Now That’s A Quality Win!!!
Playoff intensity. Everyone healthy. Defensive tenacity. Hard Fouls. Flaring tempers.
This was a quality win! Almost everyone was healthy for both teams. The Jazz’s victories over other playoff teams have come, for the most part, with significant players out for the opposition.
The Jazz stepped it up defensively. Timmy looked like a deer caught in the headlights in the first quarter, as the Jazz swarmed him, stealing the ball or causing miscues. Tony Langoria had a tough time penetrating and flopping his way to the foul line. ‘Big Shot Bob’ must have worn Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak, because his was invisible, except for a couple of cheap shots. Bowen was useless. Fabio, who had such a great playoff series against the Jazz, was nonexistent. Also, I think he looks better when his beard is shaved off, with his hair longer and bleached, while posing for the covers of those romance novels. Plus, the Spurs turned their own defense up several notches too. It was a toe-to-toe heavyweight fight.
The Amazing Andrei, has been playing beyond AK-47 and his All-Star year. This is the best he has ever played! He was a +17 while on the floor. His shooting has been hotter than Tony’s wife (by the way, where was Eva?). The Silent Assassin was 9 for 10 and perfect from behind the arc and at the charity stripe. How many games is it now, that he has been shooting well over 80% for 3’s and over 90% at the line? He’s not hot. . . he’s been smokin’ hot. This is the same guy, who defenders would turn their backs on, and help inside, when he got the ball, because his shooting was sooo horrible! Too bad most of the coaches have not had the opportunity to watch him lately. If they had, he would have been a shoe in for the All-Star team. Of his 4 steals, the one from Manu was spectacular. Come on, you saw it, and went home to replay it, on your TiVo, several times, didn’t you? The look on Manu’s face. . .priceless.
Kyle Korver continued to be the Jazz good luck charm. That’s 11 of 13, since the trade. This trade parallels or possibly, dare I say it, exceeds the Horny trade. He only got one three, but it was THE Dagger. The Spurs just went limp and curled up in the fetal position. It was like Bear popping that giant balloon, filled with confetti. The air went out of the Spurs with a soft ‘whoosh.’ The only thing missing was Linus’ bankie and Lisa’s binkie. It was nightie-night time for the Spurs.
Finally, the Jazz have worked themselves back into 1st place in the NW Division, or a 4th seed, and actually looked like a playoff team in the process.
Ahhhh, it’s a good time to be a Jazz fan!
Jazzaholic
8 Comments to “Now That’s A Quality Win!!!”
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Sorry, that’s Maggie’s binkie (The Simpsons). A senior moment!
Jazzaholic
This was a totally awesome game!
I missed the first half plus a bit of the third, spaced out they were playing, my bad. Then KJZZ replayed it at midnight! Yee haw!
But good golly miss molly! Talk about a beat down delivered, The JAZZ showed up and fired on all cylinders almost every single play. AK was beyond any AK we have seen in the past and I’m sure happy, I know as well it’s the result of some very hard work on AK’s part.
They should be working hard, they are getting paid well for their efforts. Their efforts are noted and appreciated by the fans as well.
Thanks guys.
Actually, even with Andrei playing lights out, I’m not sure he deserves an All-Star berth in a loaded Western Conference. That being said, it’s been great having him firing on all cylinders.
Pudge:
Absolutely no one has stats near AK in the last 10-20 games. No one!
Jazzaholic!
Jazzaholic,
I’m normally right with you, but on this issue I beg to disagree. Here are his numbers for January:
STL BLK REB AST PTS
1.11 1.56 3.9 4.7 12.8
Good, but no guaranteed All-Star berth. What has been off the charts has been his shooting percentage, both overall (67%) and on threes (42%). Somehow, though, I doubt coaches are digging deep enough to examine shooting percentages when they are voting on All-Stars. Plus, as I said before, the Western Conference is ridiculously loaded with potential All-Stars.
The way he played tonight, I’d agree.
My impression could be wrong.
I can’t find his stats, but I think if you go back something like 15-20 games, when he started his turnaround, he was like 9 for 11 on 3’s, plus what he’s been doing lately. I’d be interested, if you find it. What site did you use?
He also had that goose egg a couple of games ago, but when he’s played well, he’s been spectacular.
Thanks!
Jazzaholic
Jazzaholic,
On the ESPN website, you can break down a player’s stats by “splits”. Since the January splits were the closest to the data you were suggesting I grabbed them (figuring the Clippers game wouldn’t throw off the numbers too badly).
His production in January is pretty close to how its been all season. The difference is that it’s coming on much higher shooting percentages and in spite of reduced minutes. I think this highlights our differences in perspective. You, who have the opportunity to watch the games, are seeing a greatly improved Kirilenko because he’s doing more with less. I (and the coaches who vote for the All-Star reserves), don’t get to watch the Jazz unless they’re on national TV- and so haven’t been able to observe any drastic changes in the box scores.
Anyway, the full All-Star teams will be announced tonight, so we’ll see if he gets any love. If I were you, though, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
From Tallahassee,
Pudge
When you listen to announcers besides our own, they are overwhelmed with the terrific play of AK. Where are our “myth busters” with some stats on the before AK and the now AK. Also it might be nice to have you dig out some stats on the players (besides Kobe) because we know about him,, that are going to All Star. It is no secret that I am happy if no player from the Jazz makes it because I hate the All Star game. It is not a game, it is a show off time where it is very easy to get hurt and I believe that is where”money man” lost some of his shooting confidence. These guys do antics to show off and don’t play to show talent. You could probably disguise a globtrotter and he would fit right in. Have to tell you that if you go to Pocatello, Idaho and need to get a motel you might look at the new Marriot Suites. I just had some leg surgery and had to stay in Pocatello for three days. I told the manager that if they didn’t have the channel with the Jazz game I’d have to go someplace else. He told me that if they didn’t have it then he would drive me to a place that did. I would have taken hime up on it!!!!
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