Utah Jazz win against the Memphis Grizzlies  who lacked steam 117-94.

Nothing could have foreshadowed this kind of night for the Jazz, who came into Wednesday mired in the gloom from a three-game losing streak and left to play the Memphis Grizzlies without Deron Williams.

With chief executive Greg Miller going on FSN Utah before the game to address the team’s recent swoon, the Jazz responded with a feel-good 117-94 victory over the Grizzlies, which Williams sat out with an injured right wrist.

It was the Jazz’s 11th consecutive victory over the Grizzlies, whom they will play again Friday in Memphis. The Jazz (19-16) won for just the fifth time in the last 12 games, shooting 56.8 percent with a seaon-high 39 assists and leading by 25 in the third quarter.

The Grizzlies (17-17) had won four in a row and seven of their previous eight games before Wednesday, closing within a half-game of Utah in the standings.

Miller sat down with Craig Bolerjack to reassure fans that he shared in their frustration with the team’s play, saying, “We’re not content to just let whatever happens, happens.”

“If this group of players can’t get it together,” Miller added, “and figure out how to give 100 percent every quarter, every play, every game, then we’ll have to make changes until we get a group of guys that want to do that.

“Those changes could take many different forms. Hopefully, it’s just an attitude adjustment. Hopefully, it’s something as simple as just recommitting — the ones that need to — and doing

what needs to be done to win because we’ve proven we can win.”

Miller said he had resisted directly addressing players, out of respect for the “chain of command,” but added, “I’m reconsidering how quiet I want to be relative to the players.”

Those concerns were muted somewhat Wednesday as the Jazz enjoyed contributions throughout their lineup, including the newest member, Sundiata Gaines, who had three points and five assists after being signed Tuesday to a 10-day contract.

Carlos Boozer had 20 points while C.J. Miles led with 24, including three three-pointers in the first quarter, the last of which came as the Grizzlies left him to double-team Boozer inside. The Jazz went 9 of 19 from beyond the arc.

Ronnie Price stepped into Williams’ place and had 14 points — two shy of his career high — and six assists in 25 minutes, including a baseline drive and three-pointer in the third quarter as the Jazz pushed their lead to 68-50.

Mehmet Okur had nine points, including a sequence in the first quarter when he deflected Mike Conley’s pass to Marc Gasol in the post, ran the floor for a dunk following the steal and then hit a jumper on the Jazz’s next possession.

Wesley Matthews (15 points) attacked the basket as the Jazz’s bench outscored Memphis’ 25-5 in the first half. Ronnie Brewer scored just one point but had nine assists and came up with back-to-back steals as well as a block in the third quarter.

Gaines, meanwhile, took a seat between Williams and assistant coach Scott Layden on the bench in the first quarter. He checked in for the start of the second quarter and saw his NBA career start with a 9-1 run

He got his first NBA assist moving the ball to Andrei Kirilenko for a jumper, his first points hitting the second of two free throws and first basket running the floor for a layup. Not bad considering Gaines’ first NBA practice will come today.

Article source:  The Salt Lake Tribune

Tagged with: Assists • Attitude Adjustment • Chain Of Command • Chief Executive • Consecutive Victory • Craig Bolerjack • Deron Williams • Eight Games • Fifth Time • Frustration • Game Losing Streak • Gloom • Greg Miller • Jazz 16 • Memphis Grizzlies • Slump • Steam • Swoon • Utah Grizzlies • Utah Jazz

Filed under: NBA

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