Happy Birthday Boris Diaw!

Today is a very special day - it’s the birthday of Utah Jazz bigman Boris Diaw! Boris Babacar Diaw-Riffiod, or Bobo as he is called, is 35 years old today. He’s been playing basketball for a very long time - his first pro club (Pau-Orthez) saw his rookie season 14 years ago. (When current team mate Dante Exum was -3 years old.) He’s gone from being an athletic player winning slam dunk contests to being a MIP, a MVP, an All-Star . . . and all of that before being drafted to the NBA. Where he again won a MIP award (NBA, 2006), and a Championship (NBA, 2014).

Last night he was instrumental in the Jazz win on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers. He started, played 23 minutes, and finished with 7 points, 4 rebounds, and a team high 6 assists. He played defense, he hit the glass. But more than anything else, he was an air traffic controller out there. He’d move people around all game long, including the defense.

His savvy around the basket is something this team doesn’t have, and it’s something most defenders today have any hope of stopping. His double fake on the inbounds that got him open under the basket with 2 seconds on the clock was genius level.

Sure, Blake Griffin had a lot of points, but he scored only two in the fourth quarter. A lot of that has to be exerting so much energy early trying to deal with Diaw in the first half.

Happy Birthday Boris,

bonne fête Bobo!

Today is also the birthday of former Jazz bigmen Keon Clark and Robert Whaley as well. What a day! (Or more accurately, what a night for their parents 9 months ago.)