From Deseret News archives:
The Closers: Jazz keep cool, eliminate Golden State in 5 games
"Wow," ecstatic power forward Carlos Boozer said. "The party's gonna keep rollin'."
That is because Utah outlasted Golden State in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series, getting clutch play in particular from forward Andrei Kirilenko and playoff veteran Derek Fisher for a 100-87 victory on Tuesday night at sold-out EnergySolutions Arena.
With Kirilenko contributing a 21-point, 15-rebound double-double and Fisher scoring another 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field that included 4-of-5 from 3-point range, the Jazz won their first closeout opportunity of the second round.
They took the best-of-seven series 4-1, earning an invitation to the Western Conference finals with Fisher largely to thank for getting them through the door.
"Fisher's been hitting big shots all year, so we go to him down the stretch," Jazz forward Paul Millsap said. "See what happens?"
The Warriors saw Fisher score 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter critical on a night starting point guard Deron Williams struggled with his shooting and finished a miserable 1-for-11 from the field.
Pick your poison.
The Jazz beat the Spurs in two of four meetings this season, but have lost 16 straight in San Antonio and are 0-9 all-time at AT&T Center. The Jazz also went 3-1 against the Suns this season but doing so required overcoming deficits of 15 points and 16 points in a pair of November games.
"We have to stay down on earth," shooting guard Gordan Giricek said, "and wait and see who we're gonna play against."
That issue, then, is for another day.
Tuesday was all about the No. 4 seed Jazz outlasting the eighth-seeded Warriors, who stuck around until the fourth quarter but eventually collapsed along with their fairy-tale season.
Utah took the lead for good when Kirilenko tipped in a failed trey try by Williams to make it 85-83 with six minutes and four seconds to go, and that was the beginning of the end for Golden State.
The frustrated Warriors physical throughout the series, and occasionally downright dirty went through one stretch in which they came up dry on all but one of nine late-game possessions.
The Jazz, though, kept their cool.
Comments
- USDA has agreed to probe 6:04 p.m.
- Hall breaks BYU record with win 5:12 p.m.
- Utes crush Aztecs 38-7 5:07 p.m.
- Glenn Beck to enter politics? 4:55 p.m.
- Obama: Asia trip a boost to economy 4:44 p.m.
- Uranium from mine in Nev. wells 4:43 p.m.
- Wildcats get style points vs. Cal Poly 4:32 p.m.
- Plan for airport checks 4:14 p.m.
- Playing & playbooks 4:14 p.m.
- 'Christmas Carols' mark milestones 4:14 p.m.
- Can BYU throw vs. Air Force?
- Cougars cruise to victory in Hawaii
- Huntsman blasts media over trip
- Christian leaders not backing down
- TCU still has a chance
- Orem man acquitted in tot's death
- Murder-suicide in West Jordan
- Boozer looking like 'the old Booz'
- Religion cited in deportation fight
- 4A: Timpview wins 4th in 4 years
- Buttars wants to limit gay rights laws
188 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
170 - BYU, Utah struck gold in coaches
124 - Lies shatter Utah family
123 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
118 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
99 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
98 - Utes knock off rival Aggies
93 - Huntsman pleased with Obama
86
Aurum, I predict the liberals will be thrown out in huge numbers in 2010. The...
The idea (fantasy) of Palin and Beck at a table having a logically sound,...
Good for Beck. His opponents couldn't carry a debate based on facts and...
You delusional conservatives had your chance, you put this country in the...
Even in a win there are cougar fans complaining about the refs. cougar fans...
IN answer to Harmons question: YES!!!!!
Obama has already lost 2012.
THe jazz do not depend on boozer, how well the team does depends on how...
Perfect -- the dumb leading the dumber.
the U program is indebted to you. you represented us well!



You can be the first to comment on this story.