My Utah Jazz Thread [Archive] - NFL Picks | Sports Betting Picks

uj4l

01-16-2003, 08:07 PM

http://www.nba.com/features/sloan_030116.html
----------
NEW YORK, Jan. 16 -- If the season ended today, who would deserve Coach of the Year?

Need some clues?

His team’s 2001 and 2002 first-round draft picks suffered season-ending injuries before the first game. His team’s early-season starting center ripped up his knee in the 22nd game. His starting lineup now consists of a 40-year-old, a 39-year-old, and three players who combined for only 22.4 points per game in 2001-02. His backup point guard is 37 years old.

JERRY SLOAN
Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan assumed his current position on December 9, 1988. Including 2002-03, his teams have ranked among the NBA's top six in field-goal percentage in 13 of 15 seasons and among the top five in points per field goal attempts in all 15 seasons. He boasts the seventh best winning-percentage (.629) and the ninth most wins in NBA history. He's led the Jazz to the playoffs in each of his 14 seasons at their helm. Yet Jerry Sloan has never won Coach of the Year honors.

FIELD GOAL PCT.
SEASON PCT. RANK

1988-89: .482 10th

1989-90: .505 1st

1990-91: .492 6th

1991-92: .492 6th

1992-93: .489 4th

1993-94: .477 6th

1994-95: .512 1st

1995-96: .488 1st

1996-97: .504 1st

1997-98: .490 1st

1998-99: .465 2nd

1999-00: .464 4th

2000-01: .471 1st

2001-02: .450 10th

2002-03: .469 1st

POINTS PER FGA
SEASON PTS/FGA RANK

1988-89: 1.302 2nd

1989-90: 1.329 1st

1990-91: 1.304 2nd

1991-92: 1.293 3rd

1992-93: 1.275 5th

1993-94: 1.241 5th

1994-95: 1.377 1st

1995-96: 1.310 3rd

1996-97: 1.360 1st

1997-98: 1.354 1st

1998-99: 1.289 1st

1999-00: 1.240 4th

2000-01: 1.266 1st

2001-02: 1.235 3rd

2002-03: 1.292 1st

VOTING RETURNS
SEASON PCT. FIN.

1991-92: 2.1% T-9th

1994-95: 10.5% 4th

1996-97: 11.3% 3rd

1997-98: 25.0% 2nd

1998-99: 12.7% 3rd

1999-00: 1.7% 4th

2000-01: 0.8% 9th

Need another clue?

He doesn’t believe in Zen philosophy.

Gerald Eugene Sloan, take a bow.

Entering tonight’s game vs. Seattle (TNT, 10 ET), the Utah Jazz are 22-15, winners of 10 of their last 13 games, 1½ games out of third place in the Western Conference, and further proof that Jerry Sloan is one of the best coaches in the history of the NBA.

“It really is evident with this year’s team,” said Jazz assistant coach Gordon Chiesa, who is in his 14th season at Sloan’s side on the bench. “Jerry is a great, great coach.”

In his 15th season with the Jazz and 18th overall after three years with the Chicago Bulls, Sloan ranks seventh in winning percentage (.629) and ninth in victories (850) all-time. Currently the longest-tenured coach with one team in American professional sports, he has led the Jazz to the playoffs 14 consecutive seasons (Utah’s streak overall dates back 19 seasons to 1984), including trips to the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals. Yet the keys to his coaching abilities sound so basic as to make them seem trivial.

“His greatest strength is his ability to communicate with professional players,” said former Jazz head coach Frank Layden, who Sloan replaced 18 games into the 1988-89 season. “He makes each player understand his role. He reads into what the needs of superstars are and reacts accordingly. At the same time, he makes the 12th man understand he’s lucky to be on the team. He makes the role players overachievers.”

And sometimes Sloan makes the role players stars. Forward Matt Harpring, who never averaged more than 11.8 ppg or shot better than .463 from the field during his first four NBA seasons, is averaging 18.2 and posting a .510 shooting percentage (eighth-best in the league).

“This is fun,” he told USA Today. Sloan runs “a system that allows me to cut and move without the ball, which is really my game. I'm a lot more involved than I've ever been.”

“You have to recognize who you have on your team and then put them in a system that accommodates them,” said Layden. “A lot of guys lose with good players. Jerry takes good players and makes them play to their maximum ability.”

He also develops fledgling players, often not drafted or picked in the second round, into reputable NBA pros. John Crotty. Bryon Russell. Howard Eisley. Shandon Anderson. Players who follow Sloan’s rules reap the rewards.

“Jerry has few rules. You better be there on time. You better play hard. When the Jazz go to practice, shirts are tucked in, socks are pulled up,” continued Layden. “A lot of coaches have too many rules and they don’t abide by them. Jerry treats the players like men as long as they can accept that responsibility.”

Sloan also has an uncanny knack for staying in tune with his players’ physical condition and moderating practices accordingly.

“He knows when to rest John Stockton and Karl Malone in practice. He knows when to call practice off,” said Layden. “One of the things I’ve always liked about Jerry is he’s not a three-hour practice guy. He’s very good at getting a lot of things done in a short period of time. He starts with two-hour practices, but by the end of the season he’s down to 45-minute practices.”

And by the end of the season, the Jazz are usually a fine-tuned machine that executes better than most teams in the league. Including 2002-03, Sloan’s teams have ranked in the top six in field-goal percentage 13 of 15 seasons and ranked in the top five in points per field-goal attempts all 15 seasons.

“On Jerry’s teams, the good players take the shots,” said Layden. “Jerry is very demanding of who takes the shot and why that player takes the shot. There is not as much freedom in Utah’s system as with other teams. Also, they have a great sense of when there’s a double team, the man who is free immediately goes to the basket. Jerry preaches unselfishness.”

That unselfishness and his unwillingness to toot his own horn has also been one of the reasons that Sloan has never won Coach of the Year honors, finishing a distant second to Larry Bird in 1997-98 and faring significantly worse six other times. The next time Sloan promotes himself is the first time.

“He doesn’t get the credit he deserves because he deflects all the accolades to the players,” said Chiesa.

“It’s a players’ game,” Sloan recently told The Chicago Tribune. “The number one thing you’ve got to understand when you come into this game is coaching is important, but the Kentucky Derby has never been won by a jackass.”

Granted, future Hall of Famers Stockton and Malone deserve most of the credit for Utah’s consistent excellence over the last two decades, but no horse ridden by a jackass has ever won the Kentucky Derby either.

“He deserves a lot of credit even if he doesn’t want it,” said former 76ers and Magic head coach and current Cavaliers broadcaster Matt Guokas. “Any time a head coach can last and thrive in one place for that long, it’s remarkable.”

The only thing more remarkable about Jerry Sloan is that his name isn’t the first to come to mind when you think about the 2002-03 Coach of the Year.

uj4l

01-16-2003, 08:11 PM

http://www.nba.com/milk_rookie/rookie_challenge_2003_030116.html
----------
Gasol, Yao Head Rookie Challenge Selections

NEW YORK, Jan. 16 -- Memphis Grizzlies forward Pau Gasol, the 2002 NBA got milk? Rookie of the Year, and Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, the first overall selection in the 2002 NBA Draft, lead a list of 18 players selected to play in the 2003 got milk? Rookie Challenge on NBA All-Star Saturday, February 8 in Atlanta’s Philips Arena.

E-mail photo | Buy photos

Amare Stoudemire is among the high-flying rookies scheduled to compete.
D. Clarke Evans/NBAE/Getty Images
The participants in the got milk? Rookie Challenge were selected by a panel of 14 former NBA players and coaches who currently work as broadcasters covering the league.

A record six international players will be participating in the contest. Memphis’ Gordan Giricek (Croatia), Denver’s Nene Hilario (Brazil), and Yao (China), will compete on the Rookie team while Gasol (Spain), Utah’s Andrei Kirilenko (Russia) and San Antonio’s Tony Parker (France) will play on the Sophomore team.

The got milk? Rookie Challenge, which will be broadcast live nationally at 4 p.m. EST by TNT, Rogers Sportsnet and ESPN Radio, features this year’s top rookies against the league’s best second-year players. Last year, the Rookies defeated the Sophomores, 103-97, with Jason Richardson of the Golden State Warriors earning the Most Valuable Player award.

Gasol and Richardson will be joined on the Sophomore team by Tyson Chandler of the Chicago Bulls, Gilbert Arenas and Troy Murphy of the Golden State Warriors, Richard Jefferson of the New Jersey Nets, Kirilenko, Parker and Jamaal Tinsley of the Indiana Pacers. Yao is joined on the rookie team by Chicago’s Jay Williams, Cleveland’s Carlos Boozer and Dajuan Wagner, Hilario, Miami’s Caron Butler, Memphis’ Giricek and Drew Gooden and Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire.

If a rookie or second-year player is selected to play in the All-Star Game on Sunday, he will not play in the Rookie Challenge.

The 14-member selection panel included Sean Elliott, Tim Hardaway, Tom Tolbert and Bill Walton from ESPN; Danny Ainge, Kenny Smith and John Thompson from TNT; Phil Chenier from Comcast Sportsnet; Mike Glenn from the Hawks Television Networks; Tom Heinsohn from FOX Sports Net New England; Rod Hundley from FOX Sports Net Rocky Mountain; Steve Jones from Blazer Broadcasting; Calvin Murphy from Rockets Television; and Jack Ramsay from ESPN Radio.

This is the fourth year under the current rookie versus sophomore format with the rookies holding a 2-1 edge. The game will be played in two 20-minute halves, with each team allowed one full timeout and one 20-second timeout per half. Individual foul totals will be kept, but a player can not foul out. A team will be in the penalty situation after 10 team fouls or after the second foul in the final two minutes of each half. In the event of a tie game, there will be a two-minute overtime to determine the winner.

Tickets to the got milk? Rookie Challenge are priced at $30, and are available at the Philips Arena box office, Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com, NBA.com and 1-800-4NBA-TIX.

NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by America Online, featuring Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk, 1 800 CALL ATT Shootout, 989 Sports Skills Challenge and Jeep All-Star Hoop-It-Up will also be broadcast live nationally at 8 p.m. EST by the same broadcast outlets. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, February 9 will be broadcast live nationally on TNT and ESPN Radio from Philips Arena at 8 p.m. EST.

The got milk? Milk Mustache campaign is sponsoring the NBA Rookie platform to highlight the importance of milk's bone-building calcium and eight other essential nutrients for active people, teens especially, who add about 15 percent of their height during these years. The platform includes the got milk? Rookie Challenge, the got milk? Rookie of the Month awards, the got milk? Rookie of the Year award and the got milk? All-Rookie Team. Below are the rosters for the 2003 'got milk?' Rookie Challenge:

Rookie Team Roster:
Player Team Pos. Ht. Wt. College/Country
Carlos Boozer Cleveland C 6-8 258 Duke
Caron Butler Miami F 6-7 217 Connecticut
Gordan Giricek Memphis F 6-5 210 Croatia
Drew Gooden Memphis F 6-9 227 Kansas
Nene Hilario Denver F 6-11 260 Brazil
Amare Stoudemire Phoenix F 6-8 233 Cypress Creek, HS
Dajuan Wagner Cleveland G 6-1 193 Memphis
Jay Williams Chicago G 6-2 195 Duke
Yao Ming Houston C 7-5 296 China

Sophomore Team Roster:
Player Team Pos. Ht. Wt. College/Country
Gilbert Arenas Golden State G 6-3 191 Arizona
Tyson Chandler Chicago F 7-1 235 Dominguez HS
Pau Gasol Memphis F 7-0 227 Spain
Richard Jefferson New Jersey F 6-7 222 Arizona
Andrei Kirilenko Utah F 6-9 205 Russia
Troy Murphy Golden State F 6-11 245 Notre Dame
Tony Parker San Antonio G 6-2 177 France
Jason Richardson Golden State G 6-6 220 Michigan State
Jamaal Tinsley Indiana G 6-1 199 Iowa State

milky_way

01-17-2003, 02:11 AM

saw the game tonight? :clap2: Matt Harpring is AMAZING! :fro: he was such a great pickup!! Who would have ever thought he would not only provide great defense, but be a scoring machine :king: :clap:

TO THE JAZZ! :beer: :drinkin:

milky_way

01-19-2003, 05:54 PM

JAZZ NOTES: Kirilenko Bounces Back After Sloan Tongue-Lashing
BY PHIL MILLER
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

Late in the first quarter, Andrei Kirilenko allowed his man to get open on an inbounds play and score an easy basket. Coach Jerry Sloan erupted at the 21-year-old Russian.
Kirilenko just listened solemnly, head down. He shook his head, looked contrite.
Then, he replied with one of his best all-around games of the season Saturday.
Kirilenko, selected for the NBA's Rookie Challenge game next month in Atlanta, contributed in nearly every area, scoring 22 points on 4-for-6 shooting -- he is 10-for-13 in his last two games -- and adding seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and four blocks.
Maybe he should be screamed at more often.
"I need, all the time, pressure from the coach. He should pressure me. Not too much, but I don't like it when the coach is like, 'Andrei, you're so good. Andrei, you're my friend,' " Kirilenko said. "I like a good relationship, but push me every time, hard. I like that. It's better for me, I know that."
He's come to the right place; sometimes during games, fans sitting near the Jazz bench might think his name is "Damnit, Andrei."
"Sometimes there are other names I get, too," Kirilenko said with a laugh.
But it means that his contribution is valuable, too, Kirilenko said. "Of course I don't like to make mistakes and be yelled at, but I'm not perfect," the second-year forward said. "And maybe it's better. If the coach is putting his attention on you, maybe it means you're important to the team."
So maybe he won't want to hear that Sloan was mostly happy with his play Saturday. "He's one of those guys who just plays basketball. He's just a live wire out there and our fans seem to appreciate him," Sloan said of Kirilenko, who energized the crowd with a pair of alley-oop dunks, an acrobatic steal and jam, and a swooping tip-in for another dunk. "That's exciting for him, and it's exciting for us -- because he's getting better."

sometimes i think his attitude is too good to be true :cool: i've never heard him whine or complain or say anything negative about anything yet :angel:. It's looking like he's our best draft pick since Stockton and Malone! :clap2:

milky_way

01-19-2003, 06:03 PM

a 40 year old leads the league in assists per 48 minutes and his backup is second :clap2:

2002-03 Regular Season Assists Per 48 Minutes
Player G AST AP48
1. John Stockton ( Utah Jazz) 39 301 13.4
2. Mark Jackson ( Utah Jazz) 39 182 12.3

http://www.nba.com/statistics/default_48_minute_leaders/LeagueLeadersAST8Query.html

renuszm

01-19-2003, 06:14 PM

So are Stockton and Malone retiring at the end of the year?

milky_way

01-19-2003, 06:19 PM

Malone i doubt will retire. He's still playing at such a high level. Stockton might retire, but i heard that he may play on the 2004 Olympic team :eek: so if that happens then i guess he's staying one more year.

But we won't know for sure until they tell us...probably in September :ugh:

renuszm

01-19-2003, 06:20 PM

Oh wait, I forgot they were traded, I put this in the wrong thread, Ill put it in the Denver and san antonio thread as well.

milky_way

01-20-2003, 02:00 PM

Harpring credits Jazz for breakout season
Forward enjoying most productive season of career

Matt Harpring"s dramatic rise in production this season says more about his new teammates, the Jazz forward believes, than it says about him.

Playing alongside Karl Malone, one of the best-passing big men in the NBA -- not to mention John Stockton and Mark Jackson, two of the top three assist leaders in league history -- has made Harpring"s job a whole lot easier.

""Once I started playing with Karl, I was just amazed how much I always cut from my years of playing basketball, but I never received the ball as much as I do right now," Harpring said.

""With John, Karl and Mark, it seems like I just find openings out there, and as soon as I find them they"re looking at me, ready to throw the ball. It"s fun."

Harpring, a career 10.5 point-per-game scorer coming into the season, never averaged more than 11.8 points in a year, and he never shot higher than 46.3 percent in four NBA seasons.

Now with his fifth team in five years, Harpring is enjoying a breakout season, averaging 18.5 points heading into tonight"s game with the New Jersey Nets at the Delta Center. His 51-percent shooting from the field ranks eighth in the NBA.

""Guys will pass to open guys," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. ""Our point guards are as good as anybody in the business at trying to find open guys, and our big guys are passing the ball because Matt"s effective.

""When you"re used to getting open and don"t get the ball, that"s pretty discouraging. He gets open here, he gets the ball," Sloan said.

With the arrival this season of veteran free agents Harpring, Jackson and Calbert Cheaney, Sloan had to tinker, not just with the lineup but with the Jazz offense.

It was a matter of maximizing each player"s individual skills within the overall team concept.

""You recognize a guy"s strength right off the bat," said Sloan, who used Harpring off the bench for the first nine games before making him a fixture in the starting lineup.

Not one of the more athletic players in the NBA, the 6-foot-7 Harpring doesn"t stack up with the flashy dunker who makes the television highlights. He has to rely instead on sound, fundamental basketball skills to survive in the league.

""When I grew up, I didn"t have TV as accessible as people have nowadays," Harpring said. ""I got taught fundamentals early, cutting to the basket, moving without the ball, doing the basics.

""You"ve got to be just an exceptional athlete to get to this level if that"s the style of basketball you"re going to play. I was never that good of an athlete, so I can"t play that way. I had to find other ways, like really playing hard, moving without the ball and playing basic basketball that you learn at an early age."

Harpring believes he"s not getting open any more than he ever has, but what has changed is that he is now getting the basketball when he does get open.

""My game hasn"t changed," he said. ""I"m still cutting, moving, rebounding. This team wants me to do that.

""The first week of training camp, it was unbelievable; I couldn"t believe all the passes I was getting. It"s equal opportunity here. If you"re open, you get the ball. No one is telling you not to shoot."

Harpring says what has changed from last season in Philadelphia, when he averaged 11.8 points and shot 46.1 percent, has been the approach of his new teammates.

""There"s no secret that when you play with Philly, you play your role," Harpring said. ""They have Allen Iverson, and he has the ball 90 percent of the time. It"s his team.

""They"ve won with it that way. It"s his team; I"m not saying it"s right or wrong, I"m saying it"s their way."

Harpring"s point production and shooting percentage have soared in Utah because he is getting so many more layups, but while layups are considered relatively easy shots, there"s nothing easy about them in the NBA.

Harpring figures he gets fouled nearly every time he shoots a layup, yet he rarely gets awarded a free throw -- the ""and-one" that goes with a made basket -- so a guy like him has to finish the play on his own

He says concentration is the key.

""It"s a matter of being able to handle the contact and put it in because you"re not going to get "and-one" much," Harpring said. ""I"ve maybe gotten four all year.

""It"s not that I don"t get fouled under there, but in this league, when you"re playing against guys that are 7-feet tall, they"re going to bang you and you"ve just got to be ready to take a little blow and be able to lay the ball in still."

Malone, who plays less of an inside game these days than Harpring does, still averages one free throw attempt for every two field goal attempts. Harpring needs more than three field goal attempts before he gets to the line.

Sloan says the key for Harpring is to keep going inside even if he knows the contact is coming.

""He"s a guy that will compete in there," Sloan said. ""He"s not afraid to take a cut to the basket."

And in Utah, when he makes those cuts, good things usually happen.

milky_way

01-20-2003, 02:03 PM

Lakers orthopedist to repair Jarron Collins
By Tim Buckley
Deseret News sports writer

Los Angeles Lakers orthopedist Dr. Steve Lombardo will perform reconstructive surgery on Jarron Collins' torn anterior cruciate ligament, the Jazz big man said Sunday.
Collins tore both the ACL and the medial collateral ligaments in his right knee during a Dec. 12 game against New Orleans, but he has delayed surgery on the ACL while the MCL healed naturally.
Lombardo will perform the procedure Feb. 12 in Los Angeles, according to Collins. If all goes as planned, no additional operations will be needed.
"Just the one surgery," Collins said, "and I'm done."
The setback will prevent Collins from another meeting with his twin brother Jason of the New Jersey Nets, who face Utah Monday night at the Delta Center. The twins squared off as rookies a season ago.

NOT GOING THERE: Last season's series between the Nets and Jazz was marred by both a flagrant foul from New Jersey's Kenyon Martin on Utah's Karl Malone, and comments from Nets coach Byron Scott suggesting Malone has no heart.
"(Expletive), I done forgotten more than half of (what) these guys learned in a (expletive) year," Malone said when asked about Martin. "No, I don't worry about that (expletive). It's one game. And I'm not playing Kenyon Martin. We're playing the Nets, which is a very talented team. I don't get caught up in that (expletive)."

uj4l

01-20-2003, 05:58 PM

http://www.nba.com/games/20030118/CLEUTA/recap.html
---------------
Utah 95, Cleveland 78
Jazz Clobber Cavaliers
Box Score | Jazz Home | Cavaliers Home

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 18 (Ticker) -- The Cleveland Cavaliers had little chance of ending their road trip on a positive note.

NBA TV highlights from
Cavs-Jazz: 56k | 300k
Matt Harpring scored 22 points to lead five players in double figures as the Utah Jazz remained unbeaten at the Delta Center against the Cavaliers, who closed a six-game road trip with a 95-78 loss.

Cleveland has lost all 12 visits to Salt Lake City since the Delta Center opened during the 1991-92 season. The Jazz have won 12 consecutive home games against the Cavaliers dating to December 11, 1989.

This contest was no different for lowly Cleveland, which lost five games, including the last four, on its longest road trip of the season. The Cavaliers are just 3-20 on the road and own the league's worst record at 8-34.

"There are a lot of errors we need to improve," Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas said. "We're a young team. Everybody knew we were going to struggle this season. We just have to keep getting better and hopefully guys will just keep developing."

The Jazz led by as many as 11 points midway through the third quarter, but the Cavs went on an 11-1 run and pulled within 63-62 with 3:16 remaining after rookie Smush Parker made consecutive baskets.

Utah responded with its own 11-1 run and closed the period with seven straight free throws.

"It seems like we get ourselves in a situation where we had to have a really good stretch to get us out of trouble," Sloan said. "The last couple games, we have gone out and played good for a minute or two, then it appears we don't know what we are doing. But at least we got the stretches to win us the ballgame."

Five players scored during the burst, led by Mark Jackson, who had four points and buried a pair of free throws for a 74-63 edge entering the fourth. The Jazz never were threatened in the final period and improved to 2-0 on a five-game homestand.

"I like the way our guys played, considering the night and the road trip," Cleveland coach John Lucas said. "As the game wore on in the third quarter, they put some pressure on us."

Scott Padgett had seven points and five rebounds in the fourth quarter for Utah, which took its largest lead, 93-73, after a pair of free throws by John Amaechi with 92 seconds left.

Calbert Cheaney scored 13 points and Karl Malone and Andrei Kirilenko added 12 apiece for the Jazz, who have won five of their last six games and nine of 11.

Kirilenko and Cheaney each had seven rebounds and Harpring, Malone and Padgett grabbed six apiece, helping Utah to a 44-32 edge on the glass.

Ricky Davis scored 25 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 21 to lead Cleveland, which shot just 43 percent (32-of-75) and committed 21 points leading to 29 points for Utah.

uj4l

01-21-2003, 04:51 PM

http://www.nba.com/games/20030120/NJNUTA/recap.html
------------
Utah 106, New Jersey 103 (OT)
Stockton Season High Lifts Jazz in OT
Box Score | Jazz Home | Nets Home

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 20 (Ticker) -- John Stockton scored eight of his 25 points in overtime to lead the Utah Jazz to a gritty 106-103 victory over the New Jersey Nets, their seventh straight home win.

NBA TV highlights from
Nets-Jazz: 56k | 300k
Stockton hit a 3-pointer with 2:31 left in the extra session to give Utah a 96-94 lead, then made 5-of-6 free throws in the final 21 seconds to help seal the victory. His miss from the line with 7.4 seconds left gave Jason Kidd a chance for a tying 3-pointer, but he missed after trying to draw contact from Karl Malone.

"I didn't like a lot of calls tonight," Nets coach Byron Scott said. "I thought Karl bumped him. They got two Hall of Famers, we got a guy who will be in the Hall of Fame. I just thought it was a big-time discrepancy when (Kidd) got fouled. Call some of the calls that Karl got. It's hard enough to beat five of them. I don't think they need any help. They got a lot of help tonight."

With Utah leading 83-80 and 4:20 to go in the fourth quarter, Stockton was called for a foul on Kidd when it appeared the New Jersey guard slipped. Stockton also drew a technical after complaining about the call.

Kidd, who scored 33 points, missed two of the three free throws and the Nets had to wait until Aaron Williams' shot in the lane with 1:24 left to take the lead at 89-88.

Malone tied it when he made 1-of-2 free throws with 1:11 left, but Kidd struck back with 12.3 seconds remaining, giving New Jersey a 91-89 edge.

Stockton missed a layup with time running down on the next possession, but Malone followed it in to forge a 91-91 tie with 0.6 seconds left. Malone scored four of his 24 points in overtime and led the Jazz with 11 rebounds.

Kidd made just 12-of-36 shots and was 1-of-10 from the arc. He had 13 rebounds, six steals and five assists but also committed 10 turnovers.

"What a terrific player he is," Stockton said. "He is a leader and a tough competitor. He does whatever it takes to get it done for his team each night. You can tell by the way his team responds to him what type of player he is."

Stockton made 9-of-17 shots, including both of his 3-pointers. He had four assists and three steals with three turnovers.

"He knows how to play the game," Kidd said. "They have a great system in getting him rest and bringing him in down the stretch. Forty? No, he does not look 40."

Andrei Kirilenko had 13 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots off the bench and played a key role over the final 17 minutes for Utah.

Tony Massenburg did not play for the Jazz in overtime but scored seven of his 13 points and picked up three of his five rebounds in the fourth quarter, when he helped foul out New Jersey's Kenyon Martin.

"(Tony) and Andrei came in and gave us a lift off the bench, which was very needed," said Jazz forward Matt Harpring, who had 23 points and eight rebounds. "When they come in and they battle and they're physical, they change the game."

Williams played the physical role for New Jersey after Martin left with four points and 10 rebounds. Williams' follow of Kidd's missed 3-pointer with 21 seconds left in overtime kept the Nets alive at 101-99.

"It felt like June out there," Massenburg said. "It was tough. There were a lot of things that weren't called on both sides. It was a physical game. There was a lot of stuff going on out there, but that's the NBA. It's a man's game."

The game was close throughout, with neither team leading by more than seven points.

milky_way

01-21-2003, 08:37 PM

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

uj4l

01-22-2003, 05:01 PM

http://www.nba.com/jazz/features/borchardt_012003.html
---------------
Jazz center talks about life in the NBA, living in Utah and life at Stanford.

One-on-One with Curtis Borchardt

utahjazz.com: How your rehab is going?

Curtis: Good. It's frustrating and slow at times. I am getting better. My calf and right leg are a lot stronger than they were than they were a couple of weeks ago and that is really encouraging. And I'm pain free and that’s a good sign.

utahjazz.com: What is your typical day like?

Curtis: On a game day, I get to shoot around about a half hour early so I can shoot before everyone else gets on the floor. And then I'll start with either an upper body or lower body lift and end the morning session with 30 minutes of cardio. When I come I come back I will finish up any of the lifting I didn't get done and then another half-hour of walking or cardio.

utahjazz.com: Now that you've lived in Utah awhile, what do you think of it?

Curtis: I like Utah. I'm still waiting for the snow. Everyone told me it was going to snow in October and I was gearing up. I was pleasantly surprised with the weather. Even though it's cold outside it's sunny most days and clear. It's a beautiful area and people have been very friendly so far. Raul and I enjoying living in the same apartment complex, everything is going well.

utahjazz.com: If you weren't playing basketball professionally, what do you think you'd be doing?

Curtis: Ideally I'd be finishing my degree. I left school early, which I still can't believe sometimes. I don't think I want to be a coach, I don't think I have the patience for it. I would like to help young people in anyway that I can.

utahjazz.com: What were you studying at Stanford?

Curtis: American Studies, basically American History.

utahjazz.com: What made you choose Stanford?

Curtis: It was a pretty easy decision. I narrowed it down to Arizona, Stanford, Kentucky and the University of Washington. I knew that Stanford had the best educational opportunities. When I visited the campus and saw how beautiful it was out there. When I saw my future teammates and saw how hard they were working I felt really good about it and it was an easy decision.

utahjazz.com: How does Mike Montgomery compare to Jerry Sloan?

Curtis: They are pretty close. Jerry has Mike beat in the intensity factor at all times. They both are disciplined they both run a system based on offensive execution. It would be interesting to see them collaborate one day, I'm sure they have a lot in common.

utahjazz.com: How did Jason and Jarron Collins effect your development as a center?

Curtis: The best thing they did for me was beat me up my freshman year. They were both about 60 pounds heavier than I was. That really motivated me to start lifting. My freshman, sophomore and junior I just kept gaining weight and getting stronger and that is what I needed to do. Jarron and Jason definitely motivated me in that category.

utahjazz.com: Your fiancée is the starting point guard for Stanford, who is currently ranked 5th in the nation. Do you get to see her games?

Curtis: Not very often. I saw one live and a half of one on TV. I do listen on the Internet. I sit there sweating to a radio announcers voice. That is one regret I have about this year is that she is finally healthy after hurting herself the first two years of college, and I'm missing out on the experience of seeing her play.

utahjazz.com: What is your favorite basketball and non-basketball memory from Stanford?

Curtis: Favorite basketball memory was either our win over Western Kentucky in the NCAA tournament last year because the first two years at Stanford I missed the tourney due to injury. And also, I got a break because Mark Madsen hurt himself and I got play 25 minutes against Auburn who was ranked number two at the time and I had a great game. That gave me the confidence to believe in myself that I could achieve at the college level. My favorite non-basketball memory was in the training room when met Susan for the first time. I realized that there was someone else out there who was suffering as much as I was and was working just as hard as I was to get back. She ended up being my best friend.

utahjazz.com: At what point did you realize you had the talent to play in the NBA?

Curtis: Probably my first practice in college. I knew that I had good enough timing defensively to play in the NBA. I could hang with Jarron and Jason [Collins] and Mark Madsen who all went to the NBA. I knew that if I could ever get my strength up I would have a chance because I'm tall and decently skilled, and I just needed to keep myself healthy. It was pretty early on that I thought to myself that I knew that I could be just as good as these guys or better. I took a round about way of getting here, but I finally did.

utahjazz.com: What was the first thing you bought after you signed your contract?

Curtis: A bed. A California king size bed. I had been sleeping on a six foot six bed with my legs hanging over the edge; I was real tired of it. I still haven't bought a car yet. The next big purchase was just getting an apartment out here. I haven't been much of a spender yet.

utahjazz.com: What CD's are in your car right now?

Curtis: The Roots, I love The Roots. I love Outcast. I like all kinds of music. I listen to the radio a lot too, just because it gives me a lot of variety.

utahjazz.com: During the offseason do you plan on living in Utah or somewhere else?

Curtis: I am going to have a busy summer. We've got our wedding this summer so I'm going to be in Minnesota for a little while getting that set. I'm going to be in Utah for the summer league and hopefully a little more than that so I can work out. I'm looking forward to enjoying the new practice facility. I might in Austin because I didn't visit my parents last summer, I haven't seen my parents in a long time. I am going to be in Hawaii for my honeymoon, I'm going to be all over the place this summer.

utahjazz.com: Thank you for your time Curtis.

milky_way

01-23-2003, 01:15 AM

we lost to the Clippers today :ugh:. We beat the Nets and lose to the Clippers? That's not how it's supposed to go!!! :angry: :(

uj4l

01-23-2003, 04:50 PM

http://www.nba.com/jazz/community/sandy_library.html
----------
What happens if you give a pig a pancake? The children gathered at the Sandy
Scott Padgett read to students at Sandy Library on January 17.
Library can answer that question and many more after spending Friday afternoon, January 17, with Scott Padgett of the Utah Jazz.
One of the stories Padgett read was titled "If You Give a Pig a Pancake." Of course, if you give a pig a pancake, he will want some syrup to go with it. And if you give him that, he will want something else, and so the story goes.

Padgett read the story and a few others to a crowd of young people gathered at the library as part of the NBA's Read to Achieve program. Jazz players are visiting libraries throughout the Salt Lake area during the 2002-03 NBA season. It gives the children a chance to interact with the players and use their imaginations as the Jazzmen read fun and exciting stories. The Jazz hope this activity will excite the young readers and encourage them to expand their imaginations through books.

After each story, Padgett would ask three children to come up. Each young volunteer would then pop a balloon that had a question inside pertaining to the book that had just been read. With each right answer, there was a reward of a t-shirt or tickets to an upcoming Jazz game. It was obvious that the children were listening to the stories because not one volunteer missed a question.

The last book Padgett read was "Just the Way You Are." He told the group that he knew the book because he read it to his son. After the stories were finished, Padgett took the time to answer some questions, and then it was time to go. The children - and Padgett - enjoyed their time together. Along with helping to create future readers, Padgett seemed to create a few new Jazz fans as well.

uj4l

01-23-2003, 04:51 PM

http://www.nba.com/games/20030122/LACUTA/recap.html
------------
SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 22 (Ticker) -- The last time the Los Angeles Clippers won in Utah, the Jazz played in the Salt Palace, the Berlin Wall was still standing and some other guy named Bush was president.
NBA TV highlights from
Clippers-Jazz: 56k | 300k
The Clippers ended a 26-game losing streak here with a frenetic 96-89 victory over the Jazz as Elton Brand scored 24 points to lead six players in double figures.

"It was a good win tonight," Clippers coach Alvin Gentry said. "Everybody knows the trouble we've had winning in this building, so it's a great win for us against a real, real quality team."

"This is a big, big victory for team morale," Brand added. "This is a big boost for us as a team."

The Clippers had not beaten the Jazz on the road since April 18, 1989. Their losing streak was the fifth-longest in NBA history for any team in another team's city but well off the 43 in a row Sacramento dropped to the Los Angeles Lakers through the 1980s and into the early 1990s.

Clippers rookie forward Chris Wilcox was 6 years old when the team last won here. He watched from the bench as his teammates raced to a 15-point halftime lead, then held on down the stretch.

In the final minute, the Clippers threw away an inbounds pass, committed another turnover that wasn't called and missed four free throws. But they avoided a total collapse and beat the Jazz for the first time anywhere since March 27, 1999, ending a 15-game slide.

"It wasn't a work of art, but that's irrelevant," Gentry said. "We found a way to come away with the win, and that's the most important thing."

Andre Miller had 16 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for the Clippers, who won without injured center Michael Olowokandi (right thigh bruise). Seven-footer Wang Zhizhi stepped in and contributed 12 points and seven rebounds.

Karl Malone scored 23 points and Matt Harpring added 22 for the Jazz, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

"A lot of people say, 'How could this happen?'" Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "This is a part of basketball. You can remind players this is a very talented team. We tried to make that point clear to them. But regardless, it is a letdown."

The Clippers led by as many as 15 points early in the fourth quarter, but the Jazz closed to 82-77 on a jumper by Harpring with 4:46 left. They had a chance to get closer, but John Stockton missed a layup and Corey Maggette made a reverse layup at the other end for a nine-point bulge with 3:10 to go.

L.A. still wasn't totally clear. In the final minute, it had trouble inbounding the ball and called timeout, only to throw away the ensuing inbounds pass. Stockton quickly drew a foul and sank both free throws to make it 92-87 with 42 seconds left.

Maggette clearly traveled on the next possession, but the violation wasn't called, bringing an irate Sloan off the bench all the way to midcourt. Miller was fouled but made just 1-of-2, and Stockton's layup made it 93-89 with 36 seconds to play.

Brand was fouled and missed both free throws, but the rebound was tapped back to Miller, who again made 1-of-2.

"We knew they weren't going to coast home, they were going to make a run at us," Gentry said. "We knew they would make several runs at us."

"We played through the adversity," Miller added. "We played hard."

Maggette scored 13 points and Lamar Odom added 12 and seven assists for the Clippers, who shot 44 percent (33-of-75) from the field and held a 50-39 advantage on the boards.

Stockton had 14 points and nine assists and Andrei Kirilenko scored 12 points for the Jazz, who shot just 40 percent (35-of-87).

"We just didn't come out ready to play," Harpring said. "We waited until the second half and they already had a 15-point lead. We came back, but it wasn't enough."

Sean Rooks, who started for Olowokandi, scored eight of his 10 points in the first quarter as the Clippers opened a 23-19 lead. Brand scored 11 points in the second period to help widen the lead to 52-37 at halftime.

Odom's 10-footer began the second half and gave Los Angeles its largest lead.

milky_way

01-24-2003, 08:58 PM

Bryon Russell's 2002-03 Stats:
PPG 4.8
RPG 2.9
APG 1.2
SPG .85
BPG .07
FG% .368
FT% .800
3P% .333
MPG 20.6

lol, still miss him uj?

milky_way

01-25-2003, 02:16 AM

damn him! :angry: :eviltongu :banghead

god we were so close :cry:

uj4l

01-25-2003, 10:25 AM

i know duncan is a great player but he shouild let us win this year! he is a good game finisherr. and no i do not miss russel. we doin better without him

uj4l

01-25-2003, 10:28 AM

http://www.nba.com/games/20030124/SASUTA/recap.html
-------------
Duncan's Buzzer-Beater Jilts Jazz
Box Score | Jazz Home | Spurs Home

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 24 (Ticker) -- Tim Duncan capped a 29-point, 17-rebound night with a baseline jump shot over Karl Malone at the buzzer to give the San Antonio Spurs their 11th consecutive victory over the Utah Jazz, 91-90.

"Basically, I just got up over Karl on the shot," Duncan said. "We had a play and there were a lot of options out of the timeout. I got the ball and saw that I had five seconds. I went away from the middle because of the double-teams, so I went baseline, and luckily the shot went down."

Duncan's game-winning shot was reviewed on instant replay, but he clearly released the ball in plenty of time. Duncan went 9-of-20 from the floor and also dished out six assists.

"I let it go with over 1.5 (seconds) to go," Duncan said. "I didn't think they needed to review it."

Utah has not beaten San Antonio since February 6, 2000.

"In this series, we don't have anything on them," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "They play as hard as we do. We've just had some good fortune."

The Jazz led throughout the fourth quarter but allowed the Spurs to tie the game with 28 seconds left on a long jumper by Stephen Jackson, who scored seven of his 11 points in the final period.

Scott Padgett hit 1-of-2 free throws with 6.5 seconds left to put Utah up, 90-89, and open the door for Duncan's game-winner.

"We were in a pretty good position," Jazz guard John Stockton said. "We just didn't finish it off. It didn't come down to just one play. Scott made a free throw to put us up. We couldn't get a stop at the other end. But no one cares tomorrow. A loss is a loss."

The Spurs played without David Robinson, who has a sore back, and won despite being outrebounded, 49-40. Robinson's absence helped Utah center Greg Ostertag grab a season-high 11 boards.

With 10 points, Ostertag was one of three Utah players with a double-double. Malone had 18 points and 10 rebounds while Stockton had 12 points and 10 assists.

Utah got its largest advantage of the game with 9:09 left in the fourth quarter when Padgett hit a shot in the paint for a 74-64 lead. But rookie Emanuel Ginobili hit a 3-pointer on the next possession to spark an 8-2 spurt in which he had five points and an assist.

Ginobili scored all eight of his points in the fourth quarter.

milky_way

01-27-2003, 01:03 AM

Inside Dish: Russell might not have a future with Wizards
By Sean Deveney - Sporting News

One player who might help a contending team in need of a veteran defensive presence on the perimeter is Wizards G/F Bryon Russell, who is not happy with his role in Washington.

After logging just 7 minutes in a loss to the Hornets last week, Russell did not get off the bench in losses to the Bulls and Timberwolves, even as coach Doug Collins dabbled with small lineups. Asked about it after the Bulls game, Russell said, "Don't ask me, I just did not play."

Russell appears to have lost his shot -- his career field-goal accuracy is 43.9 percent, but he is shooting just 36.8 percent this year -- and at age 32, he is unlikely to rediscover it. Russell will become a free agent this summer if the Wizards choose not to pick up his option. . . .

half of me is sad to see a Jazzman lose his way, but the other half of me wants to point and laugh :evillol

uj4l

01-27-2003, 05:22 PM

i think he will end up on the bench of new york

uj4l

01-29-2003, 05:25 PM

http://www.nba.com/games/20030128/UTASAC/recap.html
----------
Utah 102, Sacramento 92
Kings Lose Webber, Fall to Jazz
Box Score | Kings Home | Jazz Home

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 28 (Ticker) -- The Sacramento Kings missed Chris Webber more than the Utaz Jazz did Jerry Sloan.

NBA TV highlights from
Jazz-Kings: 56k | 300k
Karl Malone scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Jazz snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Pacific Division-leading Kings, 102-92.

John Stockton added 20 points and nine assists for Utah, which played the final 38 1/2 minutes without coach Sloan, who was ejected for shoving referee Courtney Kirkland after Kings guard Doug Christie was not whistled for stepping out of bounds in front of the Jazz bench.

Utah played the remainder of the game under assistant Phil Johnson, who coached the Kings on two separate occasions in the 1970s and 1980s.

"(Sloan) questioned a call and (Kirkland) threw him out of the game," Johnson said. "I'm never surprised with anything that happens in the game; the game is very emotional and things happen. When he leaves, we have to carry on."

Sacramento dominated the latter stages of the first quarter and took a 32-23 advantage into the second period. But Webber, who was selected as a reserve to the Western Conference All-Star squad, turned his left ankle landing on Scott Padgett after a shot attempt with 10:45 left in the second quarter. He left the game 12 seconds later and the Kings quickly lost their offensive flow.

"He was coming in, trying to back me down," Padgett said of Webber. "I kind of tried to take the charge, he went up when I went down and he fell. His foot landed right on my foot. I'm sure that is when he hurt himself. I kind of heard him yell. I figured he'd be going out of the game."

Utah took the lead for good, 36-35, on a jumper by Malone with 4:54 left in the half and extended its advantage to 53-40 at the break. The Jazz outscored the Kings in the second quarter, 30-8.

"I really think what happened is the last four or five minutes we broke down defensively and gave them some easy opportunities," Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. "It went from a four-point game - even though we weren't scoring, it was still close until the end - and then suddenly a 13-point game. That's just the way you're going to learn. You have to stay mentally tough and not break down defensively."

"We didn't play aggressive," Kings forward Peja Stojakovic said. "And when Chris got hurt in the second, we just fell apart. "They are a very good team and very experienced. We tried to make a run in the third quarter but I guess we didn't have enough energy. I hope Chris' injury isn't serious and he's back soon."

The Kings climbed within 76-71 entering the fourth quarter, but the Jazz opened the period with a 16-3 run in the first 5 1/2 minutes. Sacramento got no closer than seven points thereafter.

"We struggled in the second quarter," Sacramento center Vlade Divac said. "We couldn't score points. We couldn't stop them. They beat us by 20 in the second quarter. That pretty much decided the game. In the third quarter we tired to come back and we came close. We were only down by five points, but we didn't have anything left."

Stojakovic scored 32 points and Mike Bibby added 18 for Sacramento, which shot just 40 percent (30-of-75) from the field and allowed Utah to connect on 54 percent (43-of-79). The Kings also were outrebounded by the Jazz, 43-30.

"Webb is a triple-double guy but we have shown that we can play without him as a team," Christie said. "But ultimately, in the long run, guys are going to have to step up in Webb's absence."

Kings backup center Scot Pollard, who had played only five games this season due to a stress fracture in his lower back, broke the fourth metacarpal bone on his right hand in the third quarter. He will be out six to eight weeks.

Utah snapped a three-game losing streak and handed Sacramento a season high-tying third straight defeat. The Kings also lost three in a row from November 3-6.

"It's tough to win here, and we were coming off of three tough losses (to San Antonio, the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State), games we should have won," Padgett said. "It was a win we needed to have. We have Portland tomorrow, Lakers, Dallas, Golden State, who's hot right now, some tough games, so it was key for us to get the win tonight."

"(Getting ejected) was a great move on coach Sloan's part," Stockton said. "We quite waiting and tried to compete better. We have not been doing a great job of that. Somehow we turned that around a little bit tonight."

uj4l

01-29-2003, 05:26 PM

if webber is injured than who will take his place in the all star game? Malone?!?!?!:)

milky_way

01-29-2003, 10:15 PM

that would be nice if Karl gets selected:) what would that be...15 in a row? :eek:

GREAT GAME! :clap2: we beat the #1 team in the league! :dance2: i can imagine Sloan getting a big time fine and suspension though :ugh:. he really shoved that ref :ugh: :cry:

uj4l

01-30-2003, 05:05 PM

http://www.nba.com/news/sloan_030129.html
-------------
Jazz coach eligible to return Feb. 14 vs. Washington
Utah's Sloan Suspended Seven Games

Sloan
NEW YORK, Jan. 29 -- Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan has been suspended for seven games for confronting and making physical contact with a game official and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection, it was announced Wednesday by Stu Jackson, NBA Senior Vice President Basketball Operations.
The incident occurred with 2:36 remaining in the first period of the Jazz’s 102-92 victory over the Sacramento Kings at ARCO Arena on Jan. 28.

uj4l

01-30-2003, 05:09 PM

http://www.nba.com/games/20030129/PORUTA/recap.html
---------------
Utah 95, Portland 71
Jazz Dominate Blazers in Second Half
Box Score | Jazz Home | Blazers Home

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 29 (Ticker) -- The Portland Trail Blazers went into the locker room at halftime as the NBA's hottest team but came out ice cold.

NBA TV highlights from
Blazers-Jazz: 56k | 300k
The Trail Blazers matched the worst half and posted the worst fourth quarter in franchise history, scoring just 24 points in the second half and nine in the final period of a 95-71 loss to the Utah Jazz that snapped a five-game winning streak.

The Trail Blazers had won 18 of their last 22 games, including five in a row. They had their way with the Jazz in the first half, opening a 47-37 lead.

But Portland's offense disappeared in the second half. It made just 5-of-32 shots after halftime and watched a double-digit lead turn into an embarrassing loss.

"Our energy level was down," Portland coach Maurice Cheeks said. "We tried to push the ball up the court, get some quick shots, but we couldn't do that. They ran the ball back at us and got a lot of easy baskets."

The Blazers tied the club mark for fewest points in a half, set December 6, 1991 at Philadelphia and matched January 22, 2001 at Cleveland.

Things got even worse in the fourth quarter, which began with Portland going seven minutes without a basket. After Jeff McInnis made a jumper at the 4:59 mark, the Blazers did not make another hoop, ending up 1-of-16 from the field.

Portland was held to nine points in the final period, breaking the team record of 10 set against Minnesota on April 1, 2001.

"We had nothing left in our tank. I know I didn't have anything left in my tank," said Blazers starting forward Bonzi Wells, who scored just six points. "I wish I could have given Mo Cheeks a better effort, but it was just a tough one for us today."

Overall, Portland shot just 32.5 percent (25-of-77), including 2-of-14 from the arc. They committed 18 turnovers, leading to 23 points for Utah.

Matt Harpring scored 21 points and Karl Malone added 20, 11 rebounds and eight assists for Utah, which has won two in a row ollowing a three-game slide.

The Jazz played the first of seven games without coach Jerry Sloan, who was suspended for bumping referee Courtney Kirkland in Monday's win at Sacramento. Assistant Phil Johnson guided the club but provided no fire-and-brimstone speeches at halftime.

"Nothing sensational," Johnson said. "We have guys that want to win. You don't have to say a lot."

"Sometimes you miss players, sometimes you miss coaches, but we still have to stay with what we try to do," Malone said. "With coach Johnson, we aren't going to change a lot."

In the second half, the Blazers were even worse than the numbers showed. After two 3-pointers by Derek Anderson opened their second-half scoring, they managed 18 points over the final 22 1/2 minutes.

Harpring scored nine points in the third quarter, including a layup that capped an 11-0 surge and pulled the Jazz into a 53-53 tie with 8:09 left. A layup by Andrei Kirilenko gave Utah the lead for good at 59-57 with 3:10 to go.

"We came out and gave them a tough time in the second half and focused on our execution," Harpring said. "We made them shoot from outside."

The Jazz led, 66-62, entering the fourth quarter and built the advantage to 80-65 as the Blazers misfired. Malone had three baskets during the surge, and John Stockton had a reverse layup before finding Tony Massenburg for a hammer dunk that capped the run with 5:44 to play.

"I thought Stockton and Karl, again, were unbelievable in the second half," Johnson said. "Stockton took over the game for a certain amount of time."

Stockton had 13 points and seven assists for Utah, which shot 49 percent (41-of-84) and committed just eight turnovers.

Zach Randolph scored 15 points and McInnis added 11 for the Blazers, who held a 47-38 edge on the boards.

Portland went 5-2 during the seven-game suspension of star forward Rasheed Wallace for threatening a referee.

"I thought Zach did a heck of a job substituting for him, but we look forward to having him back," Cheeks said. "He's the best player on the team."

milky_way

01-30-2003, 09:58 PM

wow :eek:

he deserved it though :ugh: :cry:

milky_way

02-09-2003, 05:34 PM

AK47 brings defense to rookie game
By Tim Buckley
Deseret News sports writer

ATLANTA — Frustrated in last year's Rookie Challenge game because no one played defense and everyone went one-on-one, Andrei Kirilenko felt like he was back in Philadelphia.
But he was not.
The Jazz's second-season swingman was in Atlanta, again playing in the Rookie Challenge, but this time for the sophomores, eventual 132-112 winners in a 40-minute game that advances today's NBA All-Star Game.
Not that much was different compared with Philly in 2002.
"First half was unbelievable. I can't touch the ball first half," Kirilenko said. "We just run back and forth, back and forth — without any defense. It's like, 'C'mon. Again?' "
With more dunking going on than in a doughnut shop full of coffee-guzzling cops, Kirilenko was talking to himself.
" 'What's going on right here?' " he wondered. "I'm just running back between the three-point lines. Back and forth, back and forth. Alley-oop dunk, alley-oop dunk. I was like, 'Grrrr.' My head was a little bit crazy."
At the half, the rookies led 69-57.
But that's when Kirilenko started talking to teammates instead of himself, urging Chicago Bull Tyson Chandler to at least try to foul someone to break all those uncontested dunks and telling others to show some semblance of defense.
"I said, 'Guys, c'mon. We can't play like this. That's too easy . . . If you don't play defense, anybody can score on you. Anybody. Even three years old.' " Sound familiar, Jerry Sloan?
It worked.
Down by as many as 15 early in the second half, the sophomores stormed back.
Led in part by Kirilenko, who scored nine of his 13 points (four simple dunks, one layup and one 3-pointer) after the break, the rout soon was going in the other direction.
"That started killing rookies emotionally, mentally," Kirilenko said of the sophomores' token (as opposed to non-existent) defense.
That, combined with 30 points from MVP Gilbert Arenas of Golden State, and 31 from Warriors teammate Jason Richardson, who had one windmill dunk and one 360 that wowed everyone at Philips Arena, was enough for sophomores, who scored a whopping 86 of their 132 points in the paint.
And that was enough to send Kirilenko home happy, knowing he at least got his teammates to play with a modicum of self-respect.
"Basically, I'm a defensive player," Kirilenko said. "I represent Jazz system here, so I don't want to be boy for 'beat me, beat me, I don't want to play defense.' "
He was not.
And that's a fact that should make Sloan quite proud — even if the Jazz coach would disdain watching a game like this, let alone coaching one.
"Nobody would listen to him," Kirilenko said of Sloan. "Cell phones in the locker room . . . Everybody talking with family . . . Nobody wants to work here."
It's enough to make a guy talk to himself and wonder if maybe he hasn't done this before.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

uj4l

02-12-2003, 12:33 AM

Well I was watching the Rockets/Jazz game and it was 91-94 Houston up. Utah had the ball with 3.5 seconds remaining. Harpring passes it into Karl Malone, Karl passes it back to Harpring. Harpring makes the three pointer over Yao Ming and another dude. After the shot there was 0.1 seconds remaining so it was impossible for the Rockets to win in regulation. Utah goes into overtime and Utah wins it.

lal4l

02-12-2003, 01:36 PM

Awesome game geoge i loved it OVER YAO MIN AND TAYLOR!!

milky_way

02-13-2003, 12:34 AM

Harpring ---> :king:

milky_way

02-15-2003, 12:16 AM

uj are you watching this Wizard game???? :clap2: what a perfect way for MJ to leave Salt Lake City :love: :D :clap2:

lal4l

02-15-2003, 01:05 AM

may i say payback:D :clap2:

uj4l

02-15-2003, 12:33 PM

i think everyone was doing better because sloan was back and malone's nose is better. :clap2:

milky_way

02-15-2003, 01:48 PM

who the hell did Stockton block 3 times?? :eek: Tyrone Lue?

uj4l

02-15-2003, 04:17 PM

i saw that on NBA TV and i thought that was messed up/ kirilenko 5 blocks!:eek:

milky_way

02-21-2003, 12:32 AM

Washington Wizard and former Utah Jazz player Bryon Russell told media this weekend that it was him the fans came to see in Utah, telling media "I was the one that filled the stands. I don't think they've had one sellout there this season. Of course, John and Karl had their fans. But I was the one who did all the community stuff, and those people came out to see me."
poor bryon's so lost...:evillol :clap2: :clap2:

renuszm

02-21-2003, 12:33 AM

Why hasnt UJ posted news about the Harpring trade yet?

milky_way

02-21-2003, 12:50 AM

uj must be busy so i'll post it:
AP- The Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz pulled off the final trade of the season, in a surprise move swapping All-Star SG Vince Carter and SF Matt Harpring. It was the second blockbuster deal of the day. A press conference will be held at 12:00 noon ET on Friday.
:eek: UTAH GOT SCREWED! :D

renuszm

02-21-2003, 12:52 AM

Originally posted by milky_way
uj must be busy so i'll post it:

:eek: UTAH GOT SCREWED! :D
milkey, it only works when either me or awefull do it, when you do it it just isnt funny :D

milky_way

02-21-2003, 12:56 AM

thanks, i feel so loved :eviltongu :cry: ;) :moon:

renuszm

02-21-2003, 12:57 AM

Originally posted by milky_way
thanks, i feel so loved :eviltongu :cry: ;) :moon:
I still love you :clap2:

uj4l

02-21-2003, 05:40 PM

utah traded garnet for harpring havent u heard?

renuszm

02-21-2003, 05:42 PM

Originally posted by uj4l
utah traded garnet for harpring havent u heard?
no Harpring was also traded to the nuggets for nene hilario or whatever his name is.

milky_way

02-27-2003, 10:26 PM

MONSON: When Stockton Speaks, It's a Rare Moment
BY GORDON MONSON
SALT LAKE TRIBUNE COLUMNIST

John Stockton opened his mouth and talked during an interview Tuesday.
No, no, really, he did. For something like 12 whole minutes.
Garbo speaks!
He didn't linger long on basketball because the line of questioning moved in a more intimate direction, which was stunning since the Jazz guard swims through all things personal the way a tuna moves through Great White-infested waters.
Fast.
Thus, predators get no piece of him.
Volunteering private information, for Stockton, is like having chunks of flesh torn away. The best point guard in NBA history that isn't Magic Johnson is Bashful the Dwarf. He danced out from under a toadstool 19 seasons ago and, ever since, has ducked through side doors to escape the attention of fans. His postgame answers to reporters' questions are polite, vague and brief. He's hesitantly cooperative but forever holding back. With him, there's so much experience, acumen, perspective to give, but only a fraction given.
Inside and outside of basketball.
A few seasons ago, as part of a light survey of Jazz players, Stockton was asked innocuous questions about subjects such as favorite foods and places to eat. His favorite response: No comment. He once blew off Sports Illustrated when the magazine wanted to feature him. One Utah writer traveled to Stockton's hometown (Spokane, Wash.), spent a week there doing leg work, interviewed family, friends, former coaches, teachers and teammates, completed a 5,000-word profile, and got just a few sentences from Stockton himself. Didn't even try. "I knew he wouldn't play along," the writer said. Stockton once told the same writer, during an informal bull session, that the second they went on the record, the wall was going up. Reporters rarely ask Stockton anything beyond the obvious, anymore, which abbreviates his responses further.
Still, many Jazz fans adore the man, even if they don't really know who he is. They know what they see on the court, what they've seen for two decades, and they like it. That will do, because it has to.
But consider the positive emotion that would swell from fans if the connection were ever made complete. If Stockton, sometime before he retires, let down his guard and tore down his wall.
And allowed fans a longer look at exactly who it is they love.
There have been moments this season.
Stockton granted an interview with former teammate Mark Eaton for a television feature a few months ago. And, on Tuesday, he called in for a segment during Eaton's Standing Tall for Youth Radiothon on KZN, discussing topics such as parenting and role models.
Here are some highlights:
* On helping at-risk children: "Every kid needs attention. Everybody needs to see what's possible. A lot of us come from somewhat humble beginnings. Luck falls in funny ways. It has for me. The sky's the limit with kids. If you can convince them of that, anything's possible. Their lives are bright."
* On raising his own kids: "They don't have to be basketball players. They don't have to follow a certain pattern, other than that you have to work for what you want."
* On distractions growing up: "Now they have TVs with 200 channels. Ours had three. I'm thankful it had just three. It was simpler. You didn't want to sit around and watch TV all day. You wanted to go do something. It was easier to study or work on your game, or whatever."
* On being a role model: "The real responsibility falls on parents. I can go speak until I'm blue in the face. . . . If a parent isn't doing the right things, it won't work. Parenting is a 24-hour-a-day job."
* On being a parent: "I try to put a lot of focus on that. Sometimes, I'm out in the public and people want a lot of your time. They want a piece of you. But my first job is with my kids. You never know when opportunities to talk with your kids will come. I don't want to lose those opportunities out trying to be a star."
Compelling comments, eh? Want more? Maybe, bit by bit, before he's gone, Stockton will remove those walls and find time to give a few more glimpses.
Don't hold your breath.

A little odd that Stock opens up a crack. Seems like hints at fairwells :cry:. Or maybe i'm just paranoid :smokin:

milky_way

03-26-2003, 03:33 PM

Cavs' Davis fined for stunt against Jazz

March 19, 2003
CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Cavaliers fined Ricky Davis an undisclosed sum for trying to pad his statistics by shooting at the opponent's basket.

Coach Keith Smart initially said that embarrassment was punishment enough for Cleveland's leading scorer. But the team said Tuesday night that Davis has been fined.

Davis was hoping to get one more rebound during a 122-95 win over Utah on Sunday. He was attempting to reach his first career triple-double in the game's final seconds.

Davis purposely missed the shot, hoping to get his 10th rebound off the miss. But NBA rules forbid him from being credited with the shot or the rebound.

Ricky Davis = IDIOT :angry:

milky_way

03-26-2003, 03:39 PM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STOCK! :biggrinpa

uj4l

03-26-2003, 05:34 PM

that was very stupid of him. is it really stock's bday? if so HAPPY BDAY!!!:clap2:

milky_way

03-26-2003, 07:29 PM

Davis is classless :hmm:. i would have tackled him if i were DeShawn :angry:. i can't imagine what the other Cavs were thinking when he did that.

renuszm

03-26-2003, 07:34 PM

haha Davis funny :D

uj4l

03-26-2003, 10:51 PM

stevenson foulde him, sloan said he would tackle him

milky_way

03-27-2003, 12:15 AM

hey me and Sloan have something in common :D

uj4l

04-11-2003, 11:01 PM

jazz have some big games comin up, Dallas, San Antonio, and Sacromento, hpe they win!

uj4l

04-12-2003, 11:39 AM

http://www.nba.com/games/20030411/DALUTA/recap.html
-----------------
Malone, Kirilenko, Jazz Jolt Mavs

SALT LAKE CITY, April 11 (Ticker) -- The Dallas Mavericks were so focused on stopping Karl Malone that they forgot about Andrei Kirilenko.

NBA TV highlights from
Mavs-Jazz: 56k | 300k
Kirilenko scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter as the Utah Jazz posted a 95-92 victory over the slumping Mavericks.

Malone finished with 23 points, but had just four in the final period as Dallas centered its defensive strategy around containing him. But that backfired as Malone found Kirilenko for several easy baskets down the stretch.

"He executed the offense," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "He shot the ball when he got it. That was a wonderful thing about him to be able to finish that way. Whatever it takes, we have to do a better job to try and get him to be a better player. That is my responsibility."

The inability to stop the Russian forward sent the Mavericks (57-22) to a season-high third straight loss and dropped them two games behind San Antonio for first place in the Midwest Division and the NBA's best record.

"He's so long," Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki said. "He's an amazing offensive rebounder and if you don't put a body on him after a shot goes up, he's going to find a way to get to the glass and get his long arms on it. He made some special plays down the stretch. He's a special player."

"He executed very well," Utah forward Calbert Cheaney said. "Sometimes, Andrei with all of his excitement, gets running around a little bit. But I thought he stayed in our stuff and that really enables him to make big plays for us down the stretch."

Utah took a tenuous 68-66 lead into the fourth quarter before Kirilenko went to work. His final dunk of the game gave Utah the lead for good at 80-78 with 5:41 remaining and his layup with 2:38 to go extended the advantage to 89-81.

"You know I was just in the right spot at the right time," Kirilenko said. "I try to do what I can."

Utah seemed to finish off the Mavs when John Stockton drilled a 3-pointer with 92 seconds remaining for a 92-83 lead. But Steve Nash hit a fadeaway and Nowitzki added a 3-pointer to close the deficit to 94-92 with eight seconds to play, forcing the Jazz to sweat at the end.

"I thought we had some minutes where we played very well," Sloan said. "They are a tough team for us to try and guard to keep them from getting on top of the basket."

Kirilenko's big effort helped the Jazz overcome one of its worst efforts from the line. Utah shot 21-of-38 from line and held a slim 95-92 lead when Kirilenko missed its final free throw.

But the Mavericks never got a shot off. Guarded by Kirilenko, Nick Van Exel, who buried two clutch 3-pointers in the final 4 1/2 minutes of their 92-90 win at the Delta Center on February 3, dribbled the ball off his foot.

"Anybody that's on the floor is an option and Raja Bell saw that Kirilenko fell down and thought that maybe Nick would have an open shot," Dallas coach Don Nelson said. "Everybody on the floor has an opportunity to catch and make the game winner."

Nowitzki scored 34 points and Raef LaFrentz added 21 for Dallas, which has split its last 12 contests.

"It was a tough road trip," LaFrentz said. "We played three good teams and three teams that are playing better than we are right now. We're not playing that great, but we'll get around in time for playoffs."

The teams headed into the locker room tied at 45-45 and Dallas took a 70-68 edge into the fourth quarter as Nowitzki had 20 points.