It's Not Lame, It's The Ten Days Of Christmas. On The 9th Day Of Christmas, The Utah Jazz Gave To Me...
by Basketball John on Dec 14, 2010 3:22 PM MST
in Fun Stuff, Contests, & Humor
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Print...Sundiata Gaines
Or more specifically, the shot that killed King James and the Cavs.
It in a made for Disney story, Sundiata Gaines hits the biggest shot of his life just days after he was busing it around the D-League for the Idaho Stampede. His game-winning three was the culmination of an amazing comeback in that game for the Jazz.
I broke down the last 6 minutes of that game here. You'll remember that the Jazz were actually up 10 point with over five minutes to go before LeBron went medieval on the team. The Jazz were down 6 with 30 second left. Everything fell the right way for Utah that night. There were missed free-throws by Cleveland, a HORSE-type shot by Korver, and clutch free-throws by Millsap.
Even more incredible was that the Jazz were without Deron (injured), AK (injured), and Boozer (fouled out) to end the game. Gaines never gets this shot in the first place if Deron doesn't go down.
After Big Z misses 1 of two, the Jazz are down 96-94 and the stage is set:
Gaines game-winning shot to beat the Cavs (via NBA)
It was a shot that I termed Jughead due to the LOST-type consequences it had on the season. In LOST, the nuclear explosion created an alternate timeline. It seemed to have the same effect on the Jazz as well. The team was 21-17 at that point and there seemed to be chemistry issues.
That shot though galvanized the team. There was no bigger bonding moment that to see Carlos Boozer run out onto the floor to join the jubilation while trying to keep his shorts up. Jerry Sloan hadn't been that overjoyed on a basketball court since the original shot in 1997. Gaines was mugged by his teammates and proceeded to pound his chest on top of the scorers table (after which he was given ten lashes by Sloan the next day).
The Jazz would go on to win 14 of their next 16 games and overall you could tell this was a different team. Some things happen for a reason. Gaines was in the right place at the right time and made the most of his call-up.
It doesn't get any more fairy tale than that.
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Sometimes I think, “Is it really a good idea to spend so much of my time and energy watching sports?”
Then I think about Gaines’ shot and the unbridled, pure joy not only expressed by him and the rest of the team… but also by Jazz fans everywhere who just witnessed something absolutely amazing and sublime.
Yes, it is a good idea to spend so much of my time and energy watching sports. Sport makes me and all of the rest of us a little more human.
by El Aguacil on Dec 14, 2010 3:33 PM MST reply actions 3 recs
this game is why you don't leave/turn off the game before it's over.
the final minutes were just so impossible. you never win games by doing that fouling-to-stop-the-clock thing. except we did.
the other thing that sticks out in my mind is the three-pointer that lbj traveled to take (got the ball inside the 3-point line, took a giant step to get behind the line without putting the ball on the floor, launched a three that went in, and the refs let their whistles dangle). it still pisses me off
At the time I thought that I would have to wait 20 years to see such an improbable comeback and game winner again.
It turns out I had to wait about 10 months, because in my mind the Heat game in November was just as good and improbable, if not more so. Maybe it was because I watched the Gaines game alone and the Heat game with 3 Jazz fans, but the Jazz are just creating magical moments left and right.
The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.
by clarkpojo on Dec 14, 2010 6:18 PM MST reply actions 1 recs
agreed
that was so amazing and you do feel united with fellow Jazz fans I don’t know why but it warms my heart that two of our most memorable comebacks in Jazz history have come against LBJ.
Moni- I still get mad at that travel three also!
comebacks against lebron
the jazz are speaking for the league, telling lebron what a douche he is
"Everyone wants to throw dirty on us"
even if sunny-g never gets another minute of playing time in the NBA...
he will still ALWAYS hold a place in jazz fan’s hearts. ( it’s funny he’s more beloved than booz haha ) shows how far work ethic and effort goes in fans eyes… especially jazz fans
"Any time Detroit scores more than 100 points and holds the other team below 100 points, they almost always win." – Doug Collins ( Thanks for the insight Doug)
"I don’t create controversies. They’re there long before I open my mouth. I just bring them to your attention." - Sir Charles Barkley
you know he's on the t-wolves now right?
He didn’t play last night, but he’s getting semi-steady minutes, considering the stability of the PG rotation in Minnesota.
yeah i know he's on the roster but wasnt sure how many min he's getting
either way is was more of a hypethetical statement
"Any time Detroit scores more than 100 points and holds the other team below 100 points, they almost always win." – Doug Collins ( Thanks for the insight Doug)
"I don’t create controversies. They’re there long before I open my mouth. I just bring them to your attention." - Sir Charles Barkley
by smacktalk801 on Dec 15, 2010 5:16 PM MST up reply actions
Love that the three players storming the court at the 0:40 mark are
Matthews, Boozer and Brewer. Seems like forever ago.
I still (and always will) get chills when I watch this clip
I absolutely loved Sundiata Gaines and I was so angry when the Jazz didnt resign him this season. I love the current team and Earl Watson has done so much more than I expected him to but I’ll always wish Sundiata was still here. Let’s just hope that he doesnt pull off another shot against us when the T-Wolves come visit.
Also, I miss Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, Wesley Matthews and Memo out there on the court for us (Booz who?).
For The Love!!
Rise and shout the Cougars are out!!
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