It’s just one game.
We’re still down in the series. McGrady didn’t have a good shooting night. Luther Head couldn’t hit a shot to save his life. No Rockets bench player scored. Clearly, we received more benefit from calls than we did in Houston (although we still shot far fewer free throws). There are mitigating factors here. We can’t ease up, can’t relax. We have a huge Game 4 this weekend.
……Okay, who am I kidding? I’m ecstatic. I’m euphoric. I’m going to savor this, at least until Saturday morning.
There were obvious similarities between tonight’s game and Games 1 and 2. Neither team shot well. The game was physical, sloppy at times, and low-scoring. The Jazz led at halftime. Memo couldn’t hit from outside. AK-47 was still non-existent offensively. Deron didn’t particularly stand out. By no means is this the Utah Jazz team we know we can be.
And yet, in some ways, this performance was better than we could have hoped, because it was so wonderfully unexpected. Like Memo showing us his defensive chops (four blocks, four steals, three rebounds, many altered shots). Like Kirilenko finally showing us some energy (it won’t show up in the box score, but he was FAR more active defensively against McGrady, dove for loose balls, and gave Boozer a sparkling alley-oop). Like Paul Millsap providing some amazing instant offense (I’ll try and find a clip of his drive past Yao later, because that was spectacular). Like Gordan Giricek dropping 10 timely points and solid workmanlike defense against McGrady. Like Jerry Sloan finally realizing (eight points later) that Derek Fisher cannot guard T-Mac. Like wondering where Carlos Boozer was all night, and then checking the box score and seeing that he had 22 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists.
This game gives me hope, because it shows me this team’s ability to adapt. We were able to more or less solve two of the four issues I mentioned after Game 2 (namely, defense on T-Mac and fewer Houston free throws), we have signs of change in a third (AK’s energetic play) and we are on the way to fixing the fourth (I just can’t believe that Memo will remain so offensively stagnant through the whole series).
The enduring image I will have of Game 3 is Yao. Yao lashing out at Memo in frustration. Yao standing agape as Harpring blows past him for a layup. Yao sucking wind as the Jazz push the pace (and in the higher altitude of Utah, that’s exactly what they should do). Yao fumbling the ball away for one of his eight turnovers. Yao whining to the refs that he’s only shooting 16 free throws in the game instead of 24. We took it to Yao Ming tonight. Memo slowed down his offensive game. Millsap and Boozer made him look foolish on defense. This was a statement that the Utah Jazz do not fear Yao Ming. We do not fear the Houston Rockets. We are a better team. We can beat them.
I hope.
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Layton Shumway is the copy chief for Brigham Young University’s Daily Universe. You can reach him at lss83@byu.net.
April 27th, 2007 at 9:02 am
I was at the game last night, and the energy was incredible, between the “Houston Sucks” chants and the constant applause and stand ovations the crowd couldn’t have been more supportive. It was almost like playoff games in the old days.
I was also encouraged by what I saw last night. Our defense was leaps and bounds beyond what we saw in Houston. It never ceases to amaze me what happens when Giricek decides to play defense. (why can’t he play like that every game? If he did he could stop whining about not getting his minutes). I wish we would have taken the ball inside more often, we still settled for way too many outside shots - especially when Yao was in transition or drawn out the three point line by Memo.
I didn’t like our offense coming out of halftime, it seems like offensive set should have been called “Let’s all stand around and hope something happens”. After Houston’s little burst of energy to finish the second quarter I thought we were going to be in trouble in the third, but fortunately they came out even more sluggish than we did.
Saturday’s game is going to be tough. There’s no way that the Rockets only get scoring from four players, and I think Yao will play a little more aggressively against our interior defense; especially when the much shorter Collins is in the game.
April 27th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Stupid TNT didn’t show the Jazz game here in Vegas. Oh well, at least they got a W. Maybe I shouldn’t watch the remaining games because I watched the first two when they lost and not this last one when they won. I hope Okur ends his shooting slump on Saturday.
April 28th, 2007 at 2:48 am
What is rith National tv and not playing the Jazz games? TNT didn’t show it here in Salt lake either.. so i had to watch it on KJZZ with Bolerjack!! I hate that guy!
ANyways, i liked what i saw from AK last night, he didn’t do much offensivel or defensivley stat wise, but his energy, and will to win really pushed the Jazz. HE needs to stay guarding T Mac, i liked how he got very agressive, jabbing at the ball, and bodying up! GIVE IT UP FOR MEMO AND HIS DEFENSE!!!! Awesome!!!
Well i’ll be at the Game tonight, i can’t wait to see the Jazz tie it up, i have a feeling that this will be the statement game where the Jazz pull it all together, take the win and momentum down to houston and get another “W.” We are a better team then Houston, an we’ll prove it 18 hours from now!
April 28th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
I can’t agree more. The Jazz are going to walk away with the series tied up tonight and all the momentum on their side to get a win in Houston next week.