Fesenko and the Flash
First things first: The Jazz opted not to recall Kyrylo Fesenko after the Utah Flash's second and final game in the D-League Showcase. Fesenko will make the trip to Los Angeles for Friday's game against the D-Fenders.
How long Fesenko's stay with the Flash will last is up in the air. He finished with 10 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and five fouls in 26 minutes Thursday as the Flash beat the D-Fenders 92-78 in Orem.
The Flash made their third-quarter push while Fesenko was on the bench. Fesenko also was whistled for three fouls in a three-minute span of the fourth quarter. But he seemed genuinely appreciative of the chance to play right now.
"I think Utah Jazz give me opportunity to show what I've been working on last couple months," Fesenko said. He had an audience Thursday that included Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and assistant Scott Layden.
Flash coach Brad Jones was happy with Fesenko's overall level of activity, although he did think Fesenko tired early in the third quarter. Fesenko played less than 10 minutes in the second half, which the Flash won 58-36.
Fesenko went only 4 of 9 from the field and blew a dunk in the first half. He misfired on a number of left-handed hooks around the basket, but followed up two of his own misses for scores and had five offensive rebounds in all.
"He's padding his stats," Jones joked. "He's got to be able to focus more and finish those . . . .He's not going to be able to get those offensive putbacks every time, all the time, so he's got to be able to finish more on the offensive end."
Fesenko worked hard in the post, but didn't always get the ball inside. Jones said Fesenko had to adjust to being fronted by defenders; Fesenko said he often posted on the opposite side than he normally would.
After returning with a little more than 10 minutes left, Fesenko picked up three fouls and went back to the bench with 7:43 to play. The third foul came on the offensive end, when Fesenko thought he had legal position in the post.
"I was a little bit frustrated," Fesenko said. "I'm sorry if kids hear some bad words, but they were in Russian."
Fesenko was in good form after the game, blaming a sticky spray he used on his hands for the blown dunk. Asked about what he needed to work on, Fesenko said he wasn't Michael Jordan and proceeded to list everything from running to shooting to athleticism.
"I need to improve everything to make the Jazz," Fesenko said.
Unlike last season, when the Jazz wanted Fesenko to learn the NBA game in the D-League, they would like to see him build off his play last month when Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Paul Millsap all were out with injuries.
"They specifically said they just want him to play hard and consistent and run the floor and do what he did when he had success in the NBA," Jones said. "He ran and he rebounded and he was active. He didn't do anything real special except for the hustle stuff."
Added Jones: "They sent him down here for a reason. He had some confidence because he had some success and now they just want to see him continue to grow as opposed to go backwards. Hopefully tonight's a learning lesson for him. You can't just always show up and things go easy for you."
Even if his stay with the Flash is short, Fesenko is getting another taste of life in the D-League. He was due to leave for the airport at 5 a.m., with a 7 a.m. commercial flight to L.A., a 3:30 p.m. game at Staples Center and a night flight back to Salt Lake afterward.
If he stays with the Flash next week for their three-game trip to Sioux Falls, S.D., Bismarck, N.D., and Reno, Nev., Fesenko can look forward to a flight to Omaha followed by a bus ride to the Dakotas.
"Do not talk about that," Fesenko said. "I'm so excited for five-hour bus ride. Woo-hoo. Back to school."
* * *
It sounds as if Flash point guard Dontell Jefferson could be getting an NBA look shortly. Jefferson finished with 24 points in Thursday's victory and helped the Flash overcome the loss of Bill Walker and J.R. Giddens, who were recalled by the Celtics earlier in the day.
"I know there's a lot of teams that asked me a lot about him in the last couple of days," Jones said. "Anybody that saw him tonight, he started that second half for us, basically put us on his shoulders and got us to where we needed to be."
"He went from being a playmaker for those guys [Walker and Giddens] and for everybody else," Jones added. "Tonight we really needed him to step up and he really did."
--Ross Siler
How long Fesenko's stay with the Flash will last is up in the air. He finished with 10 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and five fouls in 26 minutes Thursday as the Flash beat the D-Fenders 92-78 in Orem.
The Flash made their third-quarter push while Fesenko was on the bench. Fesenko also was whistled for three fouls in a three-minute span of the fourth quarter. But he seemed genuinely appreciative of the chance to play right now.
"I think Utah Jazz give me opportunity to show what I've been working on last couple months," Fesenko said. He had an audience Thursday that included Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and assistant Scott Layden.
Flash coach Brad Jones was happy with Fesenko's overall level of activity, although he did think Fesenko tired early in the third quarter. Fesenko played less than 10 minutes in the second half, which the Flash won 58-36.
Fesenko went only 4 of 9 from the field and blew a dunk in the first half. He misfired on a number of left-handed hooks around the basket, but followed up two of his own misses for scores and had five offensive rebounds in all.
"He's padding his stats," Jones joked. "He's got to be able to focus more and finish those . . . .He's not going to be able to get those offensive putbacks every time, all the time, so he's got to be able to finish more on the offensive end."
Fesenko worked hard in the post, but didn't always get the ball inside. Jones said Fesenko had to adjust to being fronted by defenders; Fesenko said he often posted on the opposite side than he normally would.
After returning with a little more than 10 minutes left, Fesenko picked up three fouls and went back to the bench with 7:43 to play. The third foul came on the offensive end, when Fesenko thought he had legal position in the post.
"I was a little bit frustrated," Fesenko said. "I'm sorry if kids hear some bad words, but they were in Russian."
Fesenko was in good form after the game, blaming a sticky spray he used on his hands for the blown dunk. Asked about what he needed to work on, Fesenko said he wasn't Michael Jordan and proceeded to list everything from running to shooting to athleticism.
"I need to improve everything to make the Jazz," Fesenko said.
Unlike last season, when the Jazz wanted Fesenko to learn the NBA game in the D-League, they would like to see him build off his play last month when Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Paul Millsap all were out with injuries.
"They specifically said they just want him to play hard and consistent and run the floor and do what he did when he had success in the NBA," Jones said. "He ran and he rebounded and he was active. He didn't do anything real special except for the hustle stuff."
Added Jones: "They sent him down here for a reason. He had some confidence because he had some success and now they just want to see him continue to grow as opposed to go backwards. Hopefully tonight's a learning lesson for him. You can't just always show up and things go easy for you."
Even if his stay with the Flash is short, Fesenko is getting another taste of life in the D-League. He was due to leave for the airport at 5 a.m., with a 7 a.m. commercial flight to L.A., a 3:30 p.m. game at Staples Center and a night flight back to Salt Lake afterward.
If he stays with the Flash next week for their three-game trip to Sioux Falls, S.D., Bismarck, N.D., and Reno, Nev., Fesenko can look forward to a flight to Omaha followed by a bus ride to the Dakotas.
"Do not talk about that," Fesenko said. "I'm so excited for five-hour bus ride. Woo-hoo. Back to school."
* * *
It sounds as if Flash point guard Dontell Jefferson could be getting an NBA look shortly. Jefferson finished with 24 points in Thursday's victory and helped the Flash overcome the loss of Bill Walker and J.R. Giddens, who were recalled by the Celtics earlier in the day.
"I know there's a lot of teams that asked me a lot about him in the last couple of days," Jones said. "Anybody that saw him tonight, he started that second half for us, basically put us on his shoulders and got us to where we needed to be."
"He went from being a playmaker for those guys [Walker and Giddens] and for everybody else," Jones added. "Tonight we really needed him to step up and he really did."
--Ross Siler
12:59 AM
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2 Comments:
Ross,
Off the subject, but do you see any chance of the Jazz picking up Darius Miles to mess up Portland's cap? Do you see any other team out west doing this (Denver)?
First, Miles has a 10 day contract with Memphis. Second, Jazz can't sign anyone else because they have 15 players under contract. Maybe after some 2 for 1 trade with another team. Third, Portland has said they will sue any team that signs Miles. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3822911
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