Jazz Bags - Post Game Thoughts 1-30-12

Ben Bagley - January 30th, 2012
Tags: Jazz, Pro, NBA, Basketball, Bags and Parks

In All Honesty -

I had the Jazz losing this game. The offense has been poor since the Toronto game. No Raja. No Al. No way they win, I thought.

At half time I hadn’t seen anything that had changed my mind. Then it happened! I looked up at the scoreboard and realized it was only a 4 point game. How had this happened?

Grinding!

That’s right, they just grinded it out. They shot just 38% on the game. You shouldn’t win those games, but the Jazz did.

On the Grind -

The fact that this team just grinded it out keeping within striking distance waiting for something to change is a testament to the will and determination of this team.

Wesley Matthews summed it up nicely after the game saying the Jazz just out worked the Blazers. The Jazz out rebounded Portland 51-37 (getting 18 offensive boards).

I will tell you this, that is as proud of his team as I’ve seen Ty Corbin this year. He was free with his praise for the effort, heart and determination of his team tonight.

This is a huge step for this team. If they are going to win games against playoff calibers teams, it’s going to be close games like this one. With wins like this it give a young team confidence that they can win the close ones. Big step in right direction.

Youth Prevails -

The difference in the game could simply have been defense in the second half by Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter on LaMarcus Aldridge. Both young bigs did one thing that Paul Millsap couldn’t in the first half. They beat Aldridge up!

Millsap told me after the game that he did all he could against LMA, but he could out muscle him. Kanter and Favors could and did.

Millsap said he understands what Aldridge went through, because it’s the same beating he takes in practice on a daily basis.

The only thing that makes me wonder is whether or not the two young guys understand what they did. I asked Favors after the game if being physical was the key. His response was simple, “I just went out there and guarded him.”

Earl Watson/Devin Harris -

Earl Watson will get a lot of credit for the turn around in this game. Most of it is deserved. Just remember though it was Devin Harris who sparked the initial comeback with some very good offensive plays (scoring and passing) in the third quarter that lead to the big fourth.

That is why this combo works so well. Both are very different players. Both are veterans who understand what is needed. (Both have also struggled at times only to have the other guy pick them up.)