Run-and-gun Warriors not the only team firing away

It took all of 25 seconds before the heavens opened. Golden State's Stephen Jackson launched an initial 3-point shot in Monday's playoff game, and the cloudburst began, fierce and unrelenting.

It's May and it's raining basketballs. Which is just about the way the Jazz planned it — at least half of it.

"We expected that right from the beginning," said coach Jerry Sloan.

The part where Golden State goes berserk.

As the Western Conference semifinals continue tonight at EnergySolutions Arena, it appears the reckless pace will continue, at least on some level. The Warriors are known for their shameless use of the long ball. Yet the Jazz aren't exactly looking timid, either. Judging by Monday's display, if there's an open 3, they're booking it.

"It looked like we wanted to shoot as many as they did," said Sloan. "Some of them got us in trouble."

All totaled the teams launched 54 treys in Game 1. In the old days that was heresy for the Jazz. Sloan would sardonically point out that layups are almost 100 percent. But if anyone thinks Sloan can't adapt, look at the numbers. Once he got his launching pad set up, it was fire away — within reason.

"I don't mind 3-point shots unless they come down there and just fire it up when we have guys sitting inside looking for the ball," Sloan said. "You better make those."

This year's Jazz averaged 12.8 beyond-the-arc shots, most in team history. That's nearly five more treys per game than during the Jazz's 1997-98 season, and a whopping 7.3 more than in 1991-92.

The obvious explanation is that they have the players. Mehmet Okur, Gordan Giricek, Deron Williams, Matt Harpring and Derek Fisher can all make that shot. Andrei Kirilenko thinks he can and slips in an occasional try, too. But a look at his delivery tells you that's not what Sloan wants.

"I don't think we gonna keep shooting, like, so much 3s," said Kirilenko. "We will if we're gonna be open, but I don't think we're taking some, like crazy shots, like particular 3-point shots, but we will if we're gonna be open."

Back in the day, Jeff Hornacek was the only noted 3-point specialist the Jazz had. John Stockton could make them but usually limited his attempts to buzzer shots at the ends of quarters. Yet the offense rotated around Karl Malone, which meant long shots were closely monitored.