The AP reports: The Jazz reversed the roles Friday night in a 90-64 victory that matched the Spurs’ lowest point total in franchise history and ended San Antonio’s eight-game winning streak… Mehmet Okur had 17 points and 16 rebounds and Deron Williams had 16 points and 11 assists for his 50th double-double of the season. Williams led the Jazz on a 13-0 run to open the fourth quarter, which pretty much took the Spurs out of it and had Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili on the bench early in the period… Williams opened fourth quarter with a high alley-oop to Andrei Kirilenko to start a 13-0 run for the Jazz. Kirilenko finished with 10 points and six assists, and Carlos Boozer added 16 points and flustered Duncan all night. Duncan finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, but sat most of the fourth quarter as the Jazz ran away with it.
Category: Utah Jazz Blog
Jazz basketball blog – Utah Jazz blog
Rocky Mountain Revue to happen in 2008
The Deseret Morning News (Tim Buckley) reports: Despite facing competition for entrants from a well-attended summer league in Las Vegas, Jazz officials said after last July’s Rocky Mountain Revue that they hoped — and planned — for the long-running league to be held again in 2008. And now they know for sure that it will be. “We will have a league,” Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor said. O’Connor had no other details, including how many team will participate.
Apr. 2: Jazz 117, Wolves 100
The AP reports: Mehmet Okur made four 3-pointers and scored 22 points, leading the Jazz to a 117-100 win over Minnesota. He scored 19 of points and made three 3-pointers in the second half… Okur credited guard Deron Williams for Utah’s stellar play in the second half. The Jazz scored 38 points in the third quarter and shot 62 percent from the field after the break. Williams had 19 points and 14 assists for his 49th double-double of the season… Utah won for the 24th time in 25 home games and improved to 34-4 at EnergySolutions Arena this season… Marko Jaric led Minnesota with 18 points and eight rebounds. Reserve Rashad McCants had 17 points.
Mar. 31: Jazz 129, Wizards 87
The AP reports: C.J. Miles scored a career-high 29 points and the Utah Jazz set a team record with 15 3-pointers in a 129-87 rout of the short-handed Washington Wizards on Monday night. Deron Williams had 12 points and 16 assists, despite resting most of the fourth quarter, and Mehmet Okur returned from a stomach virus with 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Carlos Boozer added 19 points and Kyle Korver scored 15, making all six of his shots. Utah outrebounded Washington 40-23, had 40 assists on 50 field goals and shot almost 60 percent (50-for-84)… They were also resting Caron Butler’s strained left hamstring instead of playing him back-to-back nights. Antawn Jamison led Washington with 22 points.
Mar. 30: Wolves 110, Jazz 103
The AP reports: Al Jefferson had 22 points and eight rebounds and Rashad McCants scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half of Minnesota’s 110-103 victory Sunday over a Utah team that just can’t seem to win on the road. Corey Brewer tied a career high with 16 points and had seven rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have now beaten the Jazz at home twice this season, losses that are inexcusable for a team that hopes to contend for the Western Conference crown. Carlos Boozer had 25 points and 10 rebounds for the short-handed Jazz, who are nearly unbeatable at home but just 16-22 on the road this year… Deron Williams had 15 points and 13 assists, but was pretty quiet from a scoring standpoint after getting seven points in the first 5 minutes.
Jazz recall Almond, Fesenko from D-League
Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has recalled rookies Morris Almond and Kyrylo Fesenko from the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League (D-League).
Almond, a 6-6, 225-pound guard out of Rice was selected by the Jazz in the first round (25th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft. He has appeared in six games for the Jazz, totaling three points, one assist and one steal in 25 minutes of action.
Almond has appeared in a total of 31 games for the Flash during two separate stints (Dec. 6 – Jan. 8 and Jan. 25 – March 29), averaging a D-League leading 25.0 points, along with 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 36.8 minutes per game. He was named D-League Player of the Week (Dec. 17-23) after averaging 43.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals while shooting 32-of-68 (.471) from the field. During that week, Almond scored a D-League record-tying 51 points in a win over the Austin Toros on December 21. He later broke the D-League scoring record, posting 53 points in a win at the Bakersfield Jam on January 30.
Fesenko, a 7-1, 288-pound center has appeared in seven games for the Jazz, averaging 1.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 9.1 minutes per game. He scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds in 17 minutes in a 120-96 Jazz win over the Los Angeles Lakers in his NBA debut on November 30.
Fesenko has been assigned to the Flash three times this season (Nov. 10-30, Dec. 6-13, and Dec. 27-March 29), and per league rules will remain with the Jazz for the remainder of the season. He appeared in 37 games (25 starts) for the Flash, averaging 10.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.92 blocks with five double-doubles, while shooting .502 from the floor. Fesenko ranks seventh in the D-League in blocks and ninth in rebounding.
The 21-year-old native of the Ukraine was originally selected by Philadelphia in the second round (38th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft; the Jazz acquired Fesenko’s rights in a draft night deal that sent the draft rights to Herbert Hill (55th overall pick) and trade considerations to the 76ers.
Almond and Fesenko will travel with the Jazz to Minneapolis for the team’s game vs. Minnesota on Sunday, March 30.
Mar. 28: Jazz 121, Clippers 101
The AP reports: Down three starters, the Utah Jazz were never worried as Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams were nearly flawless. Boozer scored 34 and Williams had 32 points to lead the Jazz past the reeling Los Angeles Clippers, 121-101 on Friday night… Mehmet Okur and Ronnie Brewer did not dress for Friday night’s game due to the effects of a stomach virus. Andrei Kirilenko was scoreless in nine minutes before leaving with spasms in his right calf… Boozer went 16-of-22 from the floor and grabbed 17 rebounds while Williams made 13 of his 15 attempts and passed for 10 assists… Corey Maggette scored 28 points and Chris Kaman had 16 points in his second game back from a nine-game absence with back spasms. Cuttino Mobley and Al Thornton each had 13 points for the Clippers, who have lost 10 in a row and 18 of their last 20 games.
Mar. 25: Jazz 128, Bobcats 106
The AP reports: Carlos Boozer had 28 points and 13 rebounds, and Deron Williams added 14 points and 15 assists to lead the Utah Jazz over the Charlotte Bobcats 128-106 on Tuesday night. Mehmet Okur also had a double-double for Utah with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and the Jazz pulled away after letting a 20-point lead slip to three early in the fourth quarter. Matt Harpring added a season-high 18 points and Kyle Korver scored 10, hitting three 3-pointers after the Bobcats rallied to make it close. Jason Richardson scored 26 and Gerald Wallace added 21 points for the Bobcats, who lost their sixth straight road game.
The Jazz future of Paul Millsap
The Salt Lake Tribune (Steve Luhm) reports: The Jazz own an option on Paul Millsap’s contract for next season, when he is scheduled to make $797,000. I’m guessing the club will exercise that bargain-basement option, try to convince Millsap he fits into their long-term plans and attempt to get his signature on a long-term contract after the 2008-09 season. Every team needs a player like Millsap. He is tough, loves to rebound and is creative around the basket on offense. He must improve his jump shot, which has already gotten better, and he is occasionally overmatched physically when asked to guard opposing power forwards and centers.
Nowitzki supended for foul on Kirilenko
Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks has been suspended one game without pay, and his Flagrant Foul, Penalty One against Andrei Kirilenko of the Utah Jazz has been upgraded to a Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
The incident occurred with 7:04 remaining in the first period of the Mavericks’ 116-110 loss to the Jazz on Monday, March 3 at EnergySolutions Arena.
Nowitzki will serve his suspension when the Mavericks host the Houston Rockets Thursday, March 6 at American Airlines Center.