From Deseret News archives:

Utah Jazz: Boozer receives helpful advice from TV analyst

Published: Sunday, May 11, 2008 12:46 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Who ever said TV types don't have something beneficial to offer?

Certainly not Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer, who was on the receiving end of some friendly — and rather helpful — advice from one in particular prior to his breakout performance in Friday's Game 3 of Utah's NBA Western Conference semifinal series victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Asked Saturday if he had spoken with anyone about how to get going, Boozer suggested he had.

"Friends," he said, declining to name names.

Then he fessed up that one was ABC/ESPN NBA analyst — and longtime NBA head coach — Hubie Brown, who worked Friday's game and will do the same for today's Game 4 of the series.

Brown's advice, and that of his other "friends," according to Boozer: "Just go out there and play, and have fun, and just try to enjoy the game."

The Jazz All-Star did just that and wound up scoring 27 points with 20 rebounds in the Jazz's 104-99 win — just his second 20-point performance in nine postseason games this year.

"When you don't play well, it's not fun sometimes," Boozer told reporters Saturday. "It's like going to work and having a bad day. You guys have had that, right?

Story continues below
"But (Friday) night," he added, "I had a blast."

There was more to it, though, than simply playing loose.

Boozer found himself in the right frame of mind long before taking the floor against coach Phil Jackson and his Lakers.

L.A.'s very own Zen Master, it seems, got beat by what he knows well.

"I was in a good place before the game," Boozer said, "and it just carried throughout."


E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com

Recent comments

Hubie brown and Frank Layden were roomates in college. And they have...

RICHARD H Burton from LEHI | May 12, 2008 at 7:44 a.m.

Hey, if Boozer plays to have fun, and the Jazz win, who cares? It's...

RE: Anonymous @ 7:36 pm | May 12, 2008 at 7:37 a.m.

when you play and have fun doing it,you are relaxed and carefree so...

oregon fan | May 11, 2008 at 8:20 p.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

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...

3A: Juan Diego's last-gasp play

We'll be back next year. I know it, and I hope that all of our coaches and...

Utah Utes whip SDSU

This year TCU has proven to the world how weak the MWC is (MWC=WAC). BYU and...

Secularists and religious arguments

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...

Atheist groups flourish on campuses

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...

Advertisements