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Another game, another win. I could get used to this, Utah Jazz fans. I think the Jazz could get used to this too, having just won their second game this season against the Memphis Grizzlies -- in Memphis. Utah would win 93-82 but the game was one of poor offensive play early. I guess that's what happens when both teams are really built for defense. But no Vince Carter, Zach Randolph, Alec Burks, and so forth . . . you knew the offenses would struggle and they did. It was a close game, but the good guys broke it open in the fourth. Furthermore, our guys found a way to get going when they had to, and held off a late rally. More important than standing tall is standing tall and leaving with yet another road win. And they did just that.
Graph via PopcornMachine.Net
As you can see, that 11-1 run in the fourth against Nick Calathes, Jordan Adams, Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, and Kosta Koufus was the death of them. That's what missing four rotation players does do your team, you don't have the talent and depth to fight back. Sometimes the Jazz get to be lucky too, instead of persistently unlucky. (Dude, Utah was forced to start Patrick Christopher this year, and he's not even in the league anymore. We had injuries too, but no one wrote about it because Utah is a lotto team.)
Anyway, check out these highlights!
Final Box Score:
| Player | Pos | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | +/- | BARPS | ||||||
| 1 | Dante Exum | 1 | 2 | * | 27 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 16 | |||
| 2 | Joe Ingles | 2 | 3 | * | 35 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 13 | |||
| 3 | Gordon Hayward | 3 | 2 | * | 35 | 21 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 38 | |||
| 4 | Derrick Favors | 4 | 5 | * | 36 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 35 | |||
| 5 | Rudy Gobert | 5 | * | 36 | 15 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 40 | ||||
| 6 | Trey Buke | 1 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -14 | 7 | |||||
| 7 | Elijah Millsap | 2 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 | 0 | ||||
| 8 | Rodney Hood | 3 | 2 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 16 | ||||
| 9 | Trevor Booker | 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -10 | 7 | |||||
| 10 | Jeremy Evans | 4 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 12 | |||||
| 11 | Alec Burks (INJ) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 12 | Bryce Cotton | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 13 | Ian Clark (NBADL) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 14 | Grant Jerrett | 4 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 15 | Jack Cooley | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
We can point out the bench problems for Memphis here, only 22 points off the bench, 7 rebounds, 2 assists; but it's not like the Jazz had a lot of bench help either. It really was a game of starters vs. starters for the most part. Dante Exum's defense is really getting to that level where you forget he's a 19 year old Kangaroo who still needs to sleep in a pouch when he gets tuckered out. Gordon Hayward set the tone in the 3rd quarter, erasing the memory of such an awful first half. Derrick Favors was instrumental in the 4th with giving the Jazz the lead during a critical time, calling for the ball over and over again. Rodney Hood was a bright spot off the bench with his shooting, passing, and ability to get to the line.
And then there was Rudy. Man. While a few of his blocks were stolen from him I can imagine he's going to go HAM (Hard as a meanie) on the leprechauns tonight. Solid win, again; against a top team, again; in their own gym, again. And once again, all of our wins against Memphis this season have come when Zach Randolph and Tony Allen are out, and Kosta Koufos starts. I'll take it.