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I’ll admit it… I didn’t think the Jazz would win this one. I knew they had the skill to beat Orlando, but after an improbable come-back in Miami, I didn’t really expect the Jazz to get back out there the following night and bring it against another Eastern Conference power. I was (gladly) wrong, and Jazz fans across the world are in a euphoric (and maybe confused) stupor today.

Here are some quick thoughts from last night’s victory in Orlando (set to LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out”)…

Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images

“I’ve been here for years.” Deron is amazing. At Miami he was spinning out of triple teams to feed Millsap, and in Orlando he was raising up silky smooth jumpers to seal the game. The man is playing out of his mind right now… distributing well, hitting the right shots at the right time, and just leading his team to hard-nosed, well fought victories. He knows that system, and fans are starting to see the ridiculous upside of this team as the other guys fall in line behind him.

“Mama Said Knock You Out:” Sloan preaches a pick & roll, open jumpshot, cut up the middle, lay-up drill, unrelenting system. People keep asking how the Jazz get back into these games, and “the system” is the answer. The flex allows a well executed offense to hang around through the inherent runs that NBA basketball produces. While iso/catch and shoot systems rely on low percentage shots falling, the flex relies on high percentage looks opening up. So far, Miami and Orlando (even the Clips) have had streaks of hot offense coupled with poor defense from the Jazz. These streaks create gaps in scoring, and make teams feel like they have control, but the flex is a lot like the tortoise in Aesop’s fables: It keeps moving at a methodical pace. As the Jazz’ defense warms up and opposing offenses flatten out, it’s the flex that keeps churning… eating away at leads, and eroding spreads.

“I’m gonna knock you out:” The Miami game was the worst thing that could have happened to the Orlando Magic. It gave the Jazz confidence in a compromising situation… even when they were down 18, they played like a team that knew it could get back in. They just came out, got to work, and showed Orlando what it was like to play Utah Jazz Basketball.

“Don’t you call this a regular jam.” How about that wacky man-zone the Jazz played in the third? If anyone’s ever questioned Sloan’s ability to coach, they need to watch that game. Not only did Sloan know when to call the zone up, but the team knew exactly how to execute, and it confused the Magic. The Jazz allowed cutting players space to run around, but as soon as those cutters broke to the perimeter, they was covered. When the covered man passed into the interior, the defense swarmed. There were no open looks, no easy baskets, and Orlando couldn’t break the defense in time to regain the ground they’d lost.

“The man of the hour.” Millsap was an absolute stud. Again. It wasn’t a 46 point performance, and it didn’t need to be. Right now Mansap is leading the team in points (23.9), rebounds (10.1) and in steals (1.3). I think a lot of Jazz fans thought that Millsap would produce similar numbers to Boozer, but not better. Well, so far he’s been a complete upgrade. It’s fantastic.

“Tower(s) of power.” Let’s talk centers for a second:

Al Jefferson was legit (21 points on 10-16 shooting, 8 rebounds, and a block). He came out and showed that A) last night’s poor performance was a fluke, and B) that he could hang with the big-boy centers in the league.
Fesenko. How much more comfortable does Fes look this year? I actually get excited when he gets the ball. Williams has done a good job of creating high percentage (high confidence) shot opportunities, but he’s also showing marked improvement controlling his body around the basket (including his MUCH improved defense). Besides that, he dwarfed Dwight Howard on the floor. My mind can’t comprehend the thought of having a serviceable, strong 7+footer, so I’m not going to talk too much about it, but man… this could be pretty cool if he continues to develop.

“And I’m just gettin’ warm.” Right now, the Jazz are looking pretty tough. They’re letting other GOOD teams have it, and they’re winning in style. However, as the season continues, they can’t rely on teams letting off the gas once they have the lead and letting them back into the game. Teams like the Lakers, Boston, and a matured Heat aren’t always going to give opposing teams those kind of opportunities. The Jazz need to open strong, stay strong, and grind it out. That’s the kind of basketball Sloan wants and that will ultimately succeed in a seven game series… and the Jazz are showing great promises of things to come.

“Competition’s payin’ the price.” That’s been true on this road trip. Opposing teams have overlooked parts of this Jazz team and they’ve been embarrassed. No more overlooking, though. If the Miami game didn’t do it, last night’s did… The Jazz are on people’s radar. You can’t go and sweep the Florida basketball scene on national TV two nights in a row and not raise some eyebrows. This is the moment the Jazz have been waiting for… time to seize it and prove that this is an elite team in the Western Conference.

Key Matchups

Dwight Howard v. Al Jefferson – On one hand you have Howard: a battle tested, 6’11″ 265 lbs, defensive beast. On the other you have Jefferson: A relatively untested, 6’10″ 280 lb, offensive low block power. These two are nearly a wash, size wise (although you can bet that Dwight will be chiseled and in game shape come opening tip), so it’ll be fantastic to see them battle on either end for big man domination. It’s no secret that Al was a little heavy when he weighed in at training camp, so here’s to the rigor of Jerry Sloan’s intense preseason workouts that will hopefully have him game-ready come Orlando time.

Vince Carter v. Raja Bell – Carter is one of the most amazing offensive players I have ever seen, and he’s (allegedly) looked good this preseason. He’s athletic, strong, has a silky smooth jump shot, and last season showed us that he still has all the moves… when he bothers to play. He’s 33 and has a propensity to disappear in important games, but he’s also playing for a contract this year and (whether they like it or not) stands as the Magic’s most potent go-to threat. Conversely, Raja Bell is the newly proclaimed stopper for the Jazz, and if he has the guts to clothesline Kobe, he won’t fear getting up in Carter’s business. How Carter reacts to Bell’s tenacious defense within the Jazz system will be the most interesting storyline in these games. Will Vince rise to the challenge and use his athleticism to play above Bell, or will he shrug off the necessary work and let one of his many wing back-ups pick up the slack?

High Notes | Low Notes

The Magic finished 1st in the Southeast division last year with the 4th best offensive rating in the NBA. They also had the 3rd best defensive rating in the league. Unfortunately, they also allowed the 4th most points by an opponent of all 30 teams, and got dispensed by the Celtics in the second round of the playoffs. Seeding from a great regular season doesn’t mean much if you can’t come up big when it counts.

History

Last season the Jazz played two games against Orlando and each squad won on their respective home courts.

On Dec. 10 in Salt Lake City, Deron Williams scored 34 points to lead the Jazz past Carter’s own 34 points, and Howard’s 18 points & 10 rebounds. With that win, the Jazz broke the Magic’s franchise-record eight-game road winning streak.

On Dec. 21, the Magic returned the favor in Orlando. Dwight Howard led the Magic to a win with 21 points and five blocks (um… yeah. FIVE). The Magic scored 64 points in the second half of that game on their way to a 104-99 victory over the Jazz.

In the random stat department: the last time an opponent had a 20/20 game versus the Jazz was on March 15, 2009. Guess who the player was? Yep. Dwight Howard (28 pts, 20 rebs).

Player/Coach Notes

Stan Van Gundy is one of the rare coaches that seems to successfully walk the fine line of player coach and disciplinarian. He calls out his players in the media, yet he always finds their forgiveness with spontaneous goofiness. He trusts his shooters, and constantly preaches defensive uniformity. He’s good, and in the past two years Van Gundy has helped the Magic finish 18 games over .500 (in each year). He’s one of my favorite coaches not named Sloan. He doesn’t lie down for garbage from players, he plays his fair share of mind games in the media, and he always seems to have a good time with it.

Jerry Sloan’s all time win/loss record against the Magic is 24/19. Since Jerry Sloan was named head coach by the Jazz in 1988, the Orlando Magic have had eight coaching changes.

Outlook

The Magic are a good team hovering at the top of an increasingly crowded east. After getting axed last year by the Celtics, you would think that the Magic would try and reload with better weapons. Instead they settled for a Quentin Richardson downgrade (for Matt Barnes) and sending Howard to summer camp with Hakeem Olajuwon (who is hoping to return with some more refined low post moves). I like Orlando’s team and coach, and I’d love to see them compete hard for an Eastern Conference title. Unfortunately, without any additional movement or major player changes, I think we’ll see much of the same out of Orlando: a strong regular season with a mid-round exit in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

[CAVEAT: If Vince plays up this contract year, Howard really does learn some subtle low post moves, if Rashard Lewis pulls it together on a consistent basis, and Van Gundy learns how to use Reddick effectively (who is a total stud), then these guys could be really, really scary. They just haven't shown that they can do it on the big stage yet, and the Celtics have. Give me something to believe in Orlando!]