April 21, 2008
Good Morning from Houston and Game 2 of the NBA Playoffs. How fun was game 1? The Jazz were terrific. When I asked the players what they were most proud of in their performance during Game 1, the answers were wide ranging. Boozer said, how they answered the Houston run, Korver agreed mentioning the physical play and grit, Deron talked of the overall focus, and Harpring highlighted the defense.
A great moment from practice yesterday was when a reporter started a question to Deron with, "You guys have a split." Deron interrupted him and said, "No we won one and we are going for two on Monday." Deron is one of the most single minded athletes I have been around.
I have spent a lot of time with Deron this year. We do a weekly radio show on Wednesday's at 5pm on 1320 K-Fan. He lives in the moment as much as anyone I have ever talked to. He doesn't look back. He doesn't look ahead. He is in the moment. In addition, he is obsessed with winning. I honestly believe that he has never embarked on anything he doesn't think he can win. Not all athletes are like that. A lot of them live in fear of losing, or are driven not lose. Deron is different. He thinks only of how he is going to win. As a Jazz fan you have to love that.
[SIC]
WATHCING DERON
At practice yesterday, I decided to sit through an entire interview session with Deron to see what it is like. Usually, I am running from one player to the next getting interviews, so this is the first time I have ever sat with one player the entire time.
After he finished his shooting, Deron took a seat on the front row and waited for the media to arrive. When the first three of us arrived, he asked to wait until most of the group came so he didn't have to answer the same question every time. Nice try, but no luck.
During the 10 to 15 minute time frame, Deron answered questions about the difference in AK from this year to last year, 4 different times. He was patient and you would have never known he had answered those questions before.
He talked about how hard AK has worked this year before and after practices, and that is a change from the past. He also mentioned that despite the trade issues in the off-season, he always wanted him on the team. He complimented AK for carrying the team offensively at the beginning of the game, and disrupting McGrady on the defensive end.
Deron's answers were concise and comfortable.The reporters, me included, often make things more complicated and Deron is just about winning. He brings it back to winning in almost ever answer.
From his perspective, he is seated on a chair and there are 10 to 15 people mobbed around him asking questions. About 3 or 4 waves of reporters came through during the session. Some asked questions while others just put their microphone in for the audio. Each reporter has their different story they are working on, and everyone wants Deron's perspective. The reporters include three local papers, the Houston Chronicle, all the TV stations from both Salt Lake and Houston, and any radio or national reporters.
At this point in the season very few faces are recognizable. Many are out of town reporters. I could see going through Deron's head who is this guy, where is he from, and what does he want.
When he knows who the reporter is he likely to crack a joke or make a quip to him. He had a private session with ESPN before the game the other night, and they said he was engaging and pleasant.
ONE PLAY THE JAZZ RAN WITH GREAT SUCCESS
In Game 1 the Jazz used AK at the power forward spot, (also referred to as the 4). From that the Jazz ran a set called, "Automatic Thumb Down." The Jazz had amazing success with this play.
This is significant, because it has AK at the 4, and that is not a place where he has played a lot this year. This gives the Jazz another option for an already versatile team.
If you see AK catching the ball at the top of the key, and the Jazz running a lot of cutters along the baseline and around the outside of the key, the chances are this is the same play. It got Matt Harpring a few lay-ups late when he cut the baseline. Keep an eye to see if the Rockets have adjusted.
The Jazz success rate on this play was remarkable.
MORE OPTIONS FOR SLOAN
The Jazz played 82 regular season games, and according to everyone around the team never finished with the line-up they closed Game 1 with. The finishing five on the floor for the Jazz were Deron, Kyle, Harpring, AK, and Boozer.
Foul trouble forced Sloan to use AK as the power forward earlier in the game, and it worked. Sloan stayed with it.
It is amazing that the Jazz closed the game with a new combination. We have seen Hapring, Korver, or AK finish games, but never together, and never with Boozer.
This versatility is another reason the Jazz should be confident about this playoff run.
WHAT GAME IS MCGRADY PLAYING
An interesting side note for Jazz fans is happening on the Rockets end of things. After the game at practice yesterday, Tracy McGrady talked about how the Jazz are double teaming him, and his teammates are failing to recognize where the open players are. They are not making quick enough decisions.
The only thing is, (from everyone I talked to i.e., analyst, coaches, players,) the Jazz weren't double teaming McGrady.
KEYS TO WINNING GAME 2
1. An early start.The Rockets are 51-4 if they lead after three quarters, but just 2-23 if they trail. Also, to win on the road you need to play from ahead. It eliminates the crowd, and playing from behind is too tiring.
2. Eliminate Luis Scola on the offensive glass.
3.Hit "non-paint twos". The Rockets want the opponent to shot from the area outside the key or paint, and inside the three point line. They are called non-paint twos. The Jazz struggled with that in Game 1, but were able to get other looks. Those may disappear with some adjustments, and the non paint twos need to fall.
4. Dominate off the bench.
My radio show will be starting at 3pm from the Toyota Center. You can hear it on 1320 K-Fan or at
www.thefansports.com, click Listen Live.
Let's get 2,
David Locke
