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Ty Corbin, Utah Jazz may have no other choice but to rebuild - Chris Mannix - SI.com
No, the real problem in Utah is more rooted. The Jazz are a team divided. There are members of the old guard, veterans like Paul Millsap, Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur. These players are used to playing one way and having success doing it. But the team's future rests with its youth, namely two rookies in 19-year-old power forward Favors and 20-year-old swingman Gordon Hayward, who must be developed before they can make a significant impact. Balancing the two agendas, Corbin acknowledges, can be a tricky process. "We're trying to develop them as we go," Corbin said. "The most important thing right now is to play as well as we can as a group. Different guys are going to get minutes on the floor in different situations."

Karl Malone weighs in on the current lockout situation | ESPN
Karl Malone and Gary Payton, who were part of the last lockout, were also present at ESPN The Weekend and gave a bit of insight on what might be going on behind closed doors in negotiations. "It's not a hell of a lot of people doing a lot of talking in that meeting," Malone said. "It ain't but one person doing a whole lot of talking." Payton agreed. "And that's basically David Stern," Payton said.

YouTube - Karl Malone and Sage Steele Fishing at ESPN the Weekend
Another Karl Malone fishing video at ESPN the weekend.

Utah Jazz: Rookies make a pitstop for pasta in N.Y. | Deseret News
Hayward has been teased about this dining dilemma since he tweeted about it Sunday night. "I knew people were hating," the 20-year-old said, "but I don't know what's wrong with Olive Garden, to be honest." Nothing, perhaps, if you're in Sandy. But a meal there while in Manhattan? "It fit his budget," Jazz veteran guard Earl Watson said, chiming in while rubbing his fingers together and poking fun of his teammates.

Harris is getting used to his new offense | The Salt Lake Tribune
But while Harris has not earned a graduate degree in Utah’s complex offensive system, he has made significant strides. Part of the progress can be attributed to Corbin’s decision to streamline the Jazz’s sets, presenting Harris with less information and allowing him to put his veteran intuition to use. But much of Harris’ development simply comes down to the point guard’s basketball intelligence. "The things that we’ve been running in the games, I think he’s in pretty good shape," said Corbin, prior to Utah’s 109-102 overtime victory against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday at EnergySolutions Arena. "It’s just when we try and tweak it a little bit in different situations … if [an opponent] takes one thing away when we draw it up in the huddle, it kind of stagnates."

Now we know how to get Raja to shoot well | Deseret News
Bell, who has struggled with his shooting for much of the season, hit two clutch jumpers in overtime to help the Jazz to a 109-102 win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night. Bell finished with 16 points, his highest total since Feb. 7, which was the last time the Jazz played the Kings. Afterward, Bell bolted out of the locker room, through the tunnel inside EnergySolutions Arena and to his car. He wasn't avoiding the media. He just had better things to do. "His wife and kids had a flight and had to be at the airport," said Jazz forward C.J. Miles. "Best believe we asked why he was getting out of here so fast."

A Stockton Leads Gonzaga, Again - NYTimes.com
It appears there is a new rising point guard on the Gonzaga horizon, with a very familiar last name. Redshirt freshman David Stockton, the son of N.B.A. Hall of Famer John Stockton, is beginning to write his own history as a player. David helped the Zags (24-9) win the West Coast Conference tournament Monday night, beating St. Mary’s, 75-63, to automatically advance into the N.C.A.A. Tournament. David contributed seven points and three assists in 28 minutes off the bench.

Dwight Howard setting himself up to be NBA villain like LeBron James – Sentinel Sports Now – Orlando Sentinel
I chatted with NBA Hall of Fame post Karl Malone during ESPN the Weekend and he offered this advice to Dwight Howard about free agency. "Don’t even talk about it now. Just play and when it’s over with, don’t draw it out, just do what you want to do. Because you can see how if it gets drawn out, you’re the villain. So if I was him, I wouldn’t say a word. Just play the game and all of that will take care of itself," Malone said.

Five Jazz players sit out practice due to injuries | Utah Jazz Notes | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah coach Tyrone Corbin said that he is contemplating a lineup change to help spark the struggling Jazz, who were blown out 131-109 by the New York Knicks on Monday. But with the loss still fresh in Corbin's mind and Utah dealing with a variety of key injuries, he is more focused on the long-term picture.

Report: New Jersey Nets' star Deron Williams out for birth of child - ESPN New York
The New Jersey Nets anticipate that point guard Deron Williams will miss the next two games, head coach Avery Johnson told the Bergen (N.J.) Record after Tuesday's practice. Williams is in Dallas with his wife for the birth of their fourth child.

Ticket punched: Famous bloodlines help push Zags to WCC crown - The Dagger - NCAAB - Yahoo! Sports
Stockton's numbers at the Orleans Arena in the championship tilt — seven points, three assists and no turnovers in 28 minutes — looked modest. But there was no question about the impact several of his plays had on the game's outcome — especially in the second half.