COLUMN: Here’s to a holiday season of Jazz cheer
Man, the Jazz look good. And I mean really good. Al Jefferson is looking comfortable, Deron Williams is starting to turn it on, Millsap is still playing like a stud, and the bench is playing with an energy that is unmatched.
The Jazz have reeled off seven straight wins, several of which have been against top teams. Best win in the streak? Psh, that’s an easy one. Nov. 26 against the Lakers. The only thing I love more than seeing the Lakers lose is seeing the Lakers lose to the Jazz.
Utah headed into their showdown with the Lakers fresh off an 18-point victory over Chris Paul and the Hornets, a victory where D-Will got the better of his rival and best friend Paul.
The debate over who is the best point guard has raged ever since these two guys came into the league, and Deron took another step in proving he’s number one. With the win, Deron improved to 12-3 in head-to-head matchups against Paul, in the process outplaying him by putting up 26 and 11 assists, compared to Paul’s 17 and 9 assists.
But the debate will continue because, hey, it gives us something to talk about, even though in my mind the title of best point guard belongs to D-Will. In his past five games, Williams has put up an average of 25.4 points and 11.6 assists on 61.6 percent shooting. That’s MVP worthy.
Now, back to the Lakers. In the first quarter of that game, it was rough. L.A. outscored the Jazz 33-17 in that quarter and looked unbeatable. But the Jazz aren’t called the comeback kids for nothing, and they rallied in the second quarter to cut the lead to four at the half. And for the rest of the time, it was like a playoff game.
The game went back and forth like a tug-a-war, neither team willing to give in. The Jazz pulled ahead in the final minutes before Kobe decided to score 14 points in about two minutes. That surge put the Lakers up 96-91 with 2:12 remaining, but the Jazz stayed calm and confident and went on an 11-0 run to end the game and win by six.
In this current streak the Jazz have going, they have topped 100 points in six of the seven games, and have not allowed 100 points on defense.
The biggest reason for this success is the players adjusting to and accepting their roles. Deron is the obvious leader of the team, but Millsap and Jefferson provide a dynamic offense duo down low, while Raja Bell and Andrei Kirilenko are the defensive stoppers. And that’s not even mentioning the bench. Ronnie Price and Earl Watson come in and run guys out of the gym with their hustle, while CJ Miles is a dangerous from long range.
This Jazz team has it all. They’ve got teamwork, rebounding, defense, and scoring. And the most important thing of all? The players understand the system, work with each other, and fill their own role.
With a 15-5 record and a game and a half lead in the Northwest division, the Jazz are looking good. Especially when you consider that we’re only through the first quarter of the season; a quarter where the Jazz usually struggle. What does this mean for the rest of the season? Who knows, but if they follow the pattern they’ve set for themselves in the games, this season could be a lot of fun for Jazz fans.
Tonight’s game is big for the Jazz, because it gives them an opportunity to really prove how they can play against a big Western Conference foe. Win tonight, push their win streak to eight, and only build on that confidence that right now is sky high. The Jazz are playing like champs, and I have high hopes for big things to come.
MARK ISRAELSEN is a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering and a lifelong Jazz fan. Comments can be sent to mark.israelsen@aggiemail.usu.edu.