Jazz finally learn how to handle the Heat

Most people think of the Utah Jazz as a half-court-kind-of-team, thanks to the years of John Stockton and Karl Malone.

But that half-court stuff was not what coach Jerry Sloan wanted against the Miami Heat Monday night in EnergySolutions Arena. It was, he said, what was getting the Jazz in trouble because it played into Miami's hands.

"That's what you're concerned about playing their team," he said, "because they put you in the half-court game. They've done it every year they've come in and played us, and sometimes we get a little bit anxious to try to do great plays. The bottom line is, you'd better execute against them because they're going to make it tough for you."

The Heat, a team that has won only four games this season and was coming off a 26-point loss at Denver Sunday night, did frustrate the Jazz, now 13-5, much of the night Monday, but when the young Jazzmen finally realized they were taking outside shots and letting Miami do just what it planned to do, they broke out.

Utah led by 11 in the third quarter, was behind by two with 5:51 to play and then did the right things to come away with a 110-101 win to deny Heat coach Pat Riley his 1,200th coaching win in Shaquille O'Neal's 999th career NBA game.

Utah's win broke a seven-game losing streak to the Heat. The Jazz's last win against Miami was Jan. 15, 2004. The win also extended Utah's home-winning streak to eight games.

"Coach reminded before the game that we haven't beaten them in so many tries, and you always want to protect your homecourt," said Jazz guard Ronnie Brewer.

The Jazz are at Sacramento tonight at 8 MST to begin a three-game road swing that includes San Antonio on Friday and a stop in Dallas Saturday night. Their next home game is a week from today with Portland. The Heat's next game is at Portland Thursday.

A Jazz team that already led the NBA in assists, averaging 26.6 a game, had 38 assists on its 42 baskets Monday.

"That's what you should do every game. Pass the ball," said Sloan, who signed a contract extension prior to the game and was pleased to see his team begin passing the ball the way it should after losing that big lead.

"That's what won the ballgame for us when it was all said and done was our ability to pass the ball because we got baskets inside," Sloan said.