From Deseret News archives:
Utah Jazz: Ensemble performance ignites Jazz to win
In other words, Friday night was a good one for Jazz fans who prefer groups to solo acts and who would rather play Rock Band than Guitar Hero.
Sure, Deron Williams took the lead role in Utah's first-round-clinching 113-91 win over the Houston Rockets, but he got plenty of support from some sidekicks during the sold-out show at EnergySolutions Arena.
Mehmet Okur and Ronnie Brewer played the parts of Ringo Starr and George Harrison, strumming and drumming two of the more impressive accompanying performances.
Okur racked up his fifth consecutive double-double against Houston, scoring 19 points to go with his 13 rebounds. Brewer, meanwhile, gave the Jazz another spark with 13 points and six rebounds o while also clamping down defensively on McGrady in the pivotal third quarter o in a game he wasn't sure he would play in.
"We really did a good job on offense. We really shared the ball," Okur said. "It was a nice game. It was a nice win."
The Jazz's starting center set the tone early from the outside by drilling a 3-pointer in the opening quarter to help soften up the ESA rims for the Utah, which had 10 threes.
Okur was a consistent workhorse on the boards in this series, averaging 12.7 rebounds in a concerted effort to crash the glass.
"I was able to get some rebounds in this series," he said. "I feel good right now."
As for Brewer, he went from being on ice to helping the Jazz ice the game and the series. As of Friday morning, his availability for Game 6 wasn't certain after he injured his right hamstring during the Game 5 loss at Houston.
Brewer felt good enough to start the game, and then he looked anything but hurt. He had two steals that led to buckets in the first quarter. He then added to the Jazz's third-quarter spurt by sinking a 3-pointer to give Utah its biggest lead at 85-65 as they regained control after McGrady got the Rockets back into the game at halftime.
Though injured, Brewer wasn't about to miss this opportunity so he toughed it out despite some tightness.
"I just have to play through the pain. I knew how important this game was," he said. "This was my first year actually being in a major role. I kind of didn't want them to be like, 'When Fish (Derek Fisher) left it was a drop off of the team.' So I just tried to give a 110 percent and provide a spark for the team and I did that tonight."
After McGrady exploded for 28 points in the first half, he took upon himself to stiffen up his defense. He tried to stay in front of McGrady and force him to take tougher shots. McGrady ended up missing all four attempts and was held scoreless in the period as Utah turned a four-point lead into 20.
"I had two fouls but it was the second half, so i knew I could be a little aggressive, be a little physical with him," Brewer said. "Fortunately he was missing and we were getting the ball and executing on offense, and we got a quick lead."
E-mail: jody@desnews.com
Recent comments
Tough n ready what are you talking about!?
Malone spent the last...
Bigjazzfan | May 3, 2008 at 4:55 p.m.
To pull this series off, we need The Booz to step up and give the...
Tough 'n Ready! | May 3, 2008 at 2:54 p.m.
If we can contain the others.
This has been said in every city. It...
Said Before | May 3, 2008 at 11:48 a.m.
- Gallery: Holidays with the Herberts 9:28 p.m.
- Patrolman kills suspect in slayings 9:24 p.m.
- No resolution for fire station neighbors 9:18 p.m.
- Witness: Mitchell wanted attention 9:17 p.m.
- UNLV earns ranking before BYU 9:11 p.m.
- Utes prepare to go bowling 9:08 p.m.
- 'Mr. Hyphen' takes aim at stereotypes 9:07 p.m.
- Studies: Gambling addiction is illness 9:06 p.m.
- Utah business indicators rose 9:04 p.m.
- Electronics sales soar; clothing slips 9:04 p.m.
- 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
- BYU says Hall incident resolved
- Max Hall: a fixture in rivalry lore
- 'Grandfamilies' a growing trend
- Witness: Mitchell wanted attention
- Mitchell called intelligent, controlling
- MWC '09 season in review
- Jazz win 6th in 7 games
- Jazz ready to be without Harpring
- Daughter: Mitchell fed me my pet
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
903 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
482 - Hall reprimanded by MWC
401 - Max Hall issues apology
387 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
344 - Utes won't respond to Hall
275 - BYU says Hall incident resolved
236 - 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
158 - BYU is champion of the state
143 - Religion in politics is tiresome
128
Those were quite the pictures of Jamie Whittingham mixing it up with BYU...
Tell me the last time ANY NBA player was injured diving on the floor for a...
Max apologized and thats really all he can do, he cant take back the words he...
come on byu get rid of football and lets have a real sport like ball room...
I am extremely tired of the "Wo is me" attitude the U fan base has adopted...
Polls mean even less in Basketball then they do in Football. When all is said...
I sure hope he can dig up the $164 to pay the fine. That will really hit him...
Bring home another well earned bowl win! You represent the best of the...
IF he wins his 3rd NC this year... either way I guess it will probably happen...
I also was one of many in the traffic and saw the horrible aftermath of the...
That seems fair to me, they beat Lousville and we only beat Weber St. It's a...



