Utah Jazz: Wade, Heat humble hurting Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena

Published: Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008 12:19 a.m. MST
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The Jazz's subs saved them Tuesday night in Sacramento.

But — with the Miami Heat playing the part of a stingy Congress on Wednesday night, and some with the Jazz acting as if they were looking for handouts — there would be no bench bailout this time.

The Heat held on to beat Utah 93-89 at sold-out EnergySolutions Arena, marking the 12-8 Jazz's second straight loss at home and their third in a week-and-a-half.

"They just showed a great more deal of desire to try to win the ballgame than we did," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, whose still injury-hampered club was playing for the second time in a stretch with four in five nights that continues Friday at home vs. Toronto.

"A tough situation for us tonight," Sloan added. "We tried to get back in the game and made a few hustle plays, but that's not enough. So, tough loss."

The Jazz — playing again without hurting All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer, sixth man Andrei Kirilenko and reserve forward Matt Harpring, among others — led by as many as 10 points early on, and were down by just two heading into halftime.

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But the Heat, who got a game-high 23 points from Dwyane Wade despite the All-Star's migraine headache issues this week, cranked up the thermostat after the break.

Miami went up by as many as 16 points after Wade hit a 22-foot jumper to make it 63-47 with just under seven minutes left in the third quarter.

Utah did chip away, though, and — with usual backup power forward Paul Millsap posting a 20-point, 13-rebound double-double, and sporadically used Morris Almond scoring another 10 points off the bench — the Jazz got to within four late.

But they ultimately ran short of comeback time, in part because of frantic fourth-quarter play.

"We're getting away from what we do," small forward C.J. Miles said. "Making everything hectic."

The Jazz did have nearly 14 seconds at the end to try to make something happen, but starting point guard Deron Williams didn't get off a failed trey try until 3.9 seconds remained.

"He's still trying to get to 100 percent," guard Ronnie Brewer said of Williams, who remains hobbled by a sprained ankle sustained in the offseason and now is bothered as well by a hip flexor strain sustained Tuesday.

"So if he is going to play we're going to have to live with it, the stuff he does," Brewer added. "So far I think he's been helping our team out more than he's been hurting our team. I'm glad he's back, and hopefully he can continue to keep on recovering and getting better."

Yet Williams obviously isn't his usual self, and it showed as the Jazz shot just 35.7 percent in Wednesday's second half.

Recent comments

Memo killed the Jazz last night by being lazy and plowing into the...

MEMO | Dec. 5, 2008 at 12:56 a.m.

Problems but none of them are worth panic. The PG play is poor. DWill...

Several | Dec. 4, 2008 at 10:29 p.m.

Would like to see a 3 pt. contest between Korver, C.J., and Almond.

Mo | Dec. 4, 2008 at 7:45 p.m.

Image

Miami Heat's Jamaal Magloire, left, and the Jazz's Kyle Korver battle for the ball during a game at the EnergySolutions Arena on Wednesday night. The Heat beat the Jazz 93-89.

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