Yes, the Bucks stop here | Deseret News
I have to give deserved kudos to the Jazz training staff. They don't simply settle for mundane medical descriptions. The crew that has turned "gastric distress" - a far more entertaining description than, say, "stomach issues" - into a common and beloved phrase by Jazz fans and media was at it again Monday. Center Kyrylo Fesenko left Monday's game with a hand injury in the second quarter. Moments later, we were informed that Fesenko had suffered a "subluxed fifth finger on his right hand." I slept through the subluxed portion of medical school, explaining how I became a sports writer instead of a doctor, but that's apparently a fancy way of saying dislocated. Fesenko had never heard the term subluxed before. Fesenko: "I don't know what that is." Me: "I don't know what it is either. I thought it was a Ukrainian word." I'm calling it "subluxed pinky distress." Fes explained that the top portion of his finger was pointing a different direction, but it was put back into place and no fractures were discovered on the X-rays.
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WHIMSY: When in doubt, search for pictures of Andrei Kirilenko's hair on Getty Images. It's like putting a Wayne's World wig on Mt. Rushmore.
Behind the Box Score, where two tough point guards went at it - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
The Bucks just didn't have a chance, in this one. Unless Ersan Ilyasova(notes) was going off for 20 rebounds (and, judging by the way Al Jefferson(notes) and Andrei Kirilenko(notes) effortlessly went over his back all night, he wasn't), a team missing its starting centre and power forward just wasn't going to compete, even against a terrible rebounding team like Utah.
Jazz: Watson pushing pace, teammates | Utah Jazz Notes | The Salt Lake Tribune
It's been a long time since the Utah Jazz have had a back-up point guard like Earl Watson. The last time? Try Howard Eisley, a guy who fans have been clamoring for ever since he ceased being John Stockon's back-up. Well, this blog has news for Jazz fans. Watson may be better than even Eisley with the way he's playing now.
Monday game report: Bucks at Jazz - JSOnline
BUCKS BANTER: When it comes to team personality, are the Bucks an emotional group or are they more low key? Or maybe they're a little bit of both. "We're low key," said forward Drew Gooden. "But we've got competitors on this team. No question at all. Everybody that comes off the bench - Earl Boykins, Keyon Dooling, Corey Maggette, Carlos Delfino- along with (Andrew) Bogut, Brandon (Jennings), me, (LucRichard) Mbah a Moute, these are competitive basketball players. And, Ersan (Ilyasova) and John Brockman. We've got guys that want to compete and are emotional. Maybe we haven't shown it as much, but we have some guys that want to compete and play hard."
Short-handed Bucks fall to Jazz - bellinghamherald.com
"We didn't have our big bodies, and the guys we had were trying their best to get the rebounds," said Jennings. "But with (Utah) guys just flying in there trying to tip the ball and stuff like that, it's kind of tough." Said Douglas-Roberts, "We couldn't get a rebound and they were executing freely. They're already a great half-court team and if you don't take them out of their stuff, it was just too easy for them."
Jazz drub Bucks, win sixth straight | Standard-Examiner
"Our size, I think, hurt them a little bit," coach Jerry Sloan said. "Especially Al, he got inside and got some baskets. That makes a big difference." The Jazz have long been a team that focuses on playing inside-out, meaning their gameplan usually involves working the ball to their big men, which they hope forces their opponents to double-team. Once a team starts to double-team inside, the plan is to pass the ball back for open jumpshots. "That's what we like to do, play inside-out," Williams said. "Coach has always stressed that: get the ball inside."
Jazz handle short-handed Bucks - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
Jefferson, brought in primarily to replace departed Carlos Boozer, made it look easy. He made 11 of 14 shots and grabbed eight defensive rebounds. Williams was most impressed with the blocks. "He’s giving us a diferent look with blocked shots," Williams said. "Boozer didn’t block many shots. He got a lot of steals, but he wasn’t a shot-blocker." Andrei Kirilenko also had four blocks as the Jazz posted a season-high 10 blocks. The Jazz held a 54-18 advantage in the paint and 48-26 edge in rebounds.
Utah Jazz bounce the Bucks for sixth consecutive win | Deseret News
Coming off big second-half surges in weekend wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, the Jazz held the Bucks to 15 fourth-quarter points and dominated down the stretch to win their third game in four days. Quite the killer instinct they're honing, right? "I wouldn't call it killer instinct. I don't look at our team as a bunch of killers," Sloan said. "I thought the biggest thing is they executed well and passed the ball."
Utah Jazz stage a block party on the Bucks | Deseret News
Kirilenko and starting center Al Jefferson swatted four each Monday, a season high-matching total for Kirilenko and a season high for Jefferson. Attitude, it seems, has a lot to do with it. "We've just got to be there to help our teammates," Jefferson said. "Guys are just closing in on the ball. R.P. (reserve combo guard Ronnie Price) gets his chase-down blocks. (Backup point guard) Earl (Watson) got a block tonight. But everybody else is just closing in on the ball the right way," swingman C.J. Miles added. "Our rotations have been right. Maybe you're a step late, but instead of giving up on the play we just keep going after it — and that's what's happening."
Jefferson, Williams lead Jazz past Milwaukee 109-88 | The Salt Lake Tribune
On Monday night at EnergySolutions Arena, when the streaking Utah Jazz should have beaten the injury-riddled and road-weary Milwaukee Bucks, they did. Yes, it took a while. The Jazz didn’t pull away until the fourth quarter, which they opened with 11 straight points. But Utah eventually did what a good NBA team is supposed to do, and that’s overpower an opponent coming into its building at less than full strength.