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Booz-ing In Utah
By Marty Gitlin
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
The mere mention of the Utah Jazz has often been met with a yawn since Karl Malone and John Stockton hung up their sneakers.
Dull team. Average record. Boring town.
That has been the impression of many. Salt Lake City will never be equated to the Big Apple or Hollywood on the flashiness spectrum. But dull team? Average record?
Not anymore.
The Jazz boast the league's best mark at 17-5 and are 12-3 in the rugged Western Conference. Despite playing at a moderate pace, they are among the NBA leaders at 103 points a game.
They are second behind Phoenix in shooting at 48.7 percent, first in field goal shooting differential at plus-4.2 and tops in assist differential at plus-6.8. They are also dominating the boards, outrebounding opponents by an average of 44-35 a game, a differential that easily leads the league.
If Quarter-Season Most Valuable Player awards were handed out, it's likely Phoenix point guard Steve Nash would win. But Utah power forward Carlos Boozer would be considered. He has returned from two injury-plagued seasons to register career-high averages in scoring (22.6) and rebounding (12.3) while shooting 57 percent from the field. He racked up 28 points and 15 rebounds in a surprisingly easy road win Wednesday night against the Clippers.
Point guard Deron Williams has performed brilliantly, averaging 17.3 points and 9.2 assists a game while steady center Mehmet Okur has contributed 15 points and 7.9 rebounds a game. With shot-blocking and high-scoring forward Andrei Kirilenko rounding back into shape, the Jazz appear to be a strong bet to contend despite the presence of such powers as Dallas, Phoenix and San Antonio in the West.
MAGIC MAGIC GONE? The early-season Beasts of the East have been tamed.
The Orlando Magic figured a four-game homestand would prove to be an ideal opportunity to improve their conference-best record. Instead, they lost three of four and have dropped four of five overall to lower their mark to 15-9. They have failed to score 90 points in any of those games.
The Magic are shooting 43 percent from the field during that stretch, which isn't horrible. But they are a disastrous 8 of 54 (15 percent) from 3-point range in those five games.
They will have a chance to emerge from their slump in Charlotte on Thursday night. According to WagerWeb.com, they are 2-point favorites against the struggling Bobcats.
DRIBBLES: Atlanta superguard Joe Johnson has missed the last three games with a strained right calf. Not-so-coincidentally, the Hawks have lost all three by an average of 17 points. ... How bad are the Heat offensively without the injured Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade, who was out Wednesday night after oral surgery? Ancient center Alonzo Mourning led the team with 19 points in a 99-89 loss to the Suns. ... San Antonio's starting backcourt of Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker outscored its Minnesota counterpart of Mike James and Ricky Davis, 35-10, in a 95-82 win Wednesday night. The sizzling Spurs will try to keep rolling Thursday night at New Orleans. They are 7-point favorites against the depleted Hornets, according to WagerWeb.com. ... The return of Jermaine O'Neal, Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington certainly buoyed the Pacers on Wednesday night. The trio combined for 56 points in a 101-98 home victory against the Pistons. ... Center Ben Wallace managed his best game as a member of the Bulls on Wednesday night, registering 15 points, 20 rebounds and five blocked shots in a 99-84 thumping of Seattle. Chicago has won nine of 10. ... Cleveland energetic power forward Anderson Varejao is emerging as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. On "Anderson Varejao Wig Night" at The Q, he contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench in a 104-101 win over Charlotte. ... Portland earned its sixth road win Wednesday night in Memphis, which matches its total from all of last season. The Blazers (10-14) have won three straight.
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