From Deseret News archives:
Utah Jazz: Coach in a jam over playing time
The slasher or the shooter?
Who do you play?
That last query, by the way, came out of Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's mouth the morning after Utah edged Denver 98-94 in Wednesday night's NBA season-opener.
"That's the question mark you have," Sloan said while responding to a question about playing-time distribution for the shooting guards. "One guy's a real threat to step out on the floor and make shots and people guard him out there, and that gives us a little better chance sometimes for our people inside."
That guy aka Korver, who scored 11 points came off the bench but got all of the 2-guard time in the fourth quarter as he resumed his role of being the closer.
The other guy aka Brewer, who scored 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting started but only played 20 seconds after handing the shooting-guard baton off to Korver midway through the second half.
Remarkably, the two just about evenly split the 2-guard playing time almost as if Sloan had a timer going with Korver logging 24:25 of action and Brewer getting 24:20 in against the Nuggets.
"Right now, Ronnie certainly looks like he's earned some more minutes (down the stretch)," Sloan said. "So I've got a little logjam there trying to get everybody minutes."
Things will get even more crowded when Matt Harpring returns from rehabbing his ankle and C.J. Miles is thrown into the shooting guard mix.
For now, some PT decisions aren't as clear-cut as you might assume.
For instance, Sloan was tempted to insert Brewer, who's quicker and considered to be a better defender, back into the lineup in the fourth quarter when the Jazz's defense struggled during the Nuggets' 14-point comeback.
While watching game tape, though, the 21st-year Jazz coach saw that "it wasn't any better" at times defensively with Brewer out there.
Their Denver counterparts Allen Iverson and JR Smith combined for 35 points on 13-for-27 shooting.
"Everybody looks at one thing in this game and that's scoring. There's a lot of other things guys gotta be able to do," Sloan said. "I can't put guys out there just to score. I gotta win and winning comes with being able to defend and doing some of the other things."
So, the question and quandary of "Who do you play?" continue for another day.
Recent comments
how about we play 6 people?
frog lvr | Nov. 2, 2008 at 12:19 p.m.
i love how stupid some comments are here. jerry sloan is one fo the...
jerry fan | Oct. 31, 2008 at 11:24 p.m.
Brewer needs to play as much as possible. Miles needs to be traded...
Jimmy Z | Oct. 31, 2008 at 10:32 p.m.
- BCS at-large bids up for grabs 4:15 p.m.
- NFL to work with neurologists 4:02 p.m.
- Exhibit serves Old Masters revisions 3:21 p.m.
- Relationship: Thanksgiving 3:18 p.m.
- Palliative medicine draws doctors 3:18 p.m.
- Why do we hate? Academics ask 3:18 p.m.
- 50-plus crowd loves Web dating 3:18 p.m.
- Cheat Sheet: Shoveling snow 3:18 p.m.
- Survival strategies for 'Black Friday' 3:18 p.m.
- A garden fit for a Hobbit 3:13 p.m.
- Glenn Beck to enter politics?
- BYU records with win
- Jazz outlast Pistons in overtime
- Cougars turn focus to dreaded rivals
- Police link alcohol to murder
- Cougars put the fun back in football
- Utah Utes whip SDSU
- Former BYU professor remembered
- Kirilenko heating up for the Jazz
- Wendover airfield's legacy lost?
- Buttars wants to limit gay rights laws
200 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
177 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
176 - BYU records with win
126 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
125 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
100 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
98 - Utes knock off rival Aggies
93 - Huntsman pleased with Obama
87
Real Salt Lake fans have watched first hand the evolution of Jason Kreis...
"Because he accept as an "OK" behavior something I find repulsive, I should...
To the guy who says I don't know basketball... I agree with most of what...
Harry Reid thinks this is historic? Unless you call placing the biggest scam...
While I agree that fireboylen is nothing more than an agitator, I don't see...
The definition of football in USA, about 12 guys on each team, at the signal...
A lot of the most important US historical sites are private foundations;...
Why the rush to pass a 2000+-page law that does not take effect until 2013,...
dude- check your stats man, Oklahoma already is bowl eligible with 6 wins, as...
UTAH 173 BYU 3
If we need to raise taxes then may I suggest that all of the taxes are put on...


