Suns 106, Jazz 104
Since we're here in Phoenix tonight, I thought it might be worth asking how you think the Jazz will be represented at the All-Star Game on Feb. 15. Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko all are candidates to be selected, but does each have a good enough case so far?
It seemed like a foregone conclusion after Williams was chosen for the Olympic team that he'd play in his first All-Star Game this season. He should have played last season as a replacement for Kobe Bryant, except the NBA required Bryant to play or risk sitting out a regular-season game with his injured finger.
But Williams started off the season with a sprained ankle and missed 13 games. He's just now getting back into form - - he had 15 points and 15 assists Saturday - - but Williams will have half as many games as everyone else to make his All-Star case, plus increased competition for a spot with Chauncey Billups' arrival in Denver.
In case you were wondering, the NBA announced All-Star reserves 37 games into last season. I don't know what it'll be this season, but the Jazz have already played 21 games. I think the sentiment is there for Williams, but he's going to need a big month in either December or January probably to get there.
Boozer's also hurt by missing 10 games (at least) with a strained left quadriceps tendon. He missed only one game all of last season and also got a boost when he was named Western Conference Player of the Month for November. His numbers are still impressive (20.5 points, 11.7 rebounds) but as always there's a deep pool of Western forwards.
Kirilenko, meanwhile, probably has been the Jazz's most valuable player this season, coming off the bench and helping keep the team together with Williams and Boozer missing a combined 23 games. But Kirilenko's numbers (12.2 points, 5.8 rebounds) still are a far cry from those (16.5, 8.1) when he was selected an All-Star in 2004.
There also won't be much of a boost for the Jazz as long as they remain a third-place team in the Northwest Division. I guess the bottom line is that if Williams, Boozer and Kirilenko want to be here come February, they need to have big months individually and lead the Jazz on an attention-grabbing winning streak.
* * *
I'm going to tread lightly with this subject, but what do folks think the backlash would be like if the Jazz scheduled a handful of Sunday home games each season? They basically have to cross two days off the calendar every week - - Thursday, since TNT has exclusive broadcasting rights, and Sunday, owing to the area's LDS Church leanings.
That leaves the Jazz playing 21 sets of back-to-back games this season, with three having come in the past nine days. I'm not sure how much playing five Sunday home games would help, but it definitely could put the Jazz at a competitive advantage by possibly breaking up three or four of those back-to-back sets.
* * *
As a basketball fan, I was hoping to see a little more of Shaquille O'Neal in Saturday's game, especially after he got off to a quick start against the Jazz. O'Neal finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, but played 23 minutes, which included only 41 seconds in the fourth quarter.
* * *
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan opted to leave Ronnie Price in the game to play alongside Deron Williams in the fourth quarter. Price and Williams had played together in the preseason, but Saturday was the first time in the regular season. It was the Jazz's attempt to match up against Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa, who combined for 37 for Phoenix.
* * *
The Jazz went 7-for-21 from three-point range, which included a 1-for-7 night from Deron Williams. C.J. Miles went 4-for-6, but had those two misses in the last 1:38. Phoenix was 1-for-12 at one point before Leandro Barbosa and Boris Diaw finally knocked down three-pointers in the third quarter.
--Ross Siler
It seemed like a foregone conclusion after Williams was chosen for the Olympic team that he'd play in his first All-Star Game this season. He should have played last season as a replacement for Kobe Bryant, except the NBA required Bryant to play or risk sitting out a regular-season game with his injured finger.
But Williams started off the season with a sprained ankle and missed 13 games. He's just now getting back into form - - he had 15 points and 15 assists Saturday - - but Williams will have half as many games as everyone else to make his All-Star case, plus increased competition for a spot with Chauncey Billups' arrival in Denver.
In case you were wondering, the NBA announced All-Star reserves 37 games into last season. I don't know what it'll be this season, but the Jazz have already played 21 games. I think the sentiment is there for Williams, but he's going to need a big month in either December or January probably to get there.
Boozer's also hurt by missing 10 games (at least) with a strained left quadriceps tendon. He missed only one game all of last season and also got a boost when he was named Western Conference Player of the Month for November. His numbers are still impressive (20.5 points, 11.7 rebounds) but as always there's a deep pool of Western forwards.
Kirilenko, meanwhile, probably has been the Jazz's most valuable player this season, coming off the bench and helping keep the team together with Williams and Boozer missing a combined 23 games. But Kirilenko's numbers (12.2 points, 5.8 rebounds) still are a far cry from those (16.5, 8.1) when he was selected an All-Star in 2004.
There also won't be much of a boost for the Jazz as long as they remain a third-place team in the Northwest Division. I guess the bottom line is that if Williams, Boozer and Kirilenko want to be here come February, they need to have big months individually and lead the Jazz on an attention-grabbing winning streak.
* * *
I'm going to tread lightly with this subject, but what do folks think the backlash would be like if the Jazz scheduled a handful of Sunday home games each season? They basically have to cross two days off the calendar every week - - Thursday, since TNT has exclusive broadcasting rights, and Sunday, owing to the area's LDS Church leanings.
That leaves the Jazz playing 21 sets of back-to-back games this season, with three having come in the past nine days. I'm not sure how much playing five Sunday home games would help, but it definitely could put the Jazz at a competitive advantage by possibly breaking up three or four of those back-to-back sets.
* * *
As a basketball fan, I was hoping to see a little more of Shaquille O'Neal in Saturday's game, especially after he got off to a quick start against the Jazz. O'Neal finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, but played 23 minutes, which included only 41 seconds in the fourth quarter.
* * *
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan opted to leave Ronnie Price in the game to play alongside Deron Williams in the fourth quarter. Price and Williams had played together in the preseason, but Saturday was the first time in the regular season. It was the Jazz's attempt to match up against Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa, who combined for 37 for Phoenix.
* * *
The Jazz went 7-for-21 from three-point range, which included a 1-for-7 night from Deron Williams. C.J. Miles went 4-for-6, but had those two misses in the last 1:38. Phoenix was 1-for-12 at one point before Leandro Barbosa and Boris Diaw finally knocked down three-pointers in the third quarter.
--Ross Siler
2:16 AM
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2 Comments:
Personally I think it would be great if the Jazz scheduled a few Sunday games in SLC. I wonder what Greg Miller says about the idea. Fish used to always say that the Jazz have the toughest schedule in the league.
Not scheduling games on Sunday is frickin ludicrous. Granted, my feelings on the subject are coming from an Atheistic perspective. I understand it, and know where the decision comes from, but I want to see the team win.
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