Jazz 112, Sixers 95
Item: Interesting quote from Philadelphia's Andre Miller after Deron Williams scored 27 points on 11-for-18 shooting against the 76ers.
Perhaps noticing that Williams had missed 32 of his 50 shots in the three previous games, the Sixers apparently wanted to take away penetration, even if it meant giving up an open jump shot. Williams responded with his second-highest point-total of the season -- and his highest in a non-overtime game. He was 4-for-6 on three-pointers.
"That's what we gave him," Miller said. "That was our defensive strategy, so that allowed him to shoot the ball" effectively.
Miller played in his 478th consecutive game, which is the longest current streak in the NBA. He also fouled out for the first time in two years.
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Item: Rookie Kosta Koufos didn't have his best game, but he still finished with nine points and six rebounds in almost 17 minutes.
After the game, a teammate was teasing Koufos about about his three turnovers, including two early in the game, and I thought his response was interesting.
"Just as long as we win ..." Koufos said.
I was talking to a scout before the game and, when the conversation turned to the Jazz, he quickly brought up Koufos' name. When I mentioned that I liked the fluidness to his game, the scout asked me an eye-opening question.
"Not counting Dwight Howard," he said, "how many centers in the NBA under the age of 25 are better -- right now -- than Koufos?"
I told the scout I didn't know, but he made his point. At least one guy thinks the Jazz got the steal of last year's draft, when they took Koufos with the 23rd pick.
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Item: Philadelphia interim coach Tony DiLeo praised the Jazz after their easy victory.
He called Williams "a great player because he can create for himself and he can create for others and he knows where everyone is on the court. They run great offenses, so he is perfect for this team. He's great at the pick-and-roll and, when [Carlos] Boozer gets back -- with those two together -- it's really hard to stop."
-- Steve Luhm
Perhaps noticing that Williams had missed 32 of his 50 shots in the three previous games, the Sixers apparently wanted to take away penetration, even if it meant giving up an open jump shot. Williams responded with his second-highest point-total of the season -- and his highest in a non-overtime game. He was 4-for-6 on three-pointers.
"That's what we gave him," Miller said. "That was our defensive strategy, so that allowed him to shoot the ball" effectively.
Miller played in his 478th consecutive game, which is the longest current streak in the NBA. He also fouled out for the first time in two years.
---
Item: Rookie Kosta Koufos didn't have his best game, but he still finished with nine points and six rebounds in almost 17 minutes.
After the game, a teammate was teasing Koufos about about his three turnovers, including two early in the game, and I thought his response was interesting.
"Just as long as we win ..." Koufos said.
I was talking to a scout before the game and, when the conversation turned to the Jazz, he quickly brought up Koufos' name. When I mentioned that I liked the fluidness to his game, the scout asked me an eye-opening question.
"Not counting Dwight Howard," he said, "how many centers in the NBA under the age of 25 are better -- right now -- than Koufos?"
I told the scout I didn't know, but he made his point. At least one guy thinks the Jazz got the steal of last year's draft, when they took Koufos with the 23rd pick.
---
Item: Philadelphia interim coach Tony DiLeo praised the Jazz after their easy victory.
He called Williams "a great player because he can create for himself and he can create for others and he knows where everyone is on the court. They run great offenses, so he is perfect for this team. He's great at the pick-and-roll and, when [Carlos] Boozer gets back -- with those two together -- it's really hard to stop."
-- Steve Luhm
8:20 AM
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