Jazz News

"They don't believe. Oh, they want to. They're trying hard to. You can almost hear the Jazz straining to talk themselves into believing they can beat the Lakers. "A lot of people don't think we can play with this team," said Jazz guard Deron Williams. "We feel like we can. "We feel like we haven't played a good game against them yet. Hopefully we're due for one." This isn't the time of year to hang ambitions on hope. Not that two games make a series, but the Jazz just don't look like a team that deep down in its little heart of hearts, believes it's the better team."

"Lakers coach Phil Jackson probably won't pull a Gene Hackman before the team's shootaround this morning in Salt Lake City. Jackson probably won't take a tape measure from his pocket and demonstrate that the basket is still 10 feet off the floor and that the free-throw line is still 15 feet from the hoop, just as it is on the Lakers' home court at Staples Center. "

"The Lakers may have looked unbeatable in taking a 2-0 lead over Utah, but the best-of-seven series is far from over based on NBA playoff history. Just ask Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan or Las Vegas oddsmakers. In 1971, Sloan was a veteran guard playing for the Chicago Bulls, who faced the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals. With Gail Goodrich leading the way, the Lakers won the first two games in Los Angeles, but when the series moved to Chicago, Sloan helped lead the Bulls to consecutive victories. "

"The Utah Jazz has unwillingly been in this situation before, survived and lived to tell about it. Historically, NBA teams down 0-2 in best-of-seven playoff series, as the Jazz is to the Lakers, have won the series only 13 times. But these Jazz performed the Houdini act last year, recoiling from that deficit to beat the Houston Rockets with the capper coming in a Game 7 victory on the road. Of course, Utah also fell 0-2 behind the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals last season and lost that series in five games."

"The league shifted toward fun-to-watch, hard-to-guard, run-and-gun teams, sprinkled -- as has long been the NBA's case -- with a couple of dominant centers. Jerry Sloan's teams were none of those. All along they plodded along. They picked. They popped. They rolled. Oh, did they roll. Through the John Stockton and Karl Malone era and a trying time of transition to now, when one doesn't have to look hard to see Stockton and Malone reincarnated in Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, Sloan's teams are marked by their physical play, diligence and execution. Just like their coach."

"Kobe Bryant added another honor Thursday to go with his MVP award, becoming the only unanimous selection to the All-NBA team. Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams and Jazz forward Carlos Boozer were named to the second and third teams, respectively."

"Paul Millsap doesn't blame it on that, "but I've been real sick these past playoffs. I felt real good (Wednesday) and had a good practice the day before that, so that always helps out." Millsap got well just in time for the Utah Jazz as starting power forward Carlos Boozer has been saddled with foul trouble and stretches of ineffectiveness on offense."

"Plenty of things have gone wrong for the Utah Jazz in their Western Conference semifinal series with the Lakers. Most notably, the way they've started their two losses. Several factors have forced Utah to try and dig out of large first-half deficits in its two defeats to Los Angeles. In Game 1, the Jazz scored eight points during a close to eight-minute span in the second quarter and fell behind by 17 points before halftime. In Game 2, Utah played defense like matadors early in the contest, falling behind by 15 points in the first quarter."

"Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller says he won't attend Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals because it's being played on a Sunday. Miller, who's LDS, says he won't attend because of religious reasons. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages members to avoid non-religious activities on Sundays. Miller told The Salt Lake Tribune he probably won't watch the game on TV or listen on radio, but his wife might watch the game and give him updates while he takes a long drive."

"He might feel differently if he coached Kobe Bryant, but Jerry Sloan has seen about enough of Utah Jazz players trying to make things happen on their own during this second-round series. After watching his team lose twice to the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center — and suffering through game tape in the aftermath of the losses — the veteran coach wants his squad to start playing like a team on offense as the Western Conference semifinals head to Salt Lake City for games 3 and 4."

"Now that the Jazz-Lakers playoff series has moved to Utah — where the deer, antelope and D-Will play — it promises a different tenor. That's not to say the Jazz will necessarily win tonight's or Sunday's game. Rather, it merely guarantees a change. That's what happens when you move from the Staples Center to EnergySolutions Arena. You go from a place where removing your sunglasses is demonstrative, to one where painting your face and waving an inflatable woman seems OK. So yes, it's going to be rowdy."

"Some players avoid saying this particular word — kind of like how they'd shy away from dropping a four-letter bomb in front of their mom or preacher. But Carlos Boozer used the dreaded noun to describe what he's going through in these playoffs. Even at the risk of having to add a quarter to the "Naughty Word Jar," Boozer admitted Thursday that he is indeed experiencing a mind-boggling (close your ears!) "slump.""

" The ex-Jazz combo guard, now back with his old club, has made himself an integral part of the best-of-seven series, and after its first two games — both Laker victories — he is a primary part of the lead. Fisher had six steals in last Sunday's Game 1, and frustrated Jazz point guard Deron Williams to no end. He picked up where he left off in Wednesday night's Game 2, scoring 22 points, shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from 3-point range, and nabbing three assists. Moreover, he continued to fluster Williams, helping hold the Jazz guard to just three first-half points."

" Jazz guard Deron Williams has been voted to the All-NBA second team, while teammate Carlos Boozer is a member of the third team. "

"Slow starts quickly are dashing the Jazz's chance to win their Western Conference semifinal series against the Lakers. Led by Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles has used first-half domination to build a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series that continues tonight at EnergySolutions Arena. Bryant scored 24 points in the first half of Game 1, when the Lakers built a 54-41 lead. He had 12 points and four rebounds in the first half of Game 2, when L.A. opened a 63-49 lead. In both games, the Jazz rallied, but they could not get the road victory they theoretically need to win the series. "

"As they return home trailing the Los Angeles Lakers 0-2 in the Western Conference semifinals, the Jazz can take some comfort in having been here before in last year's playoffs against Houston in the first round and San Antonio in the conference finals. "We've just got to focus on the first one, getting the first one," Deron Williams said before Thursday's practice. "Sometimes that's all you need is to get that one win and it'll jumpstart you and energize you, and that's what we need." "

"Telling the story of the emotion-filled day when he agonized about losing his infant daughter and winning a basketball game, Derek Fisher remembered everything about the feelings, fears and satisfaction he experienced. He completely forgot the date: May 9. Only when someone pointed out how today would be the anniversary of the events that began with Tatum Fisher's initial, successful cancer treatment in a New York hospital and ended with her father's triumph at EnergySolutions Arena did the convergence hit home. "

"The flags are back flapping from car windows. The jerseys and T-shirts are flying off store shelves. But there is one difference this season from the Los Angeles Lakers' recent glory years. "Even when we were winning three championships, we didn't have as big a following on the road as we do now," Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said. "There are a lot of Laker fans out there and I think there is a renewed energy from us not being successful the last few years, and our fans are really excited about it." "

"Where do you go when you're sick and tired and all long-faced and droopy-eyed and feeling sorry for yourself and getting into foul trouble and in bad need of a big, big hug? Home, baby. You go home. On the other hand, that's where you go to die, too. The application that best suits the Jazz - or is it all of the above? - will come to light soon enough. They need their comfort. They need their rest in peace. After what the Jazz have been through against the Lakers in L.A., there's no place like home. "

"With Kobe Bryant being awarded the NBA MVP trophy (for a second straight day) Wednesday, Jazz point guard Deron Williams was asked if that is something he thinks he might some day win. "It's something attainable. It's possible," said Williams, who after three NBA seasons still is looking to make his first All-Star Game appearance. "(But) I don't think about it. I just try to help my team win, and everything else will take care of itself." When it came to the question of comparisons, however, Williams wasn't about to bite. "I mean, he's got a different swagger," the Jazz point guard. "He's the best player on the planet, you know, so, I mean, I'm not gonna compare myself to Kobe. The guy's got three championships and an MVP under his belt.""

"On the morning of Game 2 of the Jazz-Lakers series, a Deseret News reader left a plaintive comment on the paper's Website. "Will someone please invite Booz to the game?" Alas, that invitation apparently was lost in the mail. Carlos Boozer's nightmarish playoffs bottomed out Wednesday night at Staples Center, as he went missing in Utah's 120-110 loss to the Lakers. And Boozer is running out of time to join the party."

"When Kobe Bryant formally accepted his first NBA MVP trophy from league commissioner David Stern on Wednesday night, the Staples Center venue awash in Hollywood glitz and glamor, the Los Angeles Lakers' superstar did so as a changed, perhaps even humbled, man. Deron Williams sees as much on the court. Luke Walton sees it on, and off. "It's just little things — taking guys out to dinner, spending more time with people, talking and explaining," said Walton, the son of NBA legend Bill Walton and a teammate of the particularly private Bryant for five seasons in Los Angeles. "You know, he's such a great talent that for him, sometimes, I think it's frustrating when people don't understand what he's trying to explain, or what other teams are doing out there," Walton added."

" By the time the celebration was complete late Wednesday night, and Bryant's Lakers had finished beating the Jazz 120-110 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, L.A. indeed was halfway done with Utah and well down to the road to its first Western Conference finals since 2004. The Jazz? They were left wondering what in the world it will take, when the series resumes with Game 3 on Friday night at EnergySolutions Arena, to overcome Bryant and the club he carries."

"Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller said he will not be in his customary courtside seat on Sunday when the Jazz play host to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the teams' Western Conference semifinals series at EnergySolutions Arena. Citing religious reasons, Miller said he won't even be in the building at all, regardless of the importance of the game, which also falls on Mother's Day. "About 15 years ago, I decided [going to Sunday games] just didn't fit with what I wanted to be," Miller told The Salt Lake Tribune on Wednesday. "It's just a personal thing." "

"Everybody associated with the Jazz took some small bit of comfort, after a bad opening loss the other day, in the notion that they could put up a much better effort, a much better fight against the Lakers in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series here. But what if they did all that and still lost? Despite an uncomely initial setback, the immediate future supposedly was . . . what's this, bright? That seed of semi-optimism found root in a dark-soiled reality: Neither their effort, nor their fight could get much worse, especially at the offensive end. "

"In his first year with the Jazz, guard Jason Hart is back in his hometown for the playoffs, a member of a team playing in the Western Conference semifinals. There's just one problem. "My whole family is Laker fans," acknowledged Hart, who grew up 15 minutes south of Staples Center and played at Inglewood High. "They root for me, but the rest of the time they want to see the Lakers." "

"If they were listening as Pau Gasol stepped to the foul line with 37.4 seconds left in Wednesday night's game, the Jazz would have heard the Staples Center crowd having moved on from chants of "MVP" for Kobe Bryant to cries for a sweep. For the second consecutive game in these Western Conference semifinals, the Jazz played from behind against the Los Angeles Lakers and paid the price. They trailed by 15 at the end of a disastrous first quarter on the way to falling 120-110 in Game 2. "

"Carlos Boozer wasn't on the court at the end of Game 1 of the Utah Jazz's Western Conference semifinal series against the Los Angeles Lakers because he fouled out. Boozer didn't need to wait nearly as long to take a seat on the bench in Game 2 on Wednesday night. The Jazz forward picked up his second foul with 5 minutes, 29 seconds still remaining in the first quarter and was whistled for his third foul a mere 19 seconds after returning to the court at the start of the second quarter in the Jazz's 120-110 loss. "

"It's a common practice at sporting events to spotlight any celebrities in attendance on the videoboard during timeouts. But one break in the action isn't enough at Staples Center, where the star power in the crowd often rivals the star power on the court. Playing just a short drive from Hollywood, the Los Angeles Lakers attract more celebrities than a movie premiere. Staples is the place to be and be seen, especially during the playoffs. The most well-known Lakers fan - Jack Nicholson - was back in his normal seat for Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals between the Lakers and Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. "

"The Sonics will name Utah Jazz head scout Troy Weaver as their assistant general manager, two NBA sources told the Seattle P-I on Wednesday. Weaver replaces Scott Perry, who spent one season in Seattle before returning to the Detroit Pistons as vice president of basketball operations. The Sonics had no comment on the assistant general manager search."

"Troy Weaver, a front-office executive with the Utah Jazz, is the top candidate to fill the Sonics' vacant assistant general manager position and he's expected to accept an offer from the team, according to two NBA sources. The sources spoke anonymously because an official announcement is forthcoming. Sonics general manager Sam Presti was unavailable for comment Wednesday. Weaver joined Utah in 2003 as a head scout and spent the past season as director of player personnel. He built a reputation as a keen talent evaluator and was instrumental in the Jazz drafting guards Deron Williams, C.J. Miles and Ronnie Brewer and forward Paul Millsap."

"This was Kobe Bryant's night, his party and, ultimately, his game. Bryant picked up the MVP trophy for the first time in front of adoring Lakers fans Wednesday night and held it high for everyone in Staples Center to see. He smiled broadly, nervously thanked the fans and told them he loved them. "Let's get this party started," he said. Bryant then teamed with the Lakers to defeat the Utah Jazz 120-110 in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal playoff series. The Lakers stopped smiling, set their jaws and went to work building a two-games-to none lead."

"When do the playoffs start? Oh, this is them? Utah's bus hasn't caught on fire yet and none of the Jazz players has said the players and coaches have quit. Aside from that, their first two games against the Lakers haven't gone much better than those of the Denver Nuggets. Once again, the Jazz got behind early -- 15 points after trailing by 17 in Game 1 -- and once again, it was too much to make up in a 120-110 loss to the Lakers, who are now 6-0 this postseason and 2-0 in this second-round series."

"NBA Commissioner David Stern stopped by the press room before the game and said he had just met with the referees, I presume to remind them how excited he is about the upcoming Boston-L.A. Finals. For some reason when this game started, the refs called four fouls on Utah, none on the Lakers, and then tagged Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan with a technical foul. No need to make it so obvious, guys. If Stern is worried about a Lakers-Celtics matchup, he ought to be spending most of his time with Boston."

"Just another night at Staples Center, where the Lakers ran over another playoff opponent, continued to march further into May, and celebrated the eighth MVP award in team history. The Lakers won for the sixth time in as many playoff games with a 120-110 victory Wednesday over the Utah Jazz, a night in which Lakers fans were exuberant from beginning to end as the newest most valuable player played like one."

"Kobe Bryant, the Lakers' star who will be awarded the NBA's MVP trophy by commissioner David Stern Wednesday night at Game 2 of the second-round playoff game against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center, is known for his remarkable offense. Jazz center Mehmet Okur said Tuesday the Jazz have to worry about his defense, too. "He was active on the defensive end and (would) come behind us, try to steal the ball," Okur remembered of Sunday's Game 1 Utah loss in which the Jazz had seven second-quarter turnovers. Bryant had one steal."

"Game 2 of the Jazz-Los Angeles Lakers NBA Western Conference semifinal series hasn't even been played yet — it comes tonight — and already Lakers coach Phil Jackson is dreading the atmosphere for Friday's Game 3 in Utah. Blame the refs. Blame Bear. Asked Tuesday what makes it so difficult to play in Salt Lake City, Jackson said, "I enumerated some of the things a couple years ago; I was fined $50,000. So that's some of it.""

"For the last several months before or after Jazz practices, assistant coach Tyrone Corbin has spent time working with center Mehmet Okur, sometimes bodying up on him but often charging at him on the perimeter, as defenders have come to do against Utah's outside-shooting big man. Other times, Corbin will make a run toward Okur on the perimeter and then stop short so he can play Okur if he tries to drive — which has become a big part of the big man's game since the All-Star break. The idea has been to get Okur to recognize his options."

"Not too long ago, Hollywood produced a movie about wedding crashers. Tonight, the Utah Jazz hope to help inspire a sequel of sorts. They could call it "The Coronation Crashers." While publicly they agree Kobe Bryant deserves the NBA's MVP trophy he will receive from commissioner David Stern before Game 2 tonight, the Jazz would love nothing more than to crash his award party. That, however, probably isn't a script moviemakers attending the 8:30 p.m. Jazz-Los Angeles Lakers game would like."

"Now he's a good teammate. Now he's happy. Now he talks nice about his teammates and shares the ball with them. Now he wants to be a Laker for life. Now he's an MVP. With his official coronation as the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Tuesday, Kobe Bryant finally has everything he wanted, except a world championship when he was Da Man and not somebody's sidekick. Bryant has transformed himself into the perfect basketball player. Just brace yourself if things ever go awry again. We've seen Bryant at such times, and it's not a pretty sight."

"It was only a couple of hours before they handed out the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award on Tuesday, but there he was, all by his lonesome at the Lakers' practice gym. Not another reporter even close. So naturally I seized the opportunity. I had Coby all to myself. That would be Coby Karl, last man in the Los Angeles Lakers' roster, not MVP Kobe Bryant. Hey, you take your Kobes, er, Cobys where you can get 'em. When the Jazz and Lakers meet tonight in Game 2 of the playoffs, you probably won't notice Coby Karl. He'll be the guy who doesn't dress. The guy who is is behind Jordan Farmar, behind Didier Ilunga-Mbenga, behind Ira Newbie and behind Chris Mihm. Behind everyone who is anyone with the Lakers except maybe the guy selling peanuts."

"Even after spending just one season in Utah, Los Angeles Lakers point guard Derek Fisher knows how Jazz coach Jerry Sloan thinks. Knows how he'd react. Knows what he'll say. Which is why Fisher did not hesitate when asked what Sloan, having had time to digest the Lakers' Game 1 victory over the Jazz in the NBA Western Conference semifinal series, will do to help his club adjust for tonight's Game 2. "He'll continue," Fisher said, "to impress upon to them to throw the first punch, so to speak — continue to be the team that is physical and is gonna play hard, not giving up an easy shot, continuing to pound the offensive glass."

"If tonight's game is destined to be a coronation for Kobe Bryant, with the Lakers guard presented with his MVP award by NBA commissioner David Stern, the Jazz would like nothing better than to be party crashers. They will have the chance once the pregame ceremony ends and Game 2 begins. Trying to downplay the occasion, Deron Williams said the Jazz knew Bryant had won the award before this playoff series started. "We don't have to play against the award," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan added."

"Jeff Hornacek spent much of two NBA Finals try to harass Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan and prevent him from single-handedly beating the Jazz. That's why Hornacek can empathize with Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, Andrei Kirilenko and whoever else draws the defensive assignment on Kobe Bryant in the Utah-L.A. Lakers playoff series. Been there, done that. Even if it's an almost impossible task. "

"Despite having Sunday's Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals between the Jazz and Lakers held in Salt Lake City on Mother's Day, the Jazz organization wasn't worried about not having enough fans attend the crucial playoff game. And the Jazz employees were right. Like many of the Jazz games at EnergySolutions Arena, Sunday's contest was sold out in minutes. Linda Luchetti, the vice president of communications for the Jazz, said the game was sold out in 15 minutes after the tickets went on sale Monday at 10 a.m. "

"The Jazz sense the opportunity to hammer the Lakers inside, with Boozer matched up against Gasol or Lamar Odom, but their All-Star forward has struggled so far in the playoffs. It has been 15 games and counting since Boozer last scored more than 21 points...Along with Orlando's Dwight Howard, Minnesota's Al Jefferson and Washington's Antawn Jamison, Boozer was one of four NBA players to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season. On the eve of Game 2, Boozer maintained Tuesday that he is not growing frustrated. "Nah, just more anxious," Boozer said."

"Derek Fisher is a good defensive player. A smart defensive player. But in this playoff series against the Utah Jazz, he has got an extra advantage. You see, last season Fisher was a member of the Jazz, and it's not like they asked him to turn in a playbook before leaving the training facility. "He knows them," Lakers forward Luke Walton said of Fisher. "The coaches have a pretty detailed scouting report of what they like to do, but (Fisher's) helping us out a lot in practice or by clearing up any questions we might have on it." Asked if sharing the inside information was against some informal code of conduct, Walton scoffed. "

"Calm yourself. This breathless routine is not only premature, it's less than insightful. The Lakers' sweep of Denver was a fairly impressive accomplishment, but it did not herald the next NBA champion. It did not announce the new playoff bully was in town. All those worried about which team the Lakers would best match up against in the next round had best take one humongous step backward and focus on the very real problem at hand: The Utah Jazz."

"The plan for the Utah Jazz? Split in Los Angeles. Then split from Los Angeles. Down, 1-0, in the best-of-seven series with the Lakers, the Jazz has not lost consecutive games since December. In Utah, where Games 3 and 4 will be played, the Jazz enjoyed the best home record in the regular season, 37-4. "We need to try and win one on the road," Jazz guard Ronnie Brewer said at Tuesday's practice before the Jazz was set to return to Los Angeles for Game 2 on Wednesday. "It's a lot of pressure coming back home 0-2. If we can go there and steal one, it would be a great opportunity and help us in this series."

"Deron Williams' initial reaction was to place the blame on himself for the Jazz's 109-98 loss to the Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Sunday afternoon. He did have a dreadful shooting outing, making just 27.7 percent (5-for-18) of his attempts from the field. Overall, however, his play was solid, and there wasn't a person at Jazz practice on Monday morning who would blame Williams for Utah's Game 1 defeat."