Utah Jazz Blog – Page 85 – NBA Blog

Jerry Sloan: The eternal coach

Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has been coaching so long, when he first started basketball was played on ice, and the object of the game was to hurl spears at monsters. Earth was flat. Electricity didn’t exist yet. Neither did light or sound. The continents had not yet separated.

On November 7 the Jazz beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, getting Sloan the 1,000th win of his NBA head coaching career. He is the only coach in league history to pass that win total with just one team.

Second on the list of one-team wins as a head coach is Red Auerbach with 795 (Boston Celtics).

Third is Gregg Popovich with 647 Spurs wins.

Only three NBA coaches have more total wins than Sloan: Lenny Wilkens (1,332), Don Nelson (1,287) and Pat Riley (1,195). Of those three coaches, only Riley (65.6%) has a higher winning percentage than Sloan (60.3%).

Now in his 21st season coaching the Jazz, Sloan is the longest-tenured head coach in NBA history and has the longest current tenure of any head coach in pro basketball, baseball, football or hockey.

Since Sloan became Utah’s coach there have been 225 coaching changes in the NBA.

When Sloan retires, it’s safe to predict that it’ll be on his own terms.

Utah Jazz Notes: CJ Miles the dunk leader

General Utah Jazz notes coming into Wednesday’s game in New Jersey against the Nets.

Deron Williams last season was one of only three players in NBA history to post 1500+ points, 800+ assists with 50% or better shooting in the same season.

Now a starter at small forward, CJ Miles began the season slowly but has doubled his production since November 15.

Starting on November 1, 2006, power forward Paul Millsap has played in 190 consecutive games, which is 7th amongst all active NBA players.

Ronnie Brewer has the most dunks of any Jazz player this season, with 34. Paul Millsap is a close second with 33. Andrei Kirilenko has 23, CJ Miles 15 and desite all his missed games due to injury Carlos Boozer has 10.

According to Jazz team notes, Deron Williams has no dunks yet this season.

Injuries have messed up Utah’s season so far. Jazz players combine to have missed 81 games thus far. The total for all of last season was 45.

Dec 15: Celtics 100, Jazz 91

The AP reports: Rajon Rondo scored 12 of his career-high 25 points in the final 5:20, and Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Kendrick Perkins added 15 points and 14 rebounds to help Boston avenge the worst loss of its championship season. Paul Pierce scored 15 points before he hurt his left knee during a scramble for a defensive rebound with 31 seconds left… Paul Millsap scored a career-high 32 points with 10 rebounds for Utah… The Jazz were within 89-85 after Deron Williams’ 3-pointer with 3:23 left. But Rondo drove for a one-handed bank shot and then, after Williams sank a basket, Rondo made a free throw and Perkins hit a turnaround hook shot in the lane.

Dec 13: Magic 103, Jazz 94

The AP reports: Could Dwight Howard be going from Superman to super sub? The All-Star center missed the first game of his career Saturday night, and coach Stan Van Gundy joked he might not get his starting spot back after the Orlando Magic used a dominating third quarter to beat the Utah Jazz 103-94… Rashard Lewis scored 27 points and Hedo Turkoglu added 22 for Orlando (18-6), which improved to 9-3 on the road this season… Andrei Kirilenko and Deron Williams each scored 17 points for Utah (15-10), which committed 22 turnovers, its second-highest total of the season.

Dec 11: Jazz 97, Blazers 88

The AP reports: It didn’t matter much where Mehmet Okur was lining up for his shots in the first half. From 3-point range or under the basket, everything was falling for Okur in Utah’s 97-88 victory over Portland on Thursday night. Okur scored 21 of his 27 points in the first half and pulled down 10 rebounds. He was 9-for-14 from the floor and made two of the Jazz’s three 3-pointers… Paul Millsap had his 10th straight double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Deron Williams added 14 points and 11 assists to help the Jazz improve to 2-0 against Portland this season… Brandon Roy had 33 points, and LaMarcus Aldridge added 22 for Portland, tied with Utah for second place in the Northwest Division. Rudy Fernandez was the only other Blazer to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points…The Jazz also had 23 assists to Portland’s 13.

Dec 9: Jazz 99, Wolves 96

The AP reports: For one game, at least, McHale seemed to inject some energy and heart into a team that has lacked both since a six-game losing streak started nine days ago… Mehmet Okur hit the go-ahead shot with 1.7 seconds to play and the Jazz capitalized on 16 missed free throws by Minnesota to rally for the victory. Al Jefferson led Minnesota with 21 points. The Timberwolves led by seven with 2:45 to play, but Love’s misses in the final three minutes allowed the Jazz to hang around… Ronnie Brewer scored 25 points for the Jazz on the 20th anniversary of Jerry Sloan’s promotion to the team’s head coach… Love finished with eight points and 15 rebounds, but went 2-for-9 from the free throw line.

Paul Millsap has game

With a record of 13 wins and 9 losses, the Utah Jazz are playing fairly decently considering they’ve suffered constant injuries all season. Carlos Boozer has played 12 games; Deron Williams just 9.

While D-Will is currently active, Boozer remains out. But there’s been a bright spot in the frontcourt. The Deseret News (Tim Buckley) reports:

Paul Millsap has started Utah’s last nine games in Carlos Boozer’s place and has had scoring-rebounding double-doubles in each of his past eight. During those 10 games Boozer has been absent, in fact, Millsap has averaged 16.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks. That’s exactly double the points and nearly the double the boards he averaged last season, his second after being taken from Louisiana Tech in the 2006 NBA Draft’s second round. At eight, it’s also double the number of double-doubles Millsap had all of last season.

Millsap has proven that at the very least he can be a prime backup on a winning team. He should have a successful NBA career for years to come.

Dec 3: Heat 93, Jazz 89

The AP reports: Dwyane Wade overcame his headache and foul trouble while leading Miami to a 93-89 victory over the short-handed Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, getting the Heat back above .500 as they ended a five-game Western Conference road trip. “I was going to play. Anything I can do to help my guys and try to get a win,” said Wade, who had 23 points and five assists… The Jazz were missing a large chunk of their regular lineup and the Heat took advantage inside, outrebounding Utah 45-38 as injured forwards Carlos Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko and Matt Harpring watched from Utah’s bench in suits. Udonis Haslem had 13 rebounds and Joel Anthony had four blocks for the Heat, who held off several runs by the Jazz and went 9-of-11 from the foul line in the fourth quarter to seal it… Paul Millsap led Utah with 20 points and 13 rebounds… Shawn Marion scored 15, Michael Beasley had 12 points and reserve Chris Quinn added six assists for Miami.

Jazz injury update

The Utah Jazz continue to be struck by injury as they host the visiting Miami Heat Wednesday night.

Carlos Boozer (strained left quad tendon) and Andrei Kirilenko (right ankle inflammation) are both out and won’t play this evening.

Matt Harpring and Deron Williams are both game-time decisions.

The Jazz have 12 wins and just 7 losses, good for the 8th best winning percentage in the NBA this season. They’ve done well, considering Williams, their star point guard, is shooting just 41.7% in the 6 games he’s played. He’s been a play-maker as expected when on the court, and that’s more important than missing a few more shots than usual.

Boozer has had a terrific season when out on the court and not on the sideline. He’s shooting 55.9% for 20.5 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

Dec 2: Jazz 99, Kings 94

The AP reports: Kyle Korver scored 15 points and Deron Williams had two key baskets in the final minute to give the Utah Jazz a 99-94 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night. After Beno Udrih scored to put the Kings ahead by one, Williams, who had 14 points, responded with a layup and a jumper, putting Utah ahead 93-90. The Jazz made six free throws in the final 13 seconds to secure the victory, their third in four games. Ronnie Brewer scored 14 points and Paul Milsap had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Morris Almond added 13 points for the Jazz, who committed 25 turnovers… Brad Miller had 18 points and nine rebounds, Udrih scored 17, Spencer Hawes had 14 points, and Francisco Garcia added 11 for Sacramento.