Jazz 112, Pacers 100
When it rains it pours. That saying applies to the Jazz with their current 12-game winning streak and also was true walking out of Conseco Fieldhouse tonight, when a storm rolled through and left me looking like I'd decided to shower in my clothes.
Now comes the heavy lifting for the Jazz, who will put their winning streak on the line with games against the Eastern Conference's Nos. 3-5 teams right now, starting with the second game of a back-to-back set Wednesday at Atlanta.
As sparse as the crowds can be at Philips Arena, the Hawks have gone 22-7 at home this season. They opened a seven-game homestand with victories over Detroit and New Orleans before welcoming the Jazz.
Part of me very much would like to see the Jazz beat Atlanta to win their 13th straight game if only to see how they could handle two off nights in South Beach on that kind of high note before playing the Heat.
I can already see the Jazz team plane coming down with a "mechanical problem" just before they're supposed to leave Thursday for Miami, forcing the team to stay an extra night in Atlanta just as Jerry Sloan probably wishes deep down inside.
Even if they can tame Dwyane Wade and the Heat, the Jazz then have to close out their trip with the second game of a back-to-back set at Orlando. Between Dwight Howard inside and their three-point shooting, the Magic can cause the Jazz multiple problems.
We'll see how much longer the Jazz's streak can last. It's worth noting that they have yet to beat a winning team on the road as part of the streak - - their road victories have come at Minnesota, Golden State, Toronto and Indiana - - but Atlanta could be their first.
* * *
Deron Williams' five points against the Pacers were a season-low - - he went 1 of 9 and attempted only one shot in the fourth quarter - - but his five steals did match his career high. Williams also had five steals in a Nov. 11, 2006 game at Milwaukee.
The Jazz had 16 steals in Tuesday's game - - they converted 22 Indiana turnovers into 26 points - - with Williams and Ronnie Brewer each totaling five steals and Brevin Knight with three.
Brewer made a spectacular play late in the third quarter, stealing a Travis Diener pass, heading the other way and going behind his back before dunking to give the Jazz an 80-73 lead.
Back when I covered the Lakers, assistant coach Frank Hamblen used to cite a combined 15 steals and blocks as the benchmark of a team's defensive activity. The Jazz had a combined 23 steals and blocks in their victory over the Pacers.
* * *
This is a new experience for me, too, covering a team on this long of a winning streak, but the Jazz have been reasonably measured in the locker room even as the victories have continued adding up.
I did catch Jarron Collins mooning Mehmet Okur as Okur talked to reporters after the game. Brewer and Williams also were going back-and-forth about whether Williams was getting credit for steals that Brewer really had made.
For what it's worth, the Jazz's average margin of victory during the streak has been 106.9-96. They've had six double-digit wins, including Tuesday's game. Their most one-sided victory came against Atlanta (108-89) and their closest game score-wise was against the Lakers (113-109).
* * *
Subtract Troy Murphy's seven three-pointers in the first half and the Jazz would have taken a 54-27 lead into halftime. Instead, it was 54-48, with Murphy coming one three-pointer shy of tying the NBA record for most in a half.
Give the Jazz credit for putting together a 10-0 run in the last 3 1-2 minutes of the first half, after Murphy's barrage and a Brandon Rush three-pointer had given Indiana a 45-44 lead. T.J. Ford ended up on the floor as Williams hit a jumper to make it 54-45 Jazz.
For what it's worth, the only players to hit eight three-pointers in a half are Tim Thomas, Michael Redd, Ray Allen - - all of whom did it with Milwaukee - - Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady (with Orlando) and Denver's J.R. Smith.
Smith was the last to do it in a Feb. 22, 2008 game. The NBA record for most three-pointers in a game belongs to Bryant and Donyell Marshall (with Toronto), each of whom hit 12.
* * *
I've never seen a bailout call quite like the one the Jazz benefited from in the third quarter. Williams was trapped along the baseline, Carlos Boozer was trying to call timeout and the referees blew their whistle for . . . defensive three seconds on Marquis Daniels.
Mehmet Okur hit the technical free throw out of a timeout to give the Jazz a 69-67 lead. The Pacers came back to tie the score in the fourth quarter, but never retook the lead after that play.
* * *
I'm ready to declare Conseco Fieldhouse my favorite building in the NBA. We only come through once a season, but it really is a temple to basketball. It's the closest thing to the feel of a baseball stadium that there is in the NBA.
Beyond all the little touches - - including bars to hang jerseys in front of each locker - - the Pacers get bonus points from me for announcing both Williams and Boozer as not only Jazz players, but members of the gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic team during intros.
* * *
Roy Hibbert had 12 points and five blocks in 22 minutes in Tuesday's game for Indiana. Kosta Koufos was on the inactive list for the Jazz. I was left thinking, though, that for their respective ages, Koufos probably has more upside.
Koufos played only one year at Ohio State while Hibbert was a four-year player at Georgetown who went to the Final Four. Hibbert had a couple of nice plays off the screen and roll and tossed in a couple of soft shots around the basket.
But Koufos has the more athletic game, from what little we've seen, and has the ability to shoot out to the three-point arc. Hibbert took a 19-footer that was almost shocking in the fourth quarter.
--Ross Siler
Now comes the heavy lifting for the Jazz, who will put their winning streak on the line with games against the Eastern Conference's Nos. 3-5 teams right now, starting with the second game of a back-to-back set Wednesday at Atlanta.
As sparse as the crowds can be at Philips Arena, the Hawks have gone 22-7 at home this season. They opened a seven-game homestand with victories over Detroit and New Orleans before welcoming the Jazz.
Part of me very much would like to see the Jazz beat Atlanta to win their 13th straight game if only to see how they could handle two off nights in South Beach on that kind of high note before playing the Heat.
I can already see the Jazz team plane coming down with a "mechanical problem" just before they're supposed to leave Thursday for Miami, forcing the team to stay an extra night in Atlanta just as Jerry Sloan probably wishes deep down inside.
Even if they can tame Dwyane Wade and the Heat, the Jazz then have to close out their trip with the second game of a back-to-back set at Orlando. Between Dwight Howard inside and their three-point shooting, the Magic can cause the Jazz multiple problems.
We'll see how much longer the Jazz's streak can last. It's worth noting that they have yet to beat a winning team on the road as part of the streak - - their road victories have come at Minnesota, Golden State, Toronto and Indiana - - but Atlanta could be their first.
* * *
Deron Williams' five points against the Pacers were a season-low - - he went 1 of 9 and attempted only one shot in the fourth quarter - - but his five steals did match his career high. Williams also had five steals in a Nov. 11, 2006 game at Milwaukee.
The Jazz had 16 steals in Tuesday's game - - they converted 22 Indiana turnovers into 26 points - - with Williams and Ronnie Brewer each totaling five steals and Brevin Knight with three.
Brewer made a spectacular play late in the third quarter, stealing a Travis Diener pass, heading the other way and going behind his back before dunking to give the Jazz an 80-73 lead.
Back when I covered the Lakers, assistant coach Frank Hamblen used to cite a combined 15 steals and blocks as the benchmark of a team's defensive activity. The Jazz had a combined 23 steals and blocks in their victory over the Pacers.
* * *
This is a new experience for me, too, covering a team on this long of a winning streak, but the Jazz have been reasonably measured in the locker room even as the victories have continued adding up.
I did catch Jarron Collins mooning Mehmet Okur as Okur talked to reporters after the game. Brewer and Williams also were going back-and-forth about whether Williams was getting credit for steals that Brewer really had made.
For what it's worth, the Jazz's average margin of victory during the streak has been 106.9-96. They've had six double-digit wins, including Tuesday's game. Their most one-sided victory came against Atlanta (108-89) and their closest game score-wise was against the Lakers (113-109).
* * *
Subtract Troy Murphy's seven three-pointers in the first half and the Jazz would have taken a 54-27 lead into halftime. Instead, it was 54-48, with Murphy coming one three-pointer shy of tying the NBA record for most in a half.
Give the Jazz credit for putting together a 10-0 run in the last 3 1-2 minutes of the first half, after Murphy's barrage and a Brandon Rush three-pointer had given Indiana a 45-44 lead. T.J. Ford ended up on the floor as Williams hit a jumper to make it 54-45 Jazz.
For what it's worth, the only players to hit eight three-pointers in a half are Tim Thomas, Michael Redd, Ray Allen - - all of whom did it with Milwaukee - - Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady (with Orlando) and Denver's J.R. Smith.
Smith was the last to do it in a Feb. 22, 2008 game. The NBA record for most three-pointers in a game belongs to Bryant and Donyell Marshall (with Toronto), each of whom hit 12.
* * *
I've never seen a bailout call quite like the one the Jazz benefited from in the third quarter. Williams was trapped along the baseline, Carlos Boozer was trying to call timeout and the referees blew their whistle for . . . defensive three seconds on Marquis Daniels.
Mehmet Okur hit the technical free throw out of a timeout to give the Jazz a 69-67 lead. The Pacers came back to tie the score in the fourth quarter, but never retook the lead after that play.
* * *
I'm ready to declare Conseco Fieldhouse my favorite building in the NBA. We only come through once a season, but it really is a temple to basketball. It's the closest thing to the feel of a baseball stadium that there is in the NBA.
Beyond all the little touches - - including bars to hang jerseys in front of each locker - - the Pacers get bonus points from me for announcing both Williams and Boozer as not only Jazz players, but members of the gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic team during intros.
* * *
Roy Hibbert had 12 points and five blocks in 22 minutes in Tuesday's game for Indiana. Kosta Koufos was on the inactive list for the Jazz. I was left thinking, though, that for their respective ages, Koufos probably has more upside.
Koufos played only one year at Ohio State while Hibbert was a four-year player at Georgetown who went to the Final Four. Hibbert had a couple of nice plays off the screen and roll and tossed in a couple of soft shots around the basket.
But Koufos has the more athletic game, from what little we've seen, and has the ability to shoot out to the three-point arc. Hibbert took a 19-footer that was almost shocking in the fourth quarter.
--Ross Siler
11:00 PM
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