Utah Jazz: Utah seeks KO blow Jazz hoping to avoid a Game 7 in Houston after winning first two games on road By Lya Wodraska The Salt Lake Tribune At one point last week, the Jazz were up 2-0 in their first-round series with Houston, and fans broke out brooms, talking about a series sweep. This morning, the Jazz find themselves in the same predicament the Rockets faced a year ago, when Houston let a two-game lead slip away in the first round. Like last year, momentum has slowly moved to the team that started down 2-0. Rafer Alston's return in Game 3 boosted Houston, which nearly stunned the Jazz in Game 4, then went home and thumped Utah in a confidence-boosting, we're-in-charge-now Game 5 victory. If only Deron Williams' last shot hadn't been blocked in Game 3 . . . If only Tracy McGrady hadn't found his rhythm after such a slow start . . . If only the Jazz had matched Houston's urgency in Game 5 . . . Instead of preparing for the Lakers in the second round, the Jazz are fielding questions about pressure, control in the series and just how big tonight's game is for them. "We need to win, I don't know how you say it," said forward Andrei Kirilenko, probably searching for the right English or Russian word to describe the importance of tonight's contest. "We can't allow Houston to get their confidence. We let them win by 20 points and that got their confidence back a bit." If Houston goes on to win the series, the Game 3 loss clearly will be the one to haunt the Jazz in the offseason. If only . . . "You can't look back," Kyle Korver said. "We had some things go our way that they probably think, 'Man, we should have had that game,' but that is the way it works in the playoffs. We're still in good position with the home game. If we don't win that one, we still have another shot." A long series can drain a team physically as well as mentally, something coach Jerry Sloan was aware of Tuesday when he emptied the bench for the final minutes in Houston when the outcome became apparent. But it also can sharpen a team, as last season's seven-game stand against the Rockets did for the Jazz. The emotions carried over against Golden State in a 4-1 rout. The playoffs are all about making the best out of the current situation, forward Matt Harpring said. "The playoffs are just like the regular season, sometimes you have a bad game one night but you have to forget it happened and get your attitude back up and your spirits back up," Harpring said. "Otherwise you are just going to drown yourself in sorrow and you can't do that." http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_9129087 lwodraska@sltrib.com
http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_9129084 Utah Jazz: It's all on the line for Jazz tonight Utah gets a second shot tonight to close out the series, not wanting to play a Game 7 in Houston By Steve Luhm The Salt Lake Tribune Article Last Updated: 05/02/2008 01:57:12 AM MDT Don't ask the Jazz about failing to eliminate the Rockets in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series Tuesday night. That lifeless 95-69 loss is not-so-ancient history - foul-tasting water under the bridge. Instead, the Jazz are focused on the present, with an eye on the future. In this case, that means trying to win Game 6 tonight at EnergySolutions Arena and ending their suddenly dangerous series against the Rockets before having to play Game 7 at Houston. The stakes don't get much higher. "In a way, it's a dire-need game for us," said Matt Harpring. "We don't want to go back to Houston for Game 7 - not because we couldn't win, but because we have an opportunity now to take advantage of the situation we're in. Hopefully we'll do that." Said teammate Andrei Kirilenko: "I think, no, we want to go back to Houston. But it will be a tough game. Houston is playing pretty good - especially in the last game. It will give them confidence, maybe. But we are at home, in front of our fans. So we will keep our heads and play a quality game. We should be fine." The Jazz have not been fine in their two previous attempts to rid themselves of the Rockets. With a chance to take an insurmountable 3-0 lead, Utah suffered a 94-92 home loss in Game 3. In Game 5, Utah squandered its first chance to wrap the series by shooting 36 percent and failing to match the Rockets' effort. "Early on, we lost rhythm and lost control of the game," Kirilenko said. "We let Houston lead by, like, 15 points and we couldn't respond. We really started playing outside, rather than kind of mixing it up - inside and outside." Said Harpring: "They just took us out of a lot of the stuff we're used to doing. They made us do some things that made us uncomfortable. Plus, I just don't think we played that well as a team. But that game is behind us. We'll come out with a clean slate and, with our home fans behind us, have the energy we need. We want to do what they did to us." Since shooting 52 percent during a 93-82 win in Game 1, the Jazz have struggled to score against the Rockets, who are slowing the tempo and eating up the clock on offense while sagging in and clogging the lane on defense. The strategy has worked perfectly. Utah's 69 points in Game 5 was its second-lowest total in playoff history, Carlos Boozer averages only 16.2 points per game and the Jazz are 2-for-23 on three-pointers in the last two games. "We're not getting the looks you get in the regular season," said Kyle Korver, who is 3-for-15 on three-pointers in the series. "You can't always get layups," coach Jerry Sloan said. "You would like to, but they've done a good job helping off people." What can the Jazz do to punish the Rockets' for paying such close attention to Boozer? "Ask Houston not to guard us inside," Sloan said. Since that won't happen, the Jazz's best hope for creating operating room around the basket is to start making a few jump shots. "They're leaving some outside people open," Sloan said, "and those are decent shots. But you've got to make 'em. If you're not making them, or if you are hesitant, they'll drop off and pack things in a little more." Asked if the Jazz can rebound from their dreary performance in Game 5, Deron Williams said, "We've done it all year. We've had some embarrassing losses, but we've bounced back fine." And Game 6? ". . . It's going to be fun," Williams said. "I'm ready. I wish we played today. We just have to do a better job of making the extra pass - sharing the ball. We're great team when we move the ball and make the extra pass to the open guy." luhm@sltrib.com
ahhh you cant help but get pumped and anxious when you read these pre-game articles. as for me, its gonna be hard to concentrate on much today...
http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_9129085 Utah Jazz: Bench play now glaring detriment After a solid Game 1, Utah bench increasingly has become a detriment By Tony Jones The Salt Lake Tribune Article Last Updated: 05/02/2008 01:57:14 AM MDT There's no shortage of reasons the Utah Jazz are facing the Houston Rockets in tonight's Game 6, instead of resting up and preparing themselves to meet the L.A. Lakers in the second round. But if you want as good an explanation as any, you should look no further than the Jazz bench, which was a huge strength earlier in the series, but has since become almost as much of a detriment, seemingly overnight. Indeed, it took a group effort to flop as spectacularly as Utah did on Tuesday night, when the Rockets handed out a 95-69 whipping and figuratively left tiremarks on the Jazz in Game 5. But the bench stands out for its futility because Utah has been defined by its impressive depth this season. And that's why the lack of effective play on Tuesday night was so glaring. "When the bench produces, we win games," Jazz forward Paul Millsap said. "It wasn't one of our best nights. We have to perform better than that." The Jazz received nine points on Tuesday night from its bench of Millsap, Matt Harpring, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Price, and that's including a meaningless jumper from Jason Hart during garbage time. They were outscored 18-0 in the second period alone. Those statistics were bad enough, but more concerning was the lack of hustle plays and the contributions that never show up in a box score. And even more concerning is the fact that theRockets' bench, led by Bobby Jackson, lit it up the entire game, a factor that was a key to Houston's ability to turn the game into a blowout. Aside from the production in the scoring column, the continuity in Game 5 wasn't there. Korver usually plays the entire second quarter in place of Ronnie Brewer, but he was pulled about halfway through the period when it was clear that he wasn't playing as well as coach Jerry Sloan liked. "I thought he was struggling out there," Sloan said. "At this time of the year, you have to be ready to go when you hit the floor." So the question is, how does Utah fix the problem? Several Jazz players pointed to the lack of playing time, saying that it was difficult to get into a rhythm because the starters are playing extended minutes in the postseason. Whatever the issue, it's clear that Utah needs substantial positive minutes from its core of reserves if they plan on ending the series tonight at EnergySolutions Arena. "Collectively, we haven't executed the offense well," Price said. "If you don't do that, it's tough to score points." tjones@sltrib.com
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695275662,00.html Utah Jazz: Welcome to the zoo By Jody Genessy Deseret News Published: Friday, May 2, 2008 12:10 a.m. MDT Officials haven't put up a chain-link fence around EnergySolutions Arena with "Beware: Rabid Utah Jazz fans" signs posted on it yet. They aren't requiring rabies shots and muzzles for people attending games, either. But some members of the out-of-town media and Utah opponents might think that would be a good start for controlling foaming-at-the-mouth Jazz fans. When describing Utah's crowd, Houston Chronicle columnist Fran Blinebury recently wrote that the "often-maniacal following of the Jazz can make visiting teams feel like they have just walked in on feeding time at the zoo." Unlike at the zoo, though, the visitors apparently feel like they're the main course. Though examples weren't cited, Blinebury also pointed out that opponents have accused Jazz fans of going too far — "from taunting to personal slurs. Even racial ones." "Oh yeah, they say things that you don't ever hear anywhere else ... ," Houston's Dikembe Mutombo told the Chronicle. "You can hear anything in this place. You cannot be thin-skinned." He has since apologized, but ESPN reporter Ric Bucher took shots at the Beehive State's dominant religion, Jazz crowds and the area's nightlife (or lack thereof), saying on air: "Let's be honest. They're Mormon. And they're in Salt Lake. And there's nothing else to do there. You've got to smile and be happy all the time. This might be the one opportunity for fans to get vicious." The Jazz will be counting on their "vicious" fans — regardless of smiling habits or religious affiliation — to give them a Game 6 boost tonight at 8:30 when they try to wrap up this first-round playoff series against the Rockets. "They got our back, no matter what," said Jazz center Mehmet Okur. Likewise, the Jazz players have their vocal fans' backs. Though others have been critical of various antics and catcalls, the Jazz are big fans of their boisterous fans who have played a role in their 38-5 home record during the regular season and playoffs. "It's going to be a great crowd like they always are," said Jazz point guard Deron Williams. "We definitely feed off the crowd. The crowd is a big reason for our success." "We've got great fans. They come go crazy for us. Other times, they do a good job of heckling the opposing team and getting them a little off their game," said Jazz forward Carlos Boozer. "But for us, we bring our energy, and that gets our crowd going, and they return the favor by giving it to us in the fourth quarter." From his perspective, which is usually on the bench and within earshot of many hecklers, Jazz backup C.J. Miles doesn't think Utah fans go over the top. Miles said NBA players hear "crazy stuff in the stands" to mess with their minds — from people making fun of haircuts to tattoos — but he hasn't heard racist remarks that some Jazz fans have been accused of spewing. "They can get rowdy. I think we've got one of the best crowds if not the best crowd in the league," Miles said. "I've never heard anybody say anything (racist) like that either, so I don't know. At the same time, I wouldn't think our fans are like that." Jazz forward Matt Harpring hasn't noticed it in Salt Lake City, either. He has witnessed it elsewhere, though. "A lot of times the writers and media don't hear the things that are said to us as we're walking off the court or onto the court. I don't think any of us make a big deal about it," Harpring said. "It's basketball. It's entertainment. I like it when fans get rowdy and they get crazy. I think they have a right to say whatever they want. They paid for the ticket." Referee Bob Delaney begs to differ. He made certain Jazz superfan Dr. Richard Anderson, the megaphone man who goes bonkers behind the basket, received a "written warning card" for remarks he made in Game 3. Still, Anderson got high-fived by Utah's Andrei Kirilenko while being escorted out of the arena. Creative fans add to the ambiance. Some had signs saying "Caution: Vicious Mormon Fan" and "The Second-Round Virgin" with Tracy McGrady's photo on it. Another guy wore a diaper and a McGrady jersey. Because of how involved the loud-and-proud Jazz fans are — booing, yelling, cheering, smart-alecking or slapping balloon noisemakers together like crazy — opponents agree EnergySolutions Arena is a challenging venue. Because the arena was built like an amplifier, it can also be rough on their eardrums. Houston's Shane Battier told the Chronicle it is "the toughest place to play in the league. Definitely." McGrady said the ESA is "a type of environment that just says basketball." But since the Rockets account for two of the Jazz's five home losses, McGrady said they aren't intimidated by Utah fans. "They can't come out of the stands and play. So we're not bothered by that," McGrady said. "We just come out here and play our game." Opponents whose ears are thin-skinned just might want to come play their games with earplugs. Unlike some, Williams doesn't believe Jazz fans have too much bite with their bark. "They're not vicious to me," he said with a smile.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695275665,00.html Utah Jazz: Jazz need 1 win to stop Rockets' momentum By Tim Buckley Deseret News Published: Friday, May 2, 2008 12:10 a.m. MDT In the immediate aftermath of the Jazz's embarrassing 95-69 Game 5 loss to the Houston Rockets Tuesday night, point guard Deron Williams sought — and found — proper perspective. "It's very disappointing, you know," Williams said, "but it's not the end of the world, not the end of the series." Such was still the sense Thursday morning, when — after taking Wednesday off — the up 3-2 Jazz practiced for tonight's Game 6 in the first-round, best-of-seven NBA playoff series. "We have to win one game, they have to win two," Williams said. "So I feel like we're still in control." "We are," All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer added. "The bad thing about it is after a game like Game 5, you feel like they have all the momentum. And they may have a lot of it, because they won by a big margin. But it's one bad game in a series. That's why there's seven games." Room for error, in other words. Even a blunder as bad as Tuesday's, when the Jazz were beaten to loose balls, beaten on second-chance points, beaten on the boards. Beaten, for all practical purposes, to a pulp. "There's no excuse, no reason, that something like that happened — especially in a playoff game," Williams said Thursday. Story continues below "Hopefully the intensity will be there for us this next game." Better be, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan suggested. "We can't let them beat us in every little category that comes up," Sloan said. "They beat us all four quarters in the game the other night. You're gonna have to play. Hopefully we'll have more energy to stay with it." There is, after all, a sense of decided urgency for the Jazz. They won a Game 7 at Houston in last year's opening round of the playoffs, but don't want to bank on doing that again. Besides, the Los Angeles Lakers — who dismissed Denver from the first round with a 4-0 sweep that was completed Monday night — are waiting. And the Jazz — who will play on Sunday regardless, either in another opening-round Game 7 at Houston or a Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals at L.A. — don't want the Lakers to enjoy the satisfaction of seeing Utah endure a grueling seven-game series. "You've got to try to win right now," Sloan said. "We really need to win and can't let Houston get a chance to play Game 7," small forward Andrei Kirilenko added. "We need a win." Kirilenko, like Boozer, felt a shift after Game 5. But he, too, believes the baby quake can be overcome — despite the fact the Rockets have won twice at EnergySolutions Arena this regular season/postseason, and only three other teams (Portland, Boston and the Lakers) in 2007-08 have emerged victorious from Utah. "Definitely after the win in Houston they have way more confidence right now, and they feel like they can beat us," Kirilenko said. "And they beat us twice here this year. But, again, what we can do? Just come out and play. "We've got a game at home, now we're leading 3-2 — it's definitely all in our hands," Kirilenko added. "For this moment, we still have a little bit more chances. But, again, nobody is going to give it to us." No one is, and Boozer knows it as well. "For us, we have to look each other in the face and realize that we are in control of this series," he said. "We're up 3-2. We're at home, in front of our fans. It comes down to a one-game series for us." In Williams' mind, then, it's not Game 5 that matters most. "It's definitely behind us," the Jazz point said. "It was behind us as soon as the buzzer sounded. You know, we can't dwell on these games. You have to move on to the next one, and I think that's what we've done." And the world spins on, too.
Haha wow, the Jazz fans and writers are talking about the "What If's"? What if the refs hadn't completely botched game two....? What happens if the refs call a tie-up on Battier or Korver for falling out of bounds....? What if we box out fat, worthless Memo Okur in game four....? I think those are slightly more intriguing questions than... "What if the opponent didn't make a huge play when it counted by blocking Deron's lay up...? "Why did the Jazz allow a perennial All-Star to have a good shooting performance....?" "Why didn't the Jazz stop being so soft and go for the kill in game five instead of getting punked down by 26 points....?" Ohhhhhhh the possibilities if you're a Jazz fan. Anything to make yourself feel better in the likely event you win this series despite our injuries then laugh at us "pathetic Rockets fans" before you go on to get killed by the Lakers.
If only... If only... We can play that game too: If only Kyle Krover had been called for stepping out of bounds... If only we had Alston in the first two games... If only we had grabbed the last second rebound... It seems silly that they wished we didn't hustle enough to block a last second shot. Williams gave it his all and it wasn't enough. There was no luck about it, he got stuffed. I'm glad our newspapers aren't stuck in what "could have been," but I guess the Jazz are used to that since they have never won a championship. If only...
Wrong: Houston already got their confidence back and they gave you more than you can handle Wrong: you got beaten by more than 20 points AK
utah will play its best game tonight. can we play our best game too? man, regardless of the outcome, this series has been pretty fun (like every rocket playoff series)
they try to deliver KO hits to the face every game as far as I know. shouldn't be anything different!
All the pressure's on the Jazz. If they screw up the series goes back to Houston with all of the momentum on the Rockets' side. I think this could easily go to game 7. The Rockets have a huge amount of grit and toughness and their backs are against the wall. I predict they'll come out and play like wild animals. Maybe weasels or something.
Jeez, look at those Utah papers. I haven't seen this much nailbiting, handwringing, and recrimination since ... the last time I visited this board.
