Recap - Golden State Warriors @ Utah Jazz

if you wanna go and take a shot wit me
you better do it before the clock hits 23
oh why do I play this way?
(hey) (must be the nellie)

if you wanna go and play some D wit me
you best go and play wit another team
oh why must you play this way?
(hey)(must be the nellie)

Everyone likes the fast-paced, high-flying, ball-chucking, no-defense track meets for basketball games.   Those games are usually reserved for All-Star games & NBA Live, but you'll also find that style any time you play the Golden State Warriors.  I like it just fine, just so long as we win.  Sloan probably doesn't like it regardless.

The Jazz started out their four game at home with the W over the Dubs thanks only to Utah scoring more than Golden State.  That sounds very Booner or Madden of me.    They won on the the GS/PHX of old philosophy of just as long as we score one more point than the other team, that's fine.  There wasn't a lot of D in this game on either end.  The Jazz had more rebounds, blocks, and had fewer turnovers.

D-Will led the charge with 25 & 15 on 9-15 shooting, including making his first 8 shots.  He plays well in any style really, but he thrives in environments where he has the ball and makes impromptu decisions.  Though the structured style of the Jazz offense suits him well, seeing him in the open floor and creating is great to watch.  I thought we might finally see him dunk (he hasn't dunked yet, right?) when he had an open floor to the basket but gave it up to AK for the flush.  On the play however, Cory Maggette took a swipe across Deron's head from behind just a couple of feet from the basket.  That sent Deron to the floor as AK finished.  The fould was called on CM and Deron was able to finish off the unusual three-point play with the made free throw.  I don't know why that wouldn't have been a flagrant where he went for his head and didn't play for the ball at all.

AK is another one that loves to run.  Being able to create defensively is one of his strengths on that end.  His help-defense is his trademark.  He was able to pick up a couple of blocks this way to go along with his 5-10 shooting & 15 points.

It didn't feel like the front line of the the Jazz dominated like they should have.  They out-rebounded the Ws 49-38 (17-9 on the offensive boards).  Maybe Biedrins' 17 rebounds made it seem like it was much less of an effort from the Jazz.  But Millsap and Okur did have a couple of late-game offensive boards that helped with the win.  Okur had one of the three Jazz DDs with 20 & 11.  Millsap continued his DD streak with 19 & 14 of his own.  He was a beast on the offensive glass grabbing 7 of those boards.

And what can you say about Kosta?  Like Jerry has said, he still make some rookie mistakes, but he's learning very quickly.  In 19 minutes, he put up 11 & 5 and just 1 foul.  That would be a great trait for a Jazz player.

Midway through the second quarter, the Jazz were shooting a better percentage, had more rebounds, and more FT attempts, yet were barely leading.  Every time the Jazz would start to pull away, GS would nail a couple of big threes to bring them right back into it.  The Jazz then started shooting jump shots down the stretch instead of pounding the Dubs on the inside where they're weakest.  The Jazz did score a lot of points in the paint, but that makes it even more confusing as to why they would settle for jumpers.

The game was essentially settled when Ronnie B completed a three-point play for a 117-110 lead.

Up next is the first game of the season against the Hornets and Chris Paul.  We'll see if Deron's dominance over CP3 continues.  That matchup hasn't been the story for most of the teams' meeting.  Another annihilation of Paul by Williams would be welcomed.  The rivalry has kind of fizzled lately.  It will  be good to get that going again.

Other notes,

• The Jazz had a 3 on 1 fast break and Sloan called a timeout.  ???  I'd like to hear his explanation.
• There was a wierd play in which it appeared that Memo was called for a reach-in foul in the paint.  A whistle blew and everyone stopped playing.  I don't know how Memo knew, but it wasn't the refs that blew it.  So Korver streaked to the basket on the other end and Memo fed him for the dunk while everyone was still down on Golden State's end.