The Jazz Cap-Off Their Road Trip With An Astounding Comeback

Fes was instrumental in Utah’s amazing comeback.

Down 64-39 with 7 minutes left in the third quarter, the Utah Jazz were all but finished against the Blazers on Sunday night. “Well, you can’t win ’em all. 3 out of 4 on the road trip isn’t something to hold head your down about,” I thought. “And plus, can you really count this game without AK and Okur?”

As I tried to comfort myself with reasons why this loss wouldn’t be so bad, it happened! The Utah Jazz actually clawed their way back into the ballgame, and they pulled out a 93-89 overtime victory, despite being without their momentum-shifting small forward and starting center.

Of course, like in most games, the Jazz were led by Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer.

Williams had one of his typical games, as he recorded another double-double (I’ve lost track of how many that is), scoring 18 points and dishing out 12 assists. Even though his shot was once again off (4-15), Williams was able to remain tough, and he stayed in the flow of the offense throughout the game. And in a game where every point mattered, Williams shot a perfect 9-9 from the line. Did I mention that Williams added 7 rebounds as well?

Boozer, who backed up my last post in which I declared him as the true leader of the Jazz, had a magnificent performance against the Blazers, as he scored 22 points, collected 23 rebounds, and had a buzzer-beater that sent this game into overtime. Included in those 23 rebounds were a few offensive rebounds which truly kept the Jazz alive during their comeback run. One of those offensive rebounds came off of a Deron Williams missed jumper with 2 seconds left in the game. When Boozer grabbed the board, he threw up a hook shot off of the glass that sent the wild game into overtime.

Even though Williams and Boozer were the leaders of this huge comeback, this victory could not have happened without the contributions of some other key players.

Kyrylo Fesenko played as big as his 7-foot frame in this game, as he played a key role down the stretch. Fesenko scored a crucial 8 points, which was his highest output since November. Fesenko also played great defense, and he had 2 blocked shots to along with his 6 rebounds. Fesenko played so well, that there was a point in the game when I said that he was the MVP of the game.

Another player I want to mention is Kyle Korver. Despite only having 8 points in the game, Korver hit a couple of threes from the right corner, which were absolutely tremendous (one went in as the shot clock expired). Without Korver’s three-pointers, I don’t think that the Jazz would have enough to complete the comeback. They were timely shots, and they truly gave the Jazz the hope they needed to stay in the game.

I also want to credit Wesley Matthews, who has stepped into the starting role like a professional. In the last two games, Utah has not missed a beat. Against Portland, Matthews contributed 12 points, and he worked his tail off defensively. Believe me, Wesley, the effort does not go unnoticed.

Overall, the Jazz deserve a humongous pat on the back, as they pulled out a game that they could have very easily given up on. Down by 25 in the third quarter, especially in the final game of a 4-game road trip, with another game coming up the following night, most teams would begin to pull their starters in hopes of keeping players fresher for the next night. In fact, I don’t know what Sloan was thinking leaving his starters on the floor. It goes against all conventional coaching decisions. But, it worked out well, and I guess that’s why he’s the coach, and I’m just an observer. For the Jazz to have enough energy left in their tanks, on the road no less, to overcome the deficit that they faced, speaks volumes of the maturity and chemistry that this team has. I don’t care what anybody says, this team is one that should be feared as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.

LT’S NOTES

– The Jazz competed the season sweep of Portland 4-0.

– The Jazz went a perfect 4-0 on the 4-game roadie.

– The Jazz have gone 17-2 in their last 19 games.

– The Jazz are 2-0 in the Post-Brewer Era.

– The Jazz held Portland to just 10 fourth quarter points.

– The Jazz shot 7-34 on shots outside of 16 feet.

– Andrei Kirilenko left the game with back spasms in the second quarter. His status for tonight’s game is uncertain.