Utah Jazz News

Jazz can set road tone
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February 9
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"More than just facing a Clippers team that has dropped six of its last seven games and is just five days removed from Mike Dunleavy's resignation as coach, the Jazz will have the big picture in mind tonight at Staples Center. Having won eight games in a row and 12 of their last 13, the Jazz could take a 10-game winning steak into this weekend's All-Star break with victories over the Clippers and defending champion Lakers back in Utah on Wednesday. Equally as important, with a daunting schedule in which they will play 19 of 31 games away from EnergySolutions Arena after the All-Star break, the Jazz have the opportunity to set the tone for that road stretch beginning tonight. "We've been ..."
Korver's minutes reduced
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February 9
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"His left knee still is not 100 percent, as Kyle Korver acknowledged Monday, but that is only part of the explanation as to why Korver's role has all but vanished in recent games. Korver has not played in two of the Jazz's last three games and appears to be the odd man out of coach Jerry Sloan 's rotation of wing players despite shooting 61.8 percent from three-point range. Sloan said that Korver suffered an unquestioned setback with the knee injury he battled through the preseason and the 27 games he ultimately missed after undergoing surgery Asked Monday about Korver's recently decreased minutes, Sloan said: "They decreased when we started the season. He wasn't there." Sloan also ..."
L.A.'s Chris Kaman, not Carlos Boozer, late All-Star addition
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February 9
The Deseret News
 
"With word out that a replacement would be needed for injured Portland shooting guard Brandon Roy at Sunday's NBA All-Star Game in Texas, Jazz point guard Deron Williams — an All-Star himself this season — figured teammate Carlos Boozer was the obvious choice. "He should be in," Willliams said prior to practice Monday. "Personally, I don't see who else could make it over him." NBA commissioner David Stern saw otherwise. A few hours after Williams spoke, Stern on Monday tapped center Chris Kaman of the Los Angeles Clippers — the Jazz's opponent tonight in their second-to-last game before the All-Star break — as Roy's replacement. That being the case, and unless another Western Conference ..."
Korver trying to get healthy, stay upbeat while sitting
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February 9
The Deseret News
 
"He hasn't turned to him for two of the Jazz's last three games, but coach Jerry Sloan does face head-on the reason swingman Kyle Korver hasn't been playing. "Some of the things he's struggled with a little bit has been his defense," Sloan said Monday. "I think that's hurt him some. "He still shoots the ball very well, but it makes difficult for us to try to put a guy out there just to experiment to see where we are and see where he is." Korver underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Oct. 28, and missed 24 games as a result. He said Monday he still isn't 100 percent, but remains ready to contribute when called upon — and doesn't want to cause ripples when he isn't. "I'm just trying to stay with ..."
Utah Jazz Ironmen
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February 9
The Deseret News
 
"Cue the Black Sabbath music. Dust off Robert Downey Jr.'s gold and maroon high-tech costume. And channel those triathlete and Cal Ripken Jr. vibes. Three Utah Jazz players this season are positioning themselves to be ironmen, which could be defined in NBA terms as male athletes of remarkable endurance and durability who play in every single game. Paul Millsap, Ronnie Brewer and Wesley Matthews are the only guys on Utah's roster who've seen action in all 49 Jazz outings this season heading into tonight's game in Los Angeles against the Clippers. "We're the fortunate ones," Millsap said, "to be able to do that due to (our) strength, a little luck, just how we play." If you're the ..."
Jazz: Kirilenko thrives as starter
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February 8
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"As much as Andrei Kirilenko's run of impressive play can be traced to his return to the starting lineup -- with the Jazz going 11-1 since the move -- it is overlooked that Kirilenko started the season's first eight games with C.J. Miles out after undergoing thumb surgery. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan then opted to bring Kirilenko off the bench for the last two games of a November trip when Deron Williams left to be with his family as one of his daughters underwent medical testing. Kirilenko stayed in the role until Jan. 11. "Now he knows he's important because he's starting," Carlos Boozer said. "And then whatever's motivating him. He's motivated. You can tell by the way he's playing. Whatever ..."
Andrei Kirilenko playing like an All-Star lately
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February 8
The Deseret News
 
"Jerry Sloan now readily acknowledges, with the benefit of hindsight, that perhaps Andrei Kirilenko hasn't been used properly over the years. But lately the Jazz's starting small forward has been playing like the NBA All-Star he once was. Playing like when he stars for his homeland on the world stage. Playing like someone living up to, if such a notion actually is possible, his $16.44 million season-long salary. But why? Why now, and why not previously? Curious minds want to know just what's behind the recent resurgence of the lanky Russian, which not so coincidentally at all coincides roughly with a stretch in which the Jazz have won eight straight and 12 of their last 13 games. ..."
Return to form
Comment
February 7
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Carlos Boozer returned from his calf injury. Paul Millsap returned to the bench. The Utah Jazz continued their winning ways. Boozer and Millsap combined for 35 points and 19 rebounds Saturday night, helping Utah score a 116-106 win over Denver at EnergySolutions Arena. The Jazz's eighth straight win came in Boozer's first game since he suffered strained calf on Jan. 27 against Portland. "I felt great," said Boozer, who finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds. "I think I'm going to continue to get better and better." Boozer played 34 minutes in his comeback game, despite early foul trouble."
Nuggets had eyes for Williams
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February 7
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Had things gone differently in the 2005 draft, George Karl might be coaching a different Denver Nuggets point guard at next Sunday's All-Star Game in Dallas. Not Chauncey Billups , but Deron Williams . As he revealed Saturday, Karl was so impressed by Williams coming out of Illinois that the Nuggets "had a trade on the table" to acquire the No. 2 overall pick from Atlanta and were prepared to select Williams with it. "There is no question that I thought he was going to be a great player," Karl said. "I like him because he has a passion and an energy for the game that's contagious. It's fun to watch, I think it's probably fun to play with, and it's very difficult to play against." Karl ..."
Sweet Revenge
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February 7
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said it best at Saturday's pregame shootaround about these weeks on the NBA calendar: "This is a tough time of the year for a lot of people. Just before the All-Star break, you see a lot of games, you don't know the reason for the outcome of it." The Jazz avoided becoming the latest victims of the inexplicable, holding on for a 116-106 victory at EnergySolutions Arena that if nothing else denied the shorthanded Denver Nuggets their first-ever sweep of the season series over Utah."
Streaking Utah Jazz knock off division-leading Nuggets
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February 7
The Deseret News
 
"The Denver Nuggets learned something about the new-and-improved Utah Jazz on Saturday night. The Jazz, as the Nuggets found out, aren't quite the easy pushovers that the Los Angeles Lakers are. Not anymore, at least. A night after impressively blowing out the Lakers at the Staples Center, the shorthanded Nuggets got deep-fried at EnergySolutions Arena by the still-sizzling Jazz. Utah's 116-106 win was its eighth in a row and moved the 31-18 Jazz to within two games of the Northwest Division-leading Nuggets (34-17). "It's huge," a returned Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer said of the win. "We want to keep going. We want to keep climbing the ladder. We feel like we have no ceiling. The sky's ..."
Booz plays pivotal role down the stretch
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February 7
The Deseret News
 
"It took the majority of the game for it to happen, but by the time Utah polished off Denver on Saturday night, Carlos Boozer again looked like Carlos Boozer. Boozer, back after missing three games with a moderately strained and slightly torn right calf muscle, made several key plays in the final minutes of Utah's 116-106 win. His strong finish featured a fight for a loose ball that resulted in a layup, a steal, two rebounds and a score on a putback. Boozer recorded his 30th double-double of the season with 19 points and 13 rebounds. He shot 8-for-11 while dealing with some foul trouble. "I felt great," Boozer said. "I think I'm going to continue to improve. My leg felt strong enough and ..."
Kirilenko keeps smiling, and so do the Jazz
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February 7
The Deseret News
 
"Who would have figured that at this point of the season, one of the Jazz's big accomplishments would be to beat Denver with the Nuggets' two best players missing? Face it, there was some doubt on Saturday. The Jazz's 116-106 win moved them within two games of the second-best record in the Western Conference. It also helped them avoid getting swept by Denver for the first time in franchise history. When you're as unpredictable as the Jazz, you take the wins where you can, even when the other guys are limping. For some reason (two of them being Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups) the Jazz have struggled this year against a team they used to dominate. Throughout most of their history, the ..."
Return to form
Comment
February 7
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Carlos Boozer returned from his calf injury. Paul Millsap returned to the bench. The Utah Jazz continued their winning ways. Boozer and Millsap combined for 35 points and 19 rebounds Saturday night, helping Utah score a 116-106 win over Denver at EnergySolutions Arena. The Jazz's eighth straight win came in Boozer's first game since he suffered strained calf on Jan. 27 against Portland. "I felt great," said Boozer, who finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds. "I think I'm going to continue to get better and better." Boozer played 34 minutes in his comeback game, despite early foul trouble. "He did OK," coach Jerry Sloan said. "He hasn't been able to practice [except] a day or so. ..."
Nuggets had eyes for Williams
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February 7
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Had things gone differently in the 2005 draft, George Karl might be coaching a different Denver Nuggets point guard at next Sunday's All-Star Game in Dallas. Not Chauncey Billups , but Deron Williams . As he revealed Saturday, Karl was so impressed by Williams coming out of Illinois that the Nuggets "had a trade on the table" to acquire the No. 2 overall pick from Atlanta and were prepared toWilliams with it. "There is no question that I thought he was going to be a great player," Karl said. "I like him because he has a passion and an energy for the game that's contagious. It's fun to watch, I think it's probably fun to play with, and it's very difficult to play against." Karl said he ..."
Nuggets' effort earns Karl's salute despite loss
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February 7
Denver Post
 
"As Nuggets guard Anthony Carter soared for a baseline dunk in the fourth quarter Saturday night, one wondered what was more improbable: That Carter soared for a baseline dunk? That Carter was on the court with Johan Petro, Malik Allen, J.R. Smith and Joey Graham in the fourth quarter? Or that Carter's dunk cut the Utah Jazz's lead, once 18 points in the third quarter, to three? Beleaguered and banged up, the Nuggets indeed hung around. But the Jazz pulled away for a 116-106 victory, its lone win against the Nuggets this season. "After the way we started in the first quarter, a lot of teams could have thrown it in and collapsed," said Nuggets coach George Karl, whose team beat the Lakers ..."
Nuggets had eyes for Jazz's Williams
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February 7
Denver Post
 
"At the NBA All-Star Game next weekend, George Karl will coach Deron Williams and Carmelo Anthony. That could have been an everyday occurrence if fate hadn't detoured. The Nuggets coach said Saturday that back in 2005, Denver had a trade on the table with Atlanta, which had the No. 2 pick in the draft. The plan was for the Nuggets to draft Williams, now an all-star for the Jazz. "I don't know why we didn't do it or what happened, but there's no question that I thought he'd be a great player," Karl said. "I like him because his passion and energy for the game is contagious. It's fun to watch and it's difficult to play against." Atlanta ultimately kept that pick and selected Marvin Williams. ..."
Brewer shrugs off accusation of dirty play
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February 6
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Ronnie Brewer pleaded not guilty Friday after Portland's Nicolas Batum criticized him for perceived dirty play. Batum, who missed the Blazers' first 45 games because of shoulder surgery, leveled his accusation following Utah's 118-105 win on Wednesday night. Batum claimed that Brewer was intentionally running into him and targeting his shoulder while the Jazz were running their offense. Batum, a second-year forward from France, left the game with 8:38 left in the first half after injuring his shoulder. He returned in the second half and finished with eight points. After the game, Batum said, "I know he did it on purpose because he tries to get me every time. Last game, he did the ..."
Jazz GM O'Connor not ruling out a trade
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February 6
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"The Utah Jazz's season has taken on a new dynamic, thanks to an 11-1 record over the last month. Off the court, however, general manager Kevin O'Connor's approach to the upcoming Feb. 18 trade deadline remains unchanged. Asked Friday morning if the Jazz's rise to fourth place in the Western Conference standings has made him more likely or less likely to make a trade in the next 13 days, O'Connor shrugged. "I'd say neither," he said. "... To say we're just going to stand by and play with this team is not correct. We're going to look and see if there is something we can do to improve, as every other NBA team is doing. But if there's not, then we'll stay where we are." Translation: ..."
Carlos Boozer practiced, likely to play Saturday
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February 6
The Deseret News
 
"A couple of hairy problems seem to be under control for the Utah Jazz. For one thing, Carlos Boozer made it through his first full practice with the team on Friday morning. That means the two-time All-Star power forward is optimistic he will play in tonight's big Northwest Division showdown with the Denver Nuggets after missing three games with a strained right calf. "I'm doing well," Boozer said prior to Friday's workout. "All is well. ... As long as it feels great, I'll play (today)." Officially, Boozer will be a game-time decision. Something that won't be there for the 7 p.m. tipoff — and what literally had to be considered the hairier problem — is Deron Williams' bushy beard. The point ..."
Streaking Jazz look to avoid season sweep by Nuggets
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February 6
The Deseret News
 
"The surging Utah Jazz have already clinched the season series against Dallas, San Antonio and Portland. They've also claimed victories against elite teams such as Cleveland, Orlando and the Los Angeles Lakers. That success just might come in handy in the playoffs. One NBA team the Jazz, winners of seven straight, have played but haven't beaten yet this year? OK, not counting Atlanta, Boston, Houston, New Orleans and Oklahoma City? (And, no, the answer isn't Minnesota.) It just so happens to be tonight's opponent. So far, the Jazz are oh-for-Denver in 2009-10. Three tries. And three losses against their rivals from the other side of the Rockies. "They've had our number this year," said Jazz ..."
Shepherding the team: Chaplain for Utah Jazz inspires and counsels
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February 6
The Deseret News
 
"Stories about athletes, sex and crime show up on sports pages and in sports shows. But athletes and religion? Not so much. Still, Utah Jazz chaplain Jerry Lewis has been helping professional athletes deal with issues of faith and repentance for 28 years now. And he's not alone. "Every NBA team has a chaplain," says the Rev. Lewis, who also worked for the Salt Lake Gulls baseball team for three years prior to coming on board with the Jazz. When the local hockey team also requested his services, his wife told him, "It's them or me." There are a lot of athletes looking to keep their lives lined up out there. For the chaplains, it's all volunteer service. Lewis held a day job as a minister of ..."
Jazz: On a roll again
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February 5
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"If they haven't been the best team in basketball for the past month, the Jazz at least have been close to it. Since they went into Dallas on Jan. 9 and won 111-93 in the second game of a back-to-back set, the Jazz have lost just once in their past 12 games. The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers can't say as much, having dropped four games in that same span, including losses to Cleveland, Toronto and Memphis as part of their recently completed eight-game trip. Neither can the Denver Nuggets, the Western Conference's No. 2 team, who have lost three games -- at Sacramento and Oklahoma City as well as home against Phoenix -- and continue to play without Carmelo Anthony. Only the ..."
After sitting out an entire game, Korver just wants some playing time
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February 5
The Deseret News
 
"Kyle Korver experienced something this week he hadn't since he was teammates with Allen Iverson and Derrick Coleman. The Utah Jazz shooting guard ended up with a dreaded DNP-CD on the box score next to his name after Monday's game. It had been a while — a long while — since a healthy Korver recorded a Did Not Play-Coach's Decision as his only stat of the night. Korver didn't complain but, when asked about not playing, agreed it was a bit frustrating. "It's my first one since my rookie year," Korver said. That dates back to 2003-04 when he was with the Philadelphia 76ers. The consolation for Korver was having a front-row seat to a Jazz win — a 104-92 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. On ..."
UVU honors Jazz's Ronnie Price with induction into its Hall of Fame
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February 5
The Deseret News
 
"When Utah Jazz guard Ronnie Price recently got a knock on his door, he never expected it would lead to a high profile return to his alma mater, Utah Valley University. "I opened the door and there were some important people from UVU," Price said. "I didn't know what was going on. They said they wanted to induct me into the Athletic Hall of Fame, something I wasn't expecting." Thursday night, Price returned to the court at the UVU Events Center where his basketball career took off, this time as the guest of honor as he was inducted into the Utah Valley University Athletic Hall of Fame. "I'm very happy to be here and be part of the Hall of Fame," Price told the record-breaking crowd during ..."
Utah confident in Millsap
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February 4
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Although Paul Millsap has opened eyes with his play in the past week while Carlos Boozer has been out with a strained right calf, his teammates insist that nothing about Millsap's improved game has come as a surprise to them. "I saw that this summer, just given the chance, given the time," Deron Williams said. "I've been a fan of Paul Millsap all along so I've always been one of his supporters. He's just getting the chance to show what he can do right now while Booz is out." "It's a comfort level, knowing you're going ot be out there extended minutes, knowing you'll get a couple more shots," C.J. Miles added. "If you can get a rhythm, you don't have to really press for anything. He's done ..."
Utah confident in Millsap
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February 4
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Although Paul Millsap has opened eyes with his play in the past week while Carlos Boozer has been out with a strained right calf, his teammates insist that nothing about Millsap's improved game has come as a surprise to them. "I saw that this summer, just given the chance, given the time," Deron Williams said. "I've been a fan of Paul Millsap all along so I've always been one of his supporters. He's just getting the chance to show what he can do right now while Booz is out." "It's a comfort level, knowing you're going ot be out there extended minutes, knowing you'll get a couple more shots," C.J. Miles added. "If you can get a rhythm, you don't have to really press for anything. He's ..."
Streak hits 7
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February 4
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Andrei Kirilenko caught the ball cutting left across the lane with Martell Webster on his hip and the shot clock expiring in the third quarter Wednesday. Yet somehow he collected the pass from Ronnie Brewer and tossed in a hiccup of a runner back to his right. "I knew I'm not going to have much time to kind of get the ball and set up my legs," Kirilenko said. "So I have to release the ball and pray at least it's going to hit the rim so we have a chance for the offensive rebound. And it goes in. Nice shot." It was that kind of night for the Jazz, who hit 24 of 34 shots (70.6 percent) in the second half on the way to a 118-105 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at EnergySolutions Arena, ..."
Okur powers Jazz victory
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February 4
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Memo Okur was driving Wednesday night. The Jazz went along for the ride. Okur scored a season-high 28 points on 11-for-13 shooting to lead Utah to a 118-105 victory over Portland at EnergySolutions Arena. Okur didn't bury the Blazers from the three-point line. Instead, he willingly put the ball on the floor and got to the basket. The strategy paid huge dividends for the Jazz, who shot 62.7 percent. They have scored more than 118 points only three times this season. "He took the ball inside a couple of times ... and found himself open for easy baskets," coach Jerry Sloan said. "I think that gave him confidence." Okur got the Jazz started with a drive-and-dunk less than two minutes into the ..."
Hot shooting Jazz blaze by Portland
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February 4
The Deseret News
 
"Andrei Kirilenko calls them "almost-perfect games." Jerry Sloan and Deron Williams might beg to differ. However close to, or far from, flawless they may be, though, the Jazz's ever-growing list of really good outings lately has expanded by one. Utah beat Portland 118-105 on Wednesday night at sold-out EnergySolutions Arena, doing so behind a season-high 28 points from center Mehmet Okur and a collective season-high 62.7 percent shooting from the field aided by Okur's 10-for-13. It was the seventh straight win and 11th in their last 12 games for the 30-18 Jazz, who also got 22 points and a season-high eight assists from Kirilenko, a 13-point and 13-assist double-double from Williams and 16 ..."
Andrei Kirilenko thriving at 4 position
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February 4
The Deseret News
 
"With the shot clock winding down during a late third-quarter possession on Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena, Jazz guard Ronnie Brewer threw a pass to Andrei Kirilenko, who was cutting to his left. Kirilenko was in the air as he caught the ball, and in one motion — without coming down to the ground — turned and hit a six-footer over a Trail Blazer defender. It was the type of athletic move that draws oohs, ahhs and "did you just see that?" reactions from the crowd. Kirilenko, for his part, called it "lucky." But it was that kind of shooting night for Kirilenko and the red-hot Jazz, who beat their Northwestern Division rivals 118-105 while shooting a season-best 62.7 percent from the ..."
Carlos Boozer is targeting Saturday return
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February 4
The Deseret News
 
"He said he felt "a little too tight, a little too sore" to play in Wednesday's win over Portland. But Carlos Boozer, injured one week earlier at Portland, continues to eye Saturday's home game against Denver for a return from his moderately strained and slightly torn right calf muscle injury. "I'm feeling good. Feeling good," the Jazz's usual starting power forward said Wednesday. "I'm working out, getting better. "There's still a little tightness in it," Boozer added, "but it's gotten a lot stronger in the last couple days. It's still on course." Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, meanwhile, seems to have grown increasingly tired of queries about whether backup and replacement-starter Paul Millsap ..."
Jazz have a field day at home
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February 4
Portland Tribune
 
"Offense was not a problem for the Trail Blazers Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena. But defense sure was. Utah shot .627 from the field – best for a Portland opponent this season – and never trailed after late in the first quarter in a 118-105 victory over Portland. It was the seventh straight win for the Jazz (30-18), who beat Portland (29-22) for the second time in a week and ran their record against the Blazers this season to 3-0. Portland took 20 more shots from the field than the Jazz but was only 37 for 87 (.425). Utah was 42 for 67, racked up a whopping 62-38 advantage in points in the paint and amassed the most points for a Blazer foe all year. Mehmet Okur sank 11 of 13 shots ..."
Mehmet Okur is 'Money' against Blazers
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February 4
The Deseret News
 
""Junior Money," the name Mehmet Okur jokingly said his soon-to-be-born son will go by, might want to watch a replay of his pop's performance from Wednesday when he grows up. The little Okur might be able to find someone from Turkey who can help him do that someday, too. A soldout crowd of 19,911 at EnergySolutions Arena certainly liked what they saw from the already proud papa, who lived up to his nickname during the Utah Jazz's 118-105 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The man P.A. announcer Dan Roberts enthusiastically calls "Money" cashed in for a season-high 28 points while making a sizzling 9 of 11 shots on what was unofficially Turkish Delight & Highlight Night at EnergySolutions ..."
Old logo could be right note for Jazz
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February 3
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"To Jazz fans with a certain nostalgia, the news will be music to their ears and eyes: More than just a throwback jersey this season, the Jazz are considering bringing back their old logo on a full-time basis. Jazz president Randy Rigby confirmed that the team has talked to the NBA about the possibility of returning to the music note logo worn through the team's history by everyone from Pete Maravich and Darrell Griffith to John Stockton and Karl Malone. "We're looking at that," Rigby said, adding, "We've kept that mark so that we can look at maybe doing a redesign.""
Boozer targets Saturday return
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February 3
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"With Carlos Boozer targeting Saturday's game against Denver to return from his strained right calf, the Jazz again will face the question of what to do with Paul Millsap , who has starred so far in Boozer's absence. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan suggested Millsap would resume coming off the bench once Boozer returns. Millsap is coming off games of 25 points, nine rebounds and four blocks against Dallas and 32 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists against Sacramento. "It shouldn't be a problem, I wouldn't think, because the bottom line is winning," Sloan said. "If there's anything other than that involved in it, then nothing ever works in this league, whenever that becomes a focal point of 'I'm ..."
Jazz becoming a dangerous team
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February 3
Salt Lake Tribune
 columnist Gordon Monson
"One by one, the Jazz blew through their locker room Monday night, pleased to have beaten the Dallas Mavericks, happy to have taken their sixth straight win and their 10th in 11 games, partially satisfied to have found a loftier state of mind and play. "We're just playing basketball now," Paul Millsap told reporters. So they are. That's not what the Jazz were doing a month or two months or three months ago. No, they were hauling their sorry carcasses up and down the floor, getting beat by teams with no business beating them. A month back, it was the New Orleans Hornets, who had gone just 2-11 on the road at that juncture, coming into EnergySolutions Arena and winning. Two months back, ..."
Boozer, Brewer both miss practice due to injuries
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February 3
The Deseret News
 
"Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer both missed Utah Jazz practice this morning because of injuries. Brewer has a bruised back — an injury that happened in Monday night's 104-92 win over the Dallas Mavericks. The Jazz's starting shooting guard will be a game-time decision for Wednesday night's home game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Boozer, meanwhile, continues to nurse his strained right calf, which has kept him out of the last two Jazz victories in the team's six-game winning streak."
Williams busy on All-Star Weekend
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February 3
The Deseret News
 
"Deron Williams might not have too much time to spend with his hometown friends when he returns to Dallas this month. The Utah Jazz point guard's schedule is quickly filling up for All-Star Weekend. Not only will Williams participate in the NBA All-Star Game for the first time — after being voted in as a reserve by the league's head coaches last week — but the fifth-year pro will also vie for a second Skills Challenge championship while he's home. Williams will compete against defending champ Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, the Suns' Steve Nash and Milwaukee rookie Brandon Jennings in the 2010 Taco Bell Skills Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 13. Williams won the obstacle course event — which ..."
Utah Jazz breaking teams in 4th
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February 3
The Deseret News
 
"During the break between the third and fourth quarters, Utah Jazz players try to rile up the EnergySolutions Arena masses with messages on the scoreboard video screen. Fans are enthusiastically encouraged by guys on the home team to be loud and energized for the final 12 minutes of action. The pre-taped pep talk includes a humorous blurb by Andrei Kirilenko, who imitates his doppleganger boxer from Rocky IV by menacingly blurting out, "I will break you!" The Jazz forward even manages to pull off Ivan Drago's Russian accent pretty well. All the rah-rah rhetoric seems to be working. Utah has been great at breaking the will of teams in the fourth quarter this season. The Jazz are 16-0 at home ..."
Jazz pulls away late from Mavericks
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February 2
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Remember those Mavericks who were so good at executing and keeping their poise in tight situations earlier this season?If you find them, please return to coach Rick Carlisle as soon as possible.That team is gone. Monday night's fourth quarter was proof as the Utah Jazz dismantled the Mavericks down the stretch for a 104-92 runaway win at EnergySolutions Arena.It was a tight game early in the fourth, but the Jazz went on a 12-2 binge to go ahead 98-84 and close out the Mavericks, who lost their third game in a row. It's the first time all season they have dropped three consecutive.They were hammered down the stretch by Paul Millsap, who had 25 points and nine rebounds, and Deron Williams. ..."
Millsap delivers again in Boozer's absence
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February 2
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Paul Millsap continues to do a masterful Carlos Boozer impression. In his second start for the injured Boozer, Millsap finished with 25 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots in the Jazz's 104-92 win over Dallas on Monday night at EnergySolutions Arena. Millsap dueled the Mavericks' perennial All-Star and MVP candidate, Dirk Nowitzki, to a near standoff. Nowitzki finished with 28 points and eight rebounds -- not nearly enough to prevent Millsap"
Jazz sprint away from Mavs in 4th
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February 2
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"There are still four games remaining, but the way they ran away with the fourth quarter Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks, the Jazz could find themselves the Western Conference's third-place team heading into next week's All-Star break. The Jazz cradled a one-point lead heading into the final period but surged to a 104-92 victory while totaling seven offensive rebounds, seven steals and three blocks in winning the hustle-filled quarter 27-16 at EnergySolutions Arena. It was the Jazz's sixth consecutive victory, as well as 10th in the last 11 games, and left them just a half-game behind No. 3 Dallas in the conference standings. The Mavericks not only dropped their third ..."
Williams rejoins the Jazz
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February 2
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Even if the circumstances were less than ideal, Deron Williams said he was able to celebrate his first All-Star Game selection over the weekend as he traveled to West Virginia for the funeral of an uncle. "I got to enjoy it," Williams said. "It's kind of bittersweet. Your first All-Star Game and my uncle dies. But I had a good time. I got to see a lot of my family that I haven't seen in a while. Funerals always bring people closer together." Williams rejoined the Jazz on Monday after missing Friday's victory over Sacramento. Although he admitted to having played no basketball while away, Williams said he didn't expect to be out of rhythm. "I feel good," Williams said. "Rest is always ..."
Nowitzki's quiet 4th quarter finishes off Mavericks
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February 2
The Deseret News
 
"Dallas Mavericks superstar forward Dirk Nowitzki went off for 14 points in the third quarter against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena, seemingly determined to ensure his team would avoid its first three-game losing streak of the season. But then in the fourth, Nowitzki was a forgotten man. He didn't even attempt a single shot from the field, as the Jazz took control of a previously close game to win going away, 104-92. "In the fourth quarter they really stepped up their pressure," said Nowitzki of the Jazz. "You've got to give them credit. They went with a smaller lineup with (Andrei) Kirilenko at the four and they created a lot of turnovers. We threw the ball all over the gym." It's ..."
Deron Williams returns, leads Jazz to victory
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February 2
The Deseret News
 
"Before returning for Monday's win over the Dallas Mavericks, the amount of basketball Deron Williams played from Thursday through Sunday could be summed up in one word. "None," he said. It apparently was a much-needed break from the game for Williams, who missed Friday's win over Sacramento and practice Sunday so he could attend an uncle's funeral in the Jazz point guard's native West Virginia. "I feel good," said Williams, tapped last Thursday to make his first NBA All-Star Game appearance on Feb. 14 in the Dallas area. "Rest is always good at this point in the season," he added, the Jazz now 47 games into their 82-game regular season. "Missing a couple of days — it's not gonna hurt me." ..."
Jazz defeat Mavs, win streak climbs to six
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February 2
The Deseret News
 
"Their season's first half in the rearview mirror, the second so far has been a road chock full of sites worth seeing and savoring. The latest on an itinerary worth saving: A 104-92 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night at sold-out EnergySolutions that marked the Jazz's sixth straight win, their eighth in a row at home and the 10th in their last 11 outings overall. "The first half of the season we felt like we looked bad," said power forward Paul Millsap, who with Carlos Boozer (strained calf) out for a second straight game led the Jazz in scoring for a second consecutive time. "We felt like we weren't playing the basketball that we're used to playing. And we just had to turn it ..."
A key stretch of games for Utah
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February 1
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"The way the standings have taken shape, the Jazz aren't about to understate the importance of tonight's game against Dallas, which opens a week of games that could impact their playoff seeding come April. Trailing the Mavericks by 11/2 games for third place in the Western Conference, the Jazz not only could close within a half-game with a victory, they would win the abbreviated three-game season series between the teams. Should Dallas win the Southwest Division and the Jazz finish second in the Nothwest, the Mavericks would own the tiebreaker if both teams finished with identical records no matter what. Otherwise, the winner of tonight's game will hold it. "You don't want it to come ..."
Brutal week awaits red-hot Jazz
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February 1
The Deseret News
 
"They have seen what a nice run can do, vaulting them from outside of the NBA's Western Conference playoff picture to a front-row seat in the latest postseason snapshot. They know what even a short nosedive can do, too — with eight teams still vying for five berths behind the conference's three division champs. It's with that in mind that the 28-18 Jazz — winners of five straight, and nine of their last 10 — kick off a brutal week, something they've have had plenty of already this season. "It seems like now, the way things stack up, that every game is important, you know?" Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said Sunday. Monday's comes with extra meaning, because a win over Dirk Nowitzki and 30-17 ..."
Brothers dot college landscape for Jazz players
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February 1
The Deseret News
 
"Kyle Korver jokingly says he doesn't want to tell Kevin O'Connor too much about his younger brothers who play Division I college basketball. Telling the Jazz general manager to scout his brothers — Kaleb at Creighton and Kirk at the University of Missouri-Kansas City — could be detrimental to his job. "They'll come and take my spot," he laughed."