Utah Jazz Blog – Page 69 – NBA Blog

Game 6: Boozer rocks, Jazz eliminate Nuggets

The AP reports:

Carlos Boozer had 22 points and 20 rebounds, rookie Wesley Matthews scored 23 and made a key block, and Utah pulled away late in the fourth quarter and beat the Denver Nuggets 112-104 on Friday night, winning the playoff series in six games.

Deron Williams added 14 points and 10 assists for the Jazz, who went on an 11-0 run after Carmelo Anthony had tied the game at 95-all midway through the final period.

Matthews went 13 for 15 from the free throw line as Utah persevered in the foul-filled game, making 34 of 51 free throws after drawing 39 fouls by the Nuggets.

Chauncey Billups led Denver with 30 points and Anthony finished with 20 points on 6 for 22 shooting…

Joey Graham scored 18 of his 21 points in the second quarter to get the Nuggets back in the game after they fell behind by 15.

Paul Millsap had 21 points, 11 rebounds and blocked three shots for Utah.

Nene has sprained left knee

Nuggets C Nene has a sprained left knee. An MRI this morning revealed no ligament or meniscus damage.

He will not travel to Utah and is listed as out for tomorrow night’s Game 6. He will subsequently be day-to-day.

This is great news for a Nuggets team that has struggled in their first round NBA playoff series against the Utah Jazz and needs all the help they can get in their frontcourt.

Deron Williams says he is best NBA point guard

Jody Genessy of the Deseret News reports:

Deron Williams says he is best point guard in NBA

Deron Williams is the best point guard in the NBA.

Says who?

Deron Williams, that’s who.

Not that they’re biased or anything, but you can add Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko to that list.

And ESPN columnist Bill Simmons has finally stepped aboard the D-Will bandwagon, too — a revelation that will come as a huge shock to anybody who knows how big of a Chris Paul fanboy “The Sports Guy” is.

Asked Wednesday about Williams’ point-guard supremacy, Kirilenko didn’t hesitate with a “yes, yes” response. Boozer replied, “Hands down.”

Told about Boozer’s proclamation, the Jazz playmaker didn’t flinch or disagree in the slightest.

“I feel like I’m the best point guard in the league,” Williams said.

Game 5: Melo gets help, Nuggets beat Jazz

The AP reports:

Carmelo Anthony hung out the big “Help Wanted” sign after Denver’s last game and he got plenty of responses.

The Denver Nuggets avoided elimination with a 116-102 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night when Anthony’s supporting cast finally came up big…

Kenyon Martin’s 18 points were the most he’s scored in the playoffs since 2005. Aaron Afflalo was perfect from the floor, and reserve Ty Lawson provided a spark with his speed…

Anthony had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Chauncey Billups had 21 points, and Smith made four big 3-pointers among his 17 points for Denver, which won a game in which it was facing elimination for the first time since Game 6 of the 1994 Western Conference semifinals against Utah…

Carlos Boozer had 25 points and 16 boards for Utah. But backup big man Kyrylo Fesenko, who had played so well in the absence of Andrei Kirilenko (calf) and Mehmet Okur (Achilles’ tendon) for the last three games, all Utah wins, finished with three points and six rebounds Wednesday night.

Andrei Kirilenko hopes to return soon

Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune reports:

Whether it’s in one of the final games of the Jazz’s series against the Nuggets or in the Western Conference semifinals should the Jazz advance, Andrei Kirilenko sounded increasingly encouraged Tuesday about returning to action in these playoffs.

Kirilenko resumed court work Monday with sliding, jumping and shooting on the move and reported “no pain at all, which I was excited about” with his strained left calf.

“I wanted to go more,” said Kirilenko, who decided it was best not to push things. “Before when I get back, I felt like (the calf) gets tired very quick, like a little stiff,” he said. “Like right now I don’t feel any stiffness, no soreness, just tiredness. But I know it’s tiredness from the work.”

Game 4: Jazz take 3-1 lead on Nuggets with 117-106 win

The AP reports:

Carlos Boozer had 31 points and 13 rebounds, Deron Williams added 24 points and 13 assists, and the Utah Jazz held off a late charge to beat the Denver Nuggets 117-106 on Sunday night for a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference playoff series.

Carmelo Anthony finished with 39 points and led the Nuggets back within range late in the fourth quarter, but Denver never caught all the way up and lost for the third straight time in the series…

Denver trailed by 18 entering the final period but was able to get within 113-106 on back-to-back 3-pointers from Anthony, but that was as close as it could get.

C.J. Miles scored 21 and Wesley Matthews added 18 points for Utah. The Jazz led by as much as 20 and had the Nuggets off balance until Anthony led a surge early in the fourth.

Game 3: Millsap explodes, Jazz beat Nuggets

The AP reports:

Paul Millsap led a surge early in the second quarter that got Utah back into Game 3 after a disastrous start, then the Jazz took control of the game and their Western Conference playoff series with a 105-93 victory Friday night.

“That’s what we do, especially coming off the bench,” said Millsap, who finished with career highs of 22 points and 19 rebounds…

Millsap’s 18 points in the second quarter gave the Jazz a chance to recover after Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams struggled early. Once Williams and Boozer got going, the Nuggets never recovered in their first road playoff game of the series.

Utah limited Denver’s Carmelo Anthony to 25 points and flustered him into five fouls. He also had just four free throw attempts after taking 19 while scoring a combined 74 points in the series’ first two games.

Anthony and Chauncey Billups, who also scored 25 points, were the only Denver players to score in double figures.

Kyle Korver steers Kyrylo Fesenko away from techno music

Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune reports:

Kyle Korver confirmed he encouraged Kyrylo Fesenko to switch from listening to thumping European techno to something softer in the hopes it would help Fesenko better focus now that he’s starting at center in Mehmet Okur’s absence.

“I told him to chill out and find some new music,” Korver said. “Before the game, he’s like, ‘Kyle, I think I am too mellow right now. I need to get more excited.’ I was like, ‘Once the game starts, you’ll be fine, believe me.’ ”

Not only does Fesenko regularly play his techno at louder than loud volumes, he often sings along too, Korver said.

Kenyon Martin skips practice to rest knee

The AP reports:

Forward Kenyon Martin missed the Denver Nuggets’ final practice before Friday night’s Game 3 of their first-round matchup with Utah, resting the balky left knee that caused him to miss 18 games late in the season.

Martin was held out of Thursday’s workout as a precaution. The team said his availability for Friday night’s game will be determined at game time.

”The knee feels good but we want to use him for the game,” acting head coach Adrian Dantley said Thursday. ”He’s not practicing today. He’s just resting the knee.”

Deron Williams Game 2 playoff win in Denver was historic

Deron Williams playoff game was historic

Deron Williams’ 33-point, 14-assist effort in the Jazz’s Game 2 win last night in Denver was historic.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, in the history of the NBA playoffs, only one other player had as many points and as many assists in leading his team to a road victory – and it has been 43 years since that one previous instance! Back on March 21, 1967, Oscar Robertson had 33 points and 16 assists to lead his Cincinnati Royals to a 120-116 win over Wilt Chamberlain’s 76ers in the opening game of an Eastern Division semifinals series.

It also marked only the third 30-point, 10-assist game in Jazz playoff history, and the first in a winning effort.