquille O'Neal.
* * *
With Morris Almond playing 21 minutes Saturday against Cleveland, agent Lon Babby said Monday that Almond was very much still a part of the Jazz even though the team last month declined an option in Almond's contract for the 2009-10 season.
"Whatever is going on behind the scenes with what they're doing or what I'm doing is inappropriate to comment on as long as he remains a member of the team," Babby said.
--Ross Siler
You don't think of the Jazz having a national fan base, but there's always a handful of fans at every road game. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the church, but I think there's some who gained an appreciation for the Jazz from the Stockton-to-Malone teams of the 1990s.
Anyway, Shane was a credit to Jazz fans, asking about Carlos Boozer's future and Kosta Koufos' development. He also was probably the most excited person at Verizon Center when Brevin Knight checked in for the first time.
As for Monday's victory over Phoenix, the Jazz now are 5-0 at home, 2-4 on the road, and looking a lot like the team that went 37-4 at home last season but was doomed to open the playoffs without home-court advantage thanks to a 17-24 road record.
It seems to me that the Jazz's 1-4 trip as well as their victory Monday illustrated just how tough it is for teams to win on the road.
Between the injuries/absences of Deron Williams, Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko and a stretch of four games in five nights, the Jazz were doomed on their last trip. With Monday's game, Phoenix gave up a 17-2 run in the fourth quarter of what was the second game of a back-to-back set.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan makes no allowances for a tough schedule, but when pressed on the subject after Monday's game he mentioned the age of the Jazz players (primarily 18 to 25) as well as the fact they often practice during three-game, four-day stretches.
He noted that "I wouldn't say that if I hadn't played" or if he hadn't watched John Stockton and Karl Malone through "all those years."
"I think that's something you have to learn," Sloan said. "Learn how to compete when it gets a little bit tough. You get smacked around out there, you feel sorry for yourself."
* * *
Things you don't expect to see in a box score: Shaquille O'Neal having a better shooting game at the foul line (3 of 4) than from the field (3 of 11). O'Neal also played 32 minutes and grabbed one rebounds, which is one fewer than 5-foot-9 Brevin Knight.
* * *
C.J. Miles got on the kind of roll he said he remembered back in high school, scoring 15 points in the first quarter and 21 for the game. Miles hit a three-pointer against a zone in the first quarter and banked in a jumper to open the second half. It was the third-highest scoring game of his career after a 29-point night against Washington last season and a 23-point game against Golden State as a rookie.
* * *
In case you were interested, the Jazz have started keeping track of charges taken in red on the locker room white board. They used to keep track of just deflections, but apparently have added charges. Before Monday's game, Kyle Korver was in the lead with five.
* * *
Kosta Koufos played only 4:39 but give him credit for nearly coming up with a spectacular block of Amare Stoudemire in the first quarter. Stoudemire carried the Suns with Shaquille O'Neal ineffective and Steve Nash battling foul trouble and finished with 30 points. Carlos Boozer had his hands full with Stoudemire much of the game.
* * *
It's amazing to me how much the Jazz have become a zone-defense team. They went into the second quarter trailing by nine and went into halftime up 57-54 in large part because they played zone much of the quarter and frustrated the Suns. With Nash in foul trouble, the zone was especially effective with Goran Dragic in the game at point guard.
* * *
I guess the Suns must not have seen the NBA's points of emphasis video. How else to explain the three inbound fouls for which they were called Monday. That gave the Jazz five free points at the foul line . . . and that's not even counting the technical Kyle Korver converted after Raja Bell argued about his inbound foul with referee Derrick Stafford.
* * *
Kyrylo Fesenko was so proud of his outfit for Monday's game. He said it was the best he'd worn since coming to the NBA. Fesenko wore a blood red shirt, a red tie and a red pocket square. Too bad the shades of red weren't perfectly coordinated, but Fesenko is definitely making strides. He didn't get to wear it on the bench, however: Fesenko dressed for the game and Morris Almond went to the inactive list with the Jazz wanting an extra center against Shaquille O'Neal.
* * *
With Morris Almond playing 21 minutes Saturday against Cleveland, agent Lon Babby said Monday that Almond was very much still a part of the Jazz even though the team last month declined an option in Almond's contract for the 2009-10 season.
"Whatever is going on behind the scenes with what they're doing or what I'm doing is inappropriate to comment on as long as he remains a member of the team," Babby said.
--Ross Siler
1:16 AM
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