ducks
05-21-2007, 07:43 AM
Williams allows Jazz to save face
Williams allows Jazz to save face
Web Posted: 05/20/2007 10:42 PM CDT
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
Sometime in the second half of an old-time playoff grudge match Sunday that was looking more and more like a Spurs rout, Utah guard Deron Williams glanced up at the scoreboard in abject frustration.
Down by 18 points in the second half of Game 1 was not the way he'd hoped to start his maiden trip to the Western Conference finals.
"In the first game, you're supposed to send a message," Williams said. "We didn't want to get blown off the floor."
So Williams decided to do something about it.
Thanks mostly to Williams, who scored 18 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter to practically will Utah back to respectability, the Jazz didn't get blown out.
They closed to within 108-100 by the buzzer, allowing Utah to save face, if not the game.
"Game to game, it does matter how you finish," said Derek Fisher, by far the most playoff-savvy player on the Utah roster. "Even if you lose, it's important to establish some things that can carry over."
With his outburst, Williams telegrammed his own message to the Spurs, who had spent much of the past two weeks chasing Phoenix's Steve Nash.
Suddenly, they have another pinball point guard with whom to contend.
Williams not only notched a career high in scoring, he also doled out nine assists.
Just how necessary was Williams to the Jazz offense on Sunday? He pretty much was the Jazz offense on Sunday.
Utah made 36 field goals. Williams had a hand in 22 of them.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, borrowing Charles Barkley's favorite adjective, called Williams "fantastic."
"That's what you are looking to see from players," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "Who will step up and put their hearts out there on the floor?"
For his effort, Williams earned a hearty "good game" from his teammates. He also earned a well-meaning "good luck trying to do it again" from Fisher.
If the Jazz are going to count on Williams pumping in 34 points a night, Fisher says, they might as well call it a series.
"It was good for him and good for our team," Fisher said. "At the same time, against this team, you can't rely on one guy getting what he got."
For one afternoon, however, Utah's youngest starter also proved to be its most poised.
Andrei Kirilenko, so crucial in the Jazz's five-game ouster of Golden State in the conference semifinals, was little more than a walking commercial for hair gel. Mehmet Okur, whose 6-foot-11 frame and 3-point prowess are supposed to present matchup problems, hit 3 of 15 field-goal attempts.
Fisher, who ascended to Alamo City infamy in exactly 0.4 seconds the last time he faced the Spurs in the playoffs, hit only 1 of 7 field goals.
Carlos Boozer, the unabashed postseason star for the Jazz so far, finished with 20 points — but managed just four during a decisive first half in which the Jazz fell behind 54-36.
Only Williams seemed to properly rise to the challenge of the conference finals, pumping in big shot after big shot to help Utah scratch to within single digits in the last four minutes.
"Some guys were struggling from the field so I tried to get going and get some energy," Williams said. "The lane opened up for me."
And so, Williams made his eyebrow-raising opening statement in Game 1. The lingering question for Game 2 will be: Can the Spurs offer a rebuttal?
[email protected]
Williams allows Jazz to save face
Web Posted: 05/20/2007 10:42 PM CDT
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
Sometime in the second half of an old-time playoff grudge match Sunday that was looking more and more like a Spurs rout, Utah guard Deron Williams glanced up at the scoreboard in abject frustration.
Down by 18 points in the second half of Game 1 was not the way he'd hoped to start his maiden trip to the Western Conference finals.
"In the first game, you're supposed to send a message," Williams said. "We didn't want to get blown off the floor."
So Williams decided to do something about it.
Thanks mostly to Williams, who scored 18 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter to practically will Utah back to respectability, the Jazz didn't get blown out.
They closed to within 108-100 by the buzzer, allowing Utah to save face, if not the game.
"Game to game, it does matter how you finish," said Derek Fisher, by far the most playoff-savvy player on the Utah roster. "Even if you lose, it's important to establish some things that can carry over."
With his outburst, Williams telegrammed his own message to the Spurs, who had spent much of the past two weeks chasing Phoenix's Steve Nash.
Suddenly, they have another pinball point guard with whom to contend.
Williams not only notched a career high in scoring, he also doled out nine assists.
Just how necessary was Williams to the Jazz offense on Sunday? He pretty much was the Jazz offense on Sunday.
Utah made 36 field goals. Williams had a hand in 22 of them.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, borrowing Charles Barkley's favorite adjective, called Williams "fantastic."
"That's what you are looking to see from players," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "Who will step up and put their hearts out there on the floor?"
For his effort, Williams earned a hearty "good game" from his teammates. He also earned a well-meaning "good luck trying to do it again" from Fisher.
If the Jazz are going to count on Williams pumping in 34 points a night, Fisher says, they might as well call it a series.
"It was good for him and good for our team," Fisher said. "At the same time, against this team, you can't rely on one guy getting what he got."
For one afternoon, however, Utah's youngest starter also proved to be its most poised.
Andrei Kirilenko, so crucial in the Jazz's five-game ouster of Golden State in the conference semifinals, was little more than a walking commercial for hair gel. Mehmet Okur, whose 6-foot-11 frame and 3-point prowess are supposed to present matchup problems, hit 3 of 15 field-goal attempts.
Fisher, who ascended to Alamo City infamy in exactly 0.4 seconds the last time he faced the Spurs in the playoffs, hit only 1 of 7 field goals.
Carlos Boozer, the unabashed postseason star for the Jazz so far, finished with 20 points — but managed just four during a decisive first half in which the Jazz fell behind 54-36.
Only Williams seemed to properly rise to the challenge of the conference finals, pumping in big shot after big shot to help Utah scratch to within single digits in the last four minutes.
"Some guys were struggling from the field so I tried to get going and get some energy," Williams said. "The lane opened up for me."
And so, Williams made his eyebrow-raising opening statement in Game 1. The lingering question for Game 2 will be: Can the Spurs offer a rebuttal?
[email protected]