Deron Williams’ Latest Performance Exemplifies The Jazz Up To This Point

Some way to bounce back from a loss, huh?

The Utah Jazz totally cleared the loss to Sacramento out of their heads, as they lit the Houston Rockets on fire. Right out of the gate, the Jazz were running and gunning, looking to score at any given time. In fact, I wouldn’t even be surprised if they put up some points during timeouts and halftime. With their 133-point output, the Jazz set a season high for points, and they also set a season high for 3-pointers made with 14. You do realize that this game didn’t go to overtime, right?

With all of those points being scored, there are definitely a few players who deserve to be mentioned. However, in my opinion, it only takes one player’s performance to truly capture everything that the Jazz have become throughout this season. So I have decided to dedicate this post solely to that player. That player is, of course, Deron Williams.

First of all, Deron Williams gets the unanimous game ball, as he was the best I have seen him in a very long time. Right off the bat, Williams came out smoking hot, as he set a career-high for points scored in one quarter, when he scored 20 points in the first. And even though Williams did most of his damage in that opening stanza, he finished the game with a highly impressive stat-line.

When all was said and done, Williams scored 35 points on an amazing 13-17 shooting (4-4 from 3), while distributing 13 assists, and collecting 7 rebounds. The most incredible part of this performance was that it was following his atrocious showing against the Kings, when he scored 10 points on just 4-16 shooting.

For Williams to bounce back with a brilliant performance like he did, it just shows why the Jazz have been so stellar this season. The mental toughness that D-Will showed with his game against the Rockets is a perfect example of the kind of mental toughness and maturity that this team has shown throughout the season. Whether it be the plethora of comebacks, the stepping-up of a new player in any given game, or the way that backups have filled in for injured starters, the Jazz have answered the bell time and time again.

As one of the leaders of this team (Boozer is still THE leader in my opinion), it is Williams’ responsibility to set the tone for his team. He clearly did that against Houston, but what really impresses me about this point guard, is that he also does it in games where his numbers are pedestrian. When Williams struggles in one area of his game, he does not allow that to break him down with everything else. He will always find a way to contribute positively to the team in some way, and he is the type of player you can trust with the ball in the game’s most crucial moments (even if he has struggled throughout the game).

Prior to this game against Houston, Williams had a tough time for a little stretch, at least according to his standards. However, he did not let that totally destroy the rest of the team. He kept everyone involved in the offense, especially the guy with the hot hand, and he continued to give it his all on every possession. It is this kind of selfless attitude that is enormous when it comes to quality leadership, and I believe that nobody does it better than D-Will right now.

Despite that quality leadership, there are still many people who doubt the Jazz as a serious contender in the Western Conference. Now, I understand that a team like the Lakers may be more talented, or outright better than Utah, but the grit and toughness that the Jazz possess cannot be overlooked. They will battle even when things seem to be insurmountable, and they bond together when the road begins to get the bumpiest.

I don’t know about you, but I just see something in this team that tells me that they are different than other Jazz teams in seasons past. I truly believe that this is a special team, and quite possibly a team of destiny. There just seems to be too much of an “it” factor for this team to go out without a battle.

As for the other players…

LT’S NOTES

– Carlos Boozer finished the game with 18 points (8-9 from the field) and 8 rebounds.

– Wesley Matthews and Paul Millsap each dropped 18 points as well.

– Mehmet Okur had 17 points and 8 rebounds.

– Trevor Ariza was inactive for the game.

– The Jazz shot an incredible 67.5 % from the field.

– The Jazz are 9-1 in the green uniforms.