From Deseret News archives:
Jazz seeking more Magic at home
A true test of just how legit it is, or is not, comes this week.
Beginning tonight vs. Orlando at EnergySolutions Arena and continuing Wednesday with San Antonio and Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers Utah faces current division-leading teams in its next three games.
So maybe the Jazz's wake-up loss came at an ideal time, right?
If Jerry Sloan was thinking that, he certainly wasn't saying it.
"Nothing good comes when you lose," the Jazz coach said. "You know, I don't like the taste of losing. I hope our players don't like the taste of losing."
A little bitter on the tongue, though, might make appreciation for winning's fine wine a little stronger. So Sloan seemed to be thinking after a 23-turnover, 32.5 percent shooting debacle in Oakland.
"We realize we have a lot of work to do, even though we've been fortunate to win a couple games," he said. "We still have a lot of things to work on if we're gonna go forward."
Chief among them might be solving the sort of gimmicky defense coach Don Nelson's Warriors used Saturday.
Whatever the label, it appeared to thoroughly baffle the Jazz. Beyond point guard Deron Williams, Utah's other four starters Okur, Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer all finished with just four points each. The early going was especially tough for Boozer and Okur, who had just two points apiece in the opening quarter. "We really surprised Utah," Golden State big man Andris Biedrins said.
"In the beginning of the game," he added, "they didn't know we were in a zone."
At the very least, they didn't show they knew how to break it or how to respond when things went wrong in transition, frequently losing track of whom they should be covering.
According to one former Jazz player, it's all nothing new for Utah.
"Last year, when we played against a zone, it slowed us down a little bit," ex-Jazz guard Keith McLeod, who was traded to Golden State in the offseason, was quoted as saying in the Oakland Tribune. "Being here (Saturday), zoning them, you could see that they were stagnant. They weren't as fluid, and there weren't many places to go."
When Nelson used the break to tweak the way the Warriors were defending the Jazz, Utah did nothing successful to adjust.
Comments
- Sen. Dems at odds over health bill 1:17 p.m.
- Arrest in suspected child abuse 1:13 p.m.
- Mammogram guidelines spark debate 12:57 p.m.
- Man dies after SUV backs over him 12:39 p.m.
- At 6-5, hard time arguing firing Weis 12:24 p.m.
- $27M transfer for state Route 193 12:20 p.m.
- 'Christmas With King Family' DVD 12:16 p.m.
- Youn men help fill food-pantry needs 12:15 p.m.
- Who is Oprah's heir apparent? 11:39 a.m.
- Florida No. 1, TCU 4 in AP Top 25 11:34 a.m.
- Glenn Beck to enter politics?
- BYU records with win
- Jazz outlast Pistons in overtime
- Police link alcohol to murder
- Cougars turn focus to dreaded rivals
- Utah Utes whip SDSU
- Former BYU professor remembered
- Cougars put the fun back in football
- Kirilenko heating up for the Jazz
- Y. coach Hill up for Portland State job
- Buttars wants to limit gay rights laws
194 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
173 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
166 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
122 - BYU records with win
116 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
100 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
98 - Utes knock off rival Aggies
93 - Huntsman pleased with Obama
87
Real Salt Lake fans have watched first hand the evolution of Jason Kreis...
Reading the letter, I am not sure that it is eating that is the sin, but...
The media that Sarah criticizes so much is the same force that is providing...
We'll be back next year. I know it, and I hope that all of our coaches and...
This year TCU has proven to the world how weak the MWC is (MWC=WAC). BYU and...
I have no problem with religious people voting their conscience. I do,...
I have to agree that the comment about "the pesky seniors" is uncalled...
I was in my Latin class in High School in California. Our teacher hadn't...
Glenn Beck is Oprah's heir apparent since he has a larger following and can...
of atheism just as morally equal to spreading the Gospel of Christianity. To...
Yes, 40% of doctors polled said they will definitely or seriously consider...



You can be the first to comment on this story.