My Take: Jazz Over Wizards

Posted by David Locke on February 02, 2008

‘Night of Okur’ (Ned Dishman – NBAE/Getty Images)

FINAL SCORE — JAZZ 96 Wiz 87
Tonight was Memo’s night.  He finished with 27 points.  He carried the game when Boozer and Deron didn’t have it.   Memo had a double double.  He had 8 points in the first half.
Deron played the 4th quarter very well.
This is a nice win.  The Jazz struggled miserably in the 1st quarter and then got back in the game and put the hammer down in the 4th.  That is what good teams do.
3rd straight road win for the jazz.
Jazz showed the versitility again, using Harpring for much of the 4th quarter.  AK finished the game.
Defense really won this game.  The defense kept the Jazz in this game.
Jazz have won 12 of their last 14 and 7 straight.
Injuries meant the Wizards had no one off the bench and the Jazz took advantage.
The +/- tonight was interesting, Milsap +20 in 19 mins; Harpring +18 in 24 mins; Korver +17 in 24 mins.

4:18 4th Quarter — Jazz 85 Wizards 75
The versititlity has shown up again.   This time it is Harpring.  Harpring is finishing instead of AK.  Harpring is playing Jamison and causing him big problems.
Harpring is being physical on the defensive end and he is working Jamison off the screens on other side and getting great looks.
Jamision looks tired.
Okur is still taking the Wizards match-ups and crushing them.  He has shown one of his most complete games all year.
Boozer still has only one field goal in 9 attempts
Wizards are in the penalty.

End of 3rd Quarter — Jazz 67 Wizards 66
The bench is keeping the Jazz in the game.
If Boozer ever gets going the jazz have a chance.
Can the Jazz find an answer for Jamision
The offenses finally showed up.
This will be an interesting quarter.
Okur has been great, he has been the offensive force for the Jazz.  He has been very aggressive all game.  He is walking toward another double double.

Halftime — Wizards 39 Jazz 38
Deron sat the last 8:30 of the 2nd quarter due to three fouls.
Boozer has not scored.
The Jazz should be excited that they are within one point.
Defensively the Jazz have played well enough to stay in the game.
Ronnie Price had a nice stretch.  One thing worth noting is that he is improving each game he is playing the back up point guard.
Jamison is a really tough match-up for AK.  His size and length is negating what AK does as a one on one defender.
Both teams are an identical 15 of 41 from the field.
Korver hit a three from 35 feet at one point.

End of 1st Quarter — Wizards 21 Jazz 11
that was gross.
Lowest scoring quarter of the year.
Jazz committed 9 turnovers
The Wizards didn’t commit a foul.
AK had good energy early with 3 blocks
Jamison is the only player who can score and somehow he got 8 shots and 11 points.

Keys to the Game
1.  Stay focussed
2.  Avoid double teams so that lesser players don’t go off
3.  Work the offense

Key Numbers Jazz v. Wizards
The Jazz are the 3rd ranked offensive team and the Wizards are the 20th ranked defensive team.
The Wizards are the 12th ranked offensive team against the Jazz 18th ranked defensive team.

Caron Butler is out and the Wizards are 5-17 without Butler the last two years.

1 Comment

RRR on February 04, 2008 said:

The Jazz need to get comfortable with putting teams away, the earlier the better and forget the spread, just make sure it’s at least 10 points so the reffs can’t steal the W!

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