Jazz 104, Suns 99
Item: Andrei Kirilenko's four-point play in overtime was the key moment in the Jazz's 104-99 win over the Suns. It was only the 10th four-point play in franchise history and the first one this season. For Kirilenko, it was his 15th three-pointer in 61 attempts this year. That's 24.6 percent. Yes, the Jazz got a little lucky.
Item: If my figuring is correct, the Jazz offense managed exactly two field goals during the 13:22 that Deron Williams was on the bench. In the first half, Williams rested for the final 2:42 of the first quarter and the first 2:54 of the second. During those 5:38, the Jazz had 15 possessions. Seven ended in missed shots, four ended in turnovers and four ended in trips to the foul line. In the third quarter, Williams picked up four personal fouls in the first 6:18, which must be some kind of a record for an All-Star-caliber player. He returned with 9:56 left in regulation. During the 7:44 he was on the bench in the second half, the Jazz's only baskets came on a Ronnie Brewer layup and Carlos Boozer eight-footer.
Item: Kyle Korver didn't have a great game. After picking up two quick fouls, he finished with three points in only 14 minutes. But you have to give Korver the night's badge of courage for stepping in front of 350-pound Shaquille O'Neal and drawing a charge only 29 seconds before halftime. At the time, the Jazz owned a 52-35 lead.
Item: Jazz coach Jerry Sloan gave the Suns a lot of credit for coming back from a 21-point deficit and taking an 88-81 lead with just over two minutes left in regulation. "Any time you are playing against a team that has the players they have -- Nash and Shaq and guys like that with experience in this league -- you have to stay after it," Sloan said. "... Don't ever count out guys like that."
Item: Williams had a chance to win the game in regulation, but his hurried 25-footer over a couple of leaping defenders missed. When I asked Williams if the shot felt good when he let it go, he smiled and said, "Not really -- kind of rushed. I threw it up a little too high. But I got it off. I didn't want to have it in my hands when the buzzer went off."
-- Steve Luhm
Item: If my figuring is correct, the Jazz offense managed exactly two field goals during the 13:22 that Deron Williams was on the bench. In the first half, Williams rested for the final 2:42 of the first quarter and the first 2:54 of the second. During those 5:38, the Jazz had 15 possessions. Seven ended in missed shots, four ended in turnovers and four ended in trips to the foul line. In the third quarter, Williams picked up four personal fouls in the first 6:18, which must be some kind of a record for an All-Star-caliber player. He returned with 9:56 left in regulation. During the 7:44 he was on the bench in the second half, the Jazz's only baskets came on a Ronnie Brewer layup and Carlos Boozer eight-footer.
Item: Kyle Korver didn't have a great game. After picking up two quick fouls, he finished with three points in only 14 minutes. But you have to give Korver the night's badge of courage for stepping in front of 350-pound Shaquille O'Neal and drawing a charge only 29 seconds before halftime. At the time, the Jazz owned a 52-35 lead.
Item: Jazz coach Jerry Sloan gave the Suns a lot of credit for coming back from a 21-point deficit and taking an 88-81 lead with just over two minutes left in regulation. "Any time you are playing against a team that has the players they have -- Nash and Shaq and guys like that with experience in this league -- you have to stay after it," Sloan said. "... Don't ever count out guys like that."
Item: Williams had a chance to win the game in regulation, but his hurried 25-footer over a couple of leaping defenders missed. When I asked Williams if the shot felt good when he let it go, he smiled and said, "Not really -- kind of rushed. I threw it up a little too high. But I got it off. I didn't want to have it in my hands when the buzzer went off."
-- Steve Luhm
12:51 AM
| 
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home