Dec

18

Jazz Rallies From Big Deficit, Beat Nets 103-92

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under NBA Game Recap 

Truth be told, the Utah Jazz are one of the better Western Conference teams in the NBA; certainly not top-tier, but very good nonetheless.  In their game on Wednesday against the New Jersey Nets, they had an unusual set of circumstances: they scored only 7 points in the first quarter and were down by 22 points, but because of the intestinal fortitude of the Jazz or the Nets couldn’t handle the early Christmas present, Utah came from a huge deficit and soundly beat New Jersey 103-92 at Izod Center.

The game started normally enough as both teams were tied at two, but the Nets ran off 13 straight points to go up 15-2, capped by a 3-point play by Devin Harris; Jazz reserve center Kousta Koufos ended the scoring barrage by New Jersey with a putback, but then Utah would miss their next 8 shots.  A jumper by Morris Almond got the Jazz to within 27-7; Utah somehow managed in the second quarter to reverse their fortunes as they cut the New Jersey lead to 39-31 with some help from Andrei Kirilenko while the Nets shot 5-of-19 during the second quarter.

Both teams’ shooting touch returned in the third quarter as the Nets’ Vince Carter scored 15 points during the period while the Jazz’s Deron Williams scored 12 as New Jersey took a 69 -63 lead into the fourth quarter.  Utah never held the lead until midway through the final period; they fell behind again by 3 but would regain the lead with an 11-0 run.  Kyle Korver followed Paul Millsap’s basket with 5 straight points that gave the Jazz the lead for good at 81-80 with 5:18 remaining in the game.

Utah was led by Mehmet Okur with 23 points, 9 rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot while Millsap and Korver addd 18 each – with Millsap grabbing 12 boards, dishing out an assist along with a steal and blocked shot but turning the ball over 5 times while Korver grabbed 9 rebounds, dished out 2 assists along with a steal and a blocked shot.  Williams pitched in, scoring 17 with 2 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals and a blocked shot.

New Jersey’s high scorer was Carter with 32 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists while Harris added 21 with a rebound, 11 assists and 4 steals; Brook Lopez pitched in with 15 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocked shots.  Utah (16-11) does not play again until Friday when they travel to Detroit to take on the Pistons while New Jersey (12-12) remains home to host the Dallas Mavericks – also on Friday night.


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