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Utah Jazz: Kirilenko shines in rare start vs. Pacers
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To Ross | 7:32 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Amen
Where is Horny? | 8:17 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
He looked terrible shooting the ball - could not have been worse.
Comments continue below
To Ross | 8:51 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
While I Agree that AK's acting on the court is sometimes irritating, I
still do not blame him for his melt-down, a few years ago. D-Will had
completely shut him out of the offense and there was nothing AK could do about
it.
Scott | 8:54 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
You must not have watched the game. Kirilenko had 3 steals and 3 blocks. He
altered numerous shots, and many of his 12 rebounds were offensive or at crucial
times in the game when he had to tip toe the base line and save the ball. His
hustle is what makes him shine, not his shooting.
sherri | 8:57 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
How can you fault AK now he has did every thing ask of him. And he is a team
guy. He does so many things like aultering shots and deflections and other
little things .The Jazz would not be in the playoffs for sure with out him. He
was the mvp of last night game.
pre-madonna? | 8:57 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
What is a pre-madonna? Someone who is about to become Madonna? Prima Donna
(Italian for first lady) is what you should have used. But with that you looked
pretty uneducated and all your credibility went out the door.
NYJazzFan | 9:21 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Ok maybe the headline should have been "AK shines despite poor
shooting". You guys are way too tough on him. If the guy grabbed 12 boards
that is great. Dont denigrate the guy for grabbing 12 boards ("who else is
going to grab them?"). He almost logged a 5x5.. Not many players in the NBA
can do that. He is one of the best Jazz players and is in the running for sixth
man of the year! GO AK!
Post-Madonna | 9:46 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
I have excellent credit. It beats your self-important gutter wit anyday.
AK's the MAN!!!! Dis him all you want. In my opinion still the best all
around player in the league.
sorry-it already left | 9:52 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
anyone who still rags on AK for something that happened 2 years ago (_is this
you trib writer monson?)is an idiot who has not watched the JAZZ since. AK has
some bad shooting nights sure -so have BOOZER and even D-will -BUT what makes
them ALL valuable is they still (with the possible exfception of BOOZER)wind
up
hustling to make up for a bad shooting night and helping their team WIN!
good job AK! don't let laker fans and fools who can not even jump high enough to touch the bottom of the net or block my grandma on their best day get to you!
hustling to make up for a bad shooting night and helping their team WIN!
good job AK! don't let laker fans and fools who can not even jump high enough to touch the bottom of the net or block my grandma on their best day get to you!
Anonymous | 10:00 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Ross,
It called Prima Donna
You should probably know how to spell it before you use it.
AK is not a prima donna he always putting his body in harms way.
AK had 5 offensive rebounds, blocked 3 shots and had 3 steal. That is 11 more positions the Jazz got. And 2 of the offensive rebounds were in the 4th quarter and ended in dunks.
AK did need more touches. Did you see how awful the Jazz played in the third quarter when AK was out. We were up by 18 points when AK came out of the lineup and when he came back in the game we were up 6 points.
You guys are putting too much on shooting the ball. Indian have 3 forwards who can shoot the ball (Dunleavly, Murphy and Foster). Look at their record. That is why shooting is the most overrated skill in the NBA.
As far as his shooting, he admits he had a bad shooting night. Indiana back off him by 7 feet so he couldn't drive on them, which is what he wants to do, and he had to take the shots.
It called Prima Donna
You should probably know how to spell it before you use it.
AK is not a prima donna he always putting his body in harms way.
AK had 5 offensive rebounds, blocked 3 shots and had 3 steal. That is 11 more positions the Jazz got. And 2 of the offensive rebounds were in the 4th quarter and ended in dunks.
AK did need more touches. Did you see how awful the Jazz played in the third quarter when AK was out. We were up by 18 points when AK came out of the lineup and when he came back in the game we were up 6 points.
You guys are putting too much on shooting the ball. Indian have 3 forwards who can shoot the ball (Dunleavly, Murphy and Foster). Look at their record. That is why shooting is the most overrated skill in the NBA.
As far as his shooting, he admits he had a bad shooting night. Indiana back off him by 7 feet so he couldn't drive on them, which is what he wants to do, and he had to take the shots.
BK | 10:07 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Kirilenko is a good basketball player and a defensive monster. The jazz are luck
to have him.
mhelal2 | 10:10 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
He was every where, and if you understand basketball, they guy played every
position you ask him, and I think Jerry appreciate that so much.
If we don't have AK playing for us now with all of these injuries we will be out of the playoff picture.
If we don't have AK playing for us now with all of these injuries we will be out of the playoff picture.
Rebounds | 10:11 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
From my point of view, whomever plays the PF position is guaranteed double digit
rebounds every game. Boozer, Millsap and AK do it easily every game. I bet if
Koufus started as PF he would grab 10+. It's the system, not the player.
We don't need to sign Boozer or Millsap to a Max contract. Just find
someone to plug into the system and spend the real money on a shooting guard.
Yes we are | 10:19 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Luck to have him.
Russian Rack Attack | 10:32 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Hey, if it's not falling from the outside, take it to the hole man. The
jazz started slow on d, thanks to memo, he doesn't get going until later in
the game at times, sometimes it's too late. however, the jazz won, thanks
to the inside work of ak, and the quarterbacking of dwill.
As far as I'm concerned as a fan, I don't mind if the jazz cut loose defensive slackers, memo contributed offensively, but the vortex he leaves on defense disturbs me.
As far as I'm concerned as a fan, I don't mind if the jazz cut loose defensive slackers, memo contributed offensively, but the vortex he leaves on defense disturbs me.
Josh | 10:31 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
I agree, AK is the man. He works his tail-off, and actually cares about helping
the team. I think that he cares about the game, he cares about good ol fashioned
basketball. In my opinion, this sport has been taken over by kids that just play
for the money, with the mentality of being the best ME on the team.
OUCH | 10:38 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Guess we don't need Boozer at all. He's just a product of Jerry
Sloan's system. LOL
FAR | 10:46 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
I have watched AK since he started with the Jazz, he is actually coming back to
playing at his allstar caliber and he is truly the only Jazz man that can play
all 5 positions, don't forget he is young but maturing emotionally as well.
AK deserves all the yahoos we can give him, he earns them. He helps the team
even when not scoring so go AK and beat it naysayers.
magnus | 11:06 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009
@ Rebounds
I can see how you would come to that conclusion, but I have to dissagree with you, you couldn't just plug anyone into the system and succeed.
The reason whoever the Jazz seem to play at the PF position seems to succeed is because the Jazz have 3 top notch players to play that position. AK and Boozer have proven they are All-Star calliber players with other teams and Millsap clearly has the skills to succeed anywere.
I think it is interesting that the Jazz have a team that is made up of 5 guys who are natural PF (Boozer, Millsap, AK, Kosta, Collins)and 5 guys who are natural SG (Brewer, Miles, Korver, Price, Almond).
The other thing I think is interesting, and awesome, is that the Jazz have 6-7 players (when healthy) that could put up 25-30 pts on any given night if given the opportunity.
If the Jazz can get Boozer back and start playing the kind of offense they played last year and maintain the D they are playing this year then they are a championship calliber squad.
I can see how you would come to that conclusion, but I have to dissagree with you, you couldn't just plug anyone into the system and succeed.
The reason whoever the Jazz seem to play at the PF position seems to succeed is because the Jazz have 3 top notch players to play that position. AK and Boozer have proven they are All-Star calliber players with other teams and Millsap clearly has the skills to succeed anywere.
I think it is interesting that the Jazz have a team that is made up of 5 guys who are natural PF (Boozer, Millsap, AK, Kosta, Collins)and 5 guys who are natural SG (Brewer, Miles, Korver, Price, Almond).
The other thing I think is interesting, and awesome, is that the Jazz have 6-7 players (when healthy) that could put up 25-30 pts on any given night if given the opportunity.
If the Jazz can get Boozer back and start playing the kind of offense they played last year and maintain the D they are playing this year then they are a championship calliber squad.
okie jazz fan | 12:12 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Do you think it would kill sloan to show a little more appreciation for his
players efforts? and I have been a Sloan fan since his playing days.
Rebounds | 12:34 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
@Magness: Name a PF under the Sloan system who has not averaged over 10 boards
a game? Sloan makes his PF's great by his teachings. Had other teams
drafted them, maybe not so good. Even Koufus looks good in the system.
However, Sloan has never been successful coaching shooting guards that come up
through his system. Sloan is a big man's coach.
Sandy Candy | 12:56 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
AK has 0 Turnovers in last 80 minutes
magnus | 12:58 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
@ Rebounds (or should I say Miles)
Anybody can rebound, all it takes is effort and some simple technique (somebody give that message to CJ). The thing that makes a Jazz big man successful is that they can also score efficiently. The Jazz coaching staff (Sloan doesn't deserve all the credit) is EXCELLENT at teaching big men to do 3 things: rebound, Score in the post, shoot the mid range jumper.
I'm not going to argue that Sloans system make PF look good, and that the PF position is central to that system.
It is for that very reason that the Jazz don't get just anybody to play that position. That's why they paid Boozer 50 Million, and AK 75 Million, and Okur 40 Million because they wanted quality players to play the position and play it well, because the effectiveness of the offense depends on it.
As far as shooting guards go, to me shooting guards are the NBA equivalent of Wide Recievers in the NFL. They seem to have more ego and bigger mouths than any other position, they are generally overpaid and overrated, and they are almost never the foundation of a great team.
Anybody can rebound, all it takes is effort and some simple technique (somebody give that message to CJ). The thing that makes a Jazz big man successful is that they can also score efficiently. The Jazz coaching staff (Sloan doesn't deserve all the credit) is EXCELLENT at teaching big men to do 3 things: rebound, Score in the post, shoot the mid range jumper.
I'm not going to argue that Sloans system make PF look good, and that the PF position is central to that system.
It is for that very reason that the Jazz don't get just anybody to play that position. That's why they paid Boozer 50 Million, and AK 75 Million, and Okur 40 Million because they wanted quality players to play the position and play it well, because the effectiveness of the offense depends on it.
As far as shooting guards go, to me shooting guards are the NBA equivalent of Wide Recievers in the NFL. They seem to have more ego and bigger mouths than any other position, they are generally overpaid and overrated, and they are almost never the foundation of a great team.
System or not? | 1:21 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
The reality is that it is somewhat the system but that aside this team would be
in a defensive mess without AK. His help defense is what this team has survived
on for years. Now Millsap and Koufus are helping out there but outside of that
group who blocks/contests a shot?
AK is certainly fragile and gets manhandled but despite his frail frame he can pile up alot of stats that other players on our team simply do not.
We need what a healthy AK brings.
AK is certainly fragile and gets manhandled but despite his frail frame he can pile up alot of stats that other players on our team simply do not.
We need what a healthy AK brings.
Rebound | 1:26 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Miles is on vacation in the bahamas.
STEVE-O | 2:45 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
@ Rebounds (Miles)
So you say the Jazz system can make any PF a great player. Then why would the Jazz spend peanuts on a PF and then waste a bunch of money of a SG that isn't central to the Jazz system? That's just thinking bassackwards. I can't think of many PF that haven't excelled in the system, but that's because I can only think of a handfull of players that really played that position in Utah consistenly. Karl Malone took up a nice chunk of time there.
So you say the Jazz system can make any PF a great player. Then why would the Jazz spend peanuts on a PF and then waste a bunch of money of a SG that isn't central to the Jazz system? That's just thinking bassackwards. I can't think of many PF that haven't excelled in the system, but that's because I can only think of a handfull of players that really played that position in Utah consistenly. Karl Malone took up a nice chunk of time there.
Anonymous | 3:06 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
@ Rebounds
I know Michael Ruffin
What do I win
I know Michael Ruffin
What do I win
My thoughts | 3:27 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
magnus
You are completely right.
Point Guards and Bigs are where you spend your money. Unless the player is MJ
Look at Golden State, New York, Sacramento, Indiana, they all have a lot of talented wing players, but they are not very good teams.
Yes, Indiana kept it close with the Jazz because they shot 60% from the 3 point line today. Had they shoot what typically shoot (around 36%) the Jazz blow them out. If they shot 40% the Jazz win by 19 points.
Kobe is a great player, but after Shaq left, they didn't make the playoff in 05 and had early exits in the playoffs 06 and 07. Then last year Bynum plays better, they get Gasol and they are the best team in the West. As good as Wade is, his team will always struggle until they get a low post threat.
Good Wing Player, are clearly the least important position on the court - Unless you get MJ
You are completely right.
Point Guards and Bigs are where you spend your money. Unless the player is MJ
Look at Golden State, New York, Sacramento, Indiana, they all have a lot of talented wing players, but they are not very good teams.
Yes, Indiana kept it close with the Jazz because they shot 60% from the 3 point line today. Had they shoot what typically shoot (around 36%) the Jazz blow them out. If they shot 40% the Jazz win by 19 points.
Kobe is a great player, but after Shaq left, they didn't make the playoff in 05 and had early exits in the playoffs 06 and 07. Then last year Bynum plays better, they get Gasol and they are the best team in the West. As good as Wade is, his team will always struggle until they get a low post threat.
Good Wing Player, are clearly the least important position on the court - Unless you get MJ
Rebound | 4:56 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
So if the wings don't win championships, why does it matter who plays the
2/3? Keep Brewer and Miles and let the rest of them go so we have money for
another big and a good backup point guard.
RE: magnus | 5:29 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Name a chamionship team tha didn't have star shooting guard.
I can't think of any!
name a championship team team that didn't hae high scoring power forward
lakers serveral times,
chicago,
detroit more than once,
houston, can you even name their power forward?
sixers, bobby jones was good but not the star and ivaroni? please!
the list goes on and on.
I can't think of any!
name a championship team team that didn't hae high scoring power forward
lakers serveral times,
chicago,
detroit more than once,
houston, can you even name their power forward?
sixers, bobby jones was good but not the star and ivaroni? please!
the list goes on and on.
RE: Rebounds | 5:35 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Exaclty what is sloan teaching, does any one really know if he teaching anyting
at all?
from all I've read his assistants must do all the teaching,
all i can tell sloan does is swear, tell a player to get in shape, tell a player to pay defense,
but I have never seen any evidence that he teaches anything.
Does anyone have any first hand knowledge of what he teaches?
All we have are fans just "assuming".
By the way AK always has more success when plays his natural position.
you'ld think a "great" coach like sloan would have figured that out by now.
from all I've read his assistants must do all the teaching,
all i can tell sloan does is swear, tell a player to get in shape, tell a player to pay defense,
but I have never seen any evidence that he teaches anything.
Does anyone have any first hand knowledge of what he teaches?
All we have are fans just "assuming".
By the way AK always has more success when plays his natural position.
you'ld think a "great" coach like sloan would have figured that out by now.
magnus | 6:17 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
@ Rebound
As always you are taking what people say, skewing to the extreme, and throwing it back at them. That means you either really don't get it or you are just arguing to argue, hoping that the other person will give up so you can declare victory by forfeit. I'm not really sure whitch applies here, but I'll play regardless...
To continue with my wide receiver analogy, just because they aren't the foundation of the team and you should never start out thinking "I'm going to build a great team, starting with a great shooting guard (or wide receiver, just ask the Lions how that works out)" doesn't mean you don't need capable players at that position to be a good team, it just means that there may be any number of players who can fill that role capably and you shouldn't overpay or overcommit to one at the expense of other more important postions.
"My thoughts" gave a perfect example of that, the Lakers.
Anybody here think there chances of winning some more championships between 2004 and 2007 were better with Kobe than they would have been if they kept Shaq and ditched Kobe?
Didn't think so...
As always you are taking what people say, skewing to the extreme, and throwing it back at them. That means you either really don't get it or you are just arguing to argue, hoping that the other person will give up so you can declare victory by forfeit. I'm not really sure whitch applies here, but I'll play regardless...
To continue with my wide receiver analogy, just because they aren't the foundation of the team and you should never start out thinking "I'm going to build a great team, starting with a great shooting guard (or wide receiver, just ask the Lions how that works out)" doesn't mean you don't need capable players at that position to be a good team, it just means that there may be any number of players who can fill that role capably and you shouldn't overpay or overcommit to one at the expense of other more important postions.
"My thoughts" gave a perfect example of that, the Lakers.
Anybody here think there chances of winning some more championships between 2004 and 2007 were better with Kobe than they would have been if they kept Shaq and ditched Kobe?
Didn't think so...
Rebound | 7:07 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
@Magness.....I didn't make the comment that you need bigs to win
championships, you did. and the following statement came from someone else:
Name a chamionship team tha didn't have star shooting guard.
I can't think of any!
name a championship team team that didn't hae high scoring power forward
lakers serveral times,
chicago,
detroit more than once,
houston, can you even name their power forward?
sixers, bobby jones was good but not the star and ivaroni? please!
the list goes on and on.
So which is it.....A big or a shooting guard that brings home the gold?
Name a chamionship team tha didn't have star shooting guard.
I can't think of any!
name a championship team team that didn't hae high scoring power forward
lakers serveral times,
chicago,
detroit more than once,
houston, can you even name their power forward?
sixers, bobby jones was good but not the star and ivaroni? please!
the list goes on and on.
So which is it.....A big or a shooting guard that brings home the gold?
Re: Ross | 7:28 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Hey did you even watch the 4th quarter,moron? without AK and D-will we don`t win
the game,Memo scored a bunch of points,but did nothing late,guys like you amaze
me
magnus | 8:39 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009
Didn't see the other comment untill after I posted...
But to respond to that, I never said it take s PF.
But why don't you go ahead and name a team that won it all without a top tier big man, or two.
I can think of one, the Bulls.
As far as a team that didn't have a star shooting guard I can name several,
The Lakers and Celtics in the 80's, The Pistons in the 80's and 2004, The Spurs...
In fact pretty much every Championship team other than the Bulls the #1 option and biggest reason that team won the championship was NOT a shooting guard.
Good shooting guards are a dime a dozen.
Great bigs are a rare commodity.
Championships are won in the paint.
But to respond to that, I never said it take s PF.
But why don't you go ahead and name a team that won it all without a top tier big man, or two.
I can think of one, the Bulls.
As far as a team that didn't have a star shooting guard I can name several,
The Lakers and Celtics in the 80's, The Pistons in the 80's and 2004, The Spurs...
In fact pretty much every Championship team other than the Bulls the #1 option and biggest reason that team won the championship was NOT a shooting guard.
Good shooting guards are a dime a dozen.
Great bigs are a rare commodity.
Championships are won in the paint.
Anonymous | 2:05 p.m. Jan. 14, 2009
I like the guy that knocks on the spelling of pre-madonna and then proceeds to
tell us that AK's 5 offensive boards, 3 blocks and 3 steals gave us 11 more
positions in that game.
Its POSSESSIONS.
Its POSSESSIONS.
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Utah's Andrei Kirilenko got a start and had 23 points, 12 rebounds and this dunk.
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And sure he got 12 boards but who else is there to get them besides Memo? He is the most physically(and emotionally) fragile player in the NBA. If he gets touched he falls down, if he touches someone else, he falls down.
I used to like AK before he became a pre-madonna that needed more "touches". There is no way he should get more touches. He shouldn't even be getting as much as he does. He has a role with the Jazz and he should just fulfill it.