Denver Nuggets at Utah Jazz Overtone: Protect your home court

It sure seems like a long time either the Jazz or the Nuggets were play-off teams.

Actually, it is not. Not in the grand scheme of things anyway (though that rationalization will get you anywhere, really) For the Jazz it was the 2011-2012 season. For the Nuggets it was the 2012-2013 season (the one where George Karl was named coach of the year).

The last time Denver got out of the first round was in 2008-2009 though. Also because, the year after, it were the Jazz that calmly, coolly, and collectedly bumped them right back out to Denver.

Let the good times roll.

It were three double-doubles that got the Jazz to the second round of things. Paul Millsap was 21-11, Deron Williams had 10 assists to go with his 14 points, but it was Mr And-1, the great Carlos Boozer himself, who had a 22-20 game (with 5 assists to boot). Remember that high arcing shot right there?

Fesenko started, and the new Stars signing Sundiata Gaines came off the bench for a whopping 29 seconds.

On the Denver side it was the last game for Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, who were traded soon after. The trade brought Gallinari to Denver, who is still the cornerstone of that franchise today.

It wasn’t a clearcut thing the Jazz would win that series. The two teams had the exact same record, but Denver got the home court advantage. Also, Mehmet Okur had to leave the first game with an injury, never to return again. Without the big Turk the Jazz eeked out a 114-111 win in Denver for the second game, led by a 33 pts, 14 assists outing by Deron Williams. That one road win was enough to rope in the series, as the Jazz took care of their home court all way through.

Not something the 2016 Jazz are doing at the minute, though hopefully the Denver game tonight will mark that turn around.

In the mean time, lets fondly remember the last time we won a Play-off round, with Williams, Boozer, and Millsap of the infamous baby blue era of the great Jazz. Against tonight’s opponent no less.