From Deseret News archives:

From frustration to finality?

If Jazz can't overcome woes, season will end tonight

Published: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 12:17 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Boozer and Williams are the only Jazz players averaging double-digit scoring in the series with the Spurs.

"It is the Western Conference finals," Boozer said. "Maybe they (other teammates) feel the pressure more than we do. I don't know what the case may be. But, I'm gonna tell you, for us to win Game 5 we need ... everybody else to get on the same page as me and Willie (Williams)."

Kirilenko, for one, seemed to agree.

"I think there's huge pressure on them, of course," he said, "because they've carried this team through the whole season and the postseason.

"And I think probably we should do a little bit better job to support them," he added, "because they've been playing really good, and I don't think we have."

Finally, there was the small matter of officiating.

While San Antonio shot 41 free throws to Utah's 20 Monday, the Jazz were tagged with five technicals, and both Sloan and guard Derek Fisher wound up getting ejected late in the fourth quarter.

Maybe that's why the Jazz coach was a little testy when asked Tuesday if frustration led to his getting tossed.

Story continues below
"I really wasn't that frustrated," he said. "I was calm when I talked to the official. I mean, I'm usually all out of sync when I talk to them. I was very calm with what I had to say.

"But I wasn't frustrated. I mean, I looked him right in the eye and said what I had to say."

Sloan looked reporters in their eyes, too, when addressing his concerns about tonight.

"I'm just worried about how we're going to play," he said. "Are we going to make it an exhibition game?

"They've got a great team, but hopefully our guys will come and be ready to play," Sloan added. "I think it's something they've got to learn to do, and see how they can fight out of it. I think that's the most important thing — see who you are as an individual. That's the thing I'll be looking forward to seeing."

That and, much like Boozer said, putting behind them whatever frustrations may have been getting the better of them Tuesday.

"Well," Boozer said, "we better get over it fast — because we have a huge task in front of us in San Antonio, and if we keep looking in the past we won't be ready for it."

"It shouldn't be a problem," Sloan added. "Basketball is basketball; today is another day. You just go and play as hard as you can, and hopefully have things go your way a time or two."

The last 10 times Utah faced elimination

                                                                                                                    Date		Opponent	Site		Result
                                                                                                                    May 5, 2007	Rockets		Houston		W, 103-99
                                                                                                                                        
        

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Utah is still BYU's BCS game. A little mind game: Which one of these is...

Seriously, Dick. You believe there is a bowl selection committee like the...

out of 80ish comments tho only like 6 people have no common sense. really...

This is really sad hope there can be a happy ending to this story. Also it is...

And how do they find these photos of Okur's defensive prowess? They had the...

Where to place the blame after this one? 6 pts in the 4th? Their bigs are too...

"Dan's reposting........" It was not only TOO long....but it is also just...

I hoped the Jazz bounced back against the Magic, loosing to a good team like...

Richest man on earth - Warren Buffet plays SERIOUS BRIDGE. Many chess...

Letters: Ad hominem attacks

Too funny...an anti-intellectual using big ol' words to sound smart. Just...

Advertisements