76ers-Jazz Preview

By PAUL DIGIACOMO
Posted Dec 29 2011 6:44PM

It's been 32 years since the Utah Jazz opened with three straight losses. A visit from the Philadelphia 76ers could help them avoid that dubious mark.

Utah looks to continue its dominance of Philadelphia and dodge its worst start since opening the 1979-80 season with four consecutive defeats as it plays its first home game Friday night.

The Jazz opened this season with a 96-71 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday and fell 117-100 to Denver the following night. Utah is shooting 39.6 percent and allowing opponents to make 48.4 percent of their attempts.

Al Jefferson had 19 points, rookie Alec Burks added 15, and Paul Millsap and C.J. Miles scored 13 apiece Wednesday for the Jazz, who trailed 63-46 at halftime.

"We somewhat fell apart," said Millsap, averaging a team-best 15.5 points and 8.0 rebounds. "We lost focus. It's still early in the season. We're not going to make excuses about it. They came out and worked harder than we did."

Philadelphia worked hard in the second game of its season-opening five-game trip Wednesday night - especially in the second half - to beat Phoenix 103-83 after falling 107-103 to Portland on Monday.

The 76ers used a 19-0 run to start the second half and had six players score in double figures to earn just their fifth win in their last 25 visits to Phoenix.

"As an announcer I always said teams don't warm as well after halftime as before the game," coach Doug Collins said. "I have been adamant about coming out and warming up well and trying to hit them hard the first five minutes (of the second half.)"

Collins is looking for a similar effort as the 76ers try to snap a six-game losing streak in Utah. Philadelphia has dropped 20 of 22 there since the 1988-89 season and is 8-33 in the last 41 matchups overall.

The 76ers came close to earning a win in Utah last season by outscoring the Jazz 34-21 in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but they eventually lost 112-107 on March 14.

Jefferson had 30 points, 17 rebounds and six assists in that game, while Andre Iguodala led the way for Philadelphia with 23 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Iguodala scored a game-high 22 points in a 96-85 win over Utah on Jan. 22 as Philadelphia ended a six-game skid in the series. He's averaging 20.0 points during the six-game losing streak in Utah.

The Jazz are hoping to play better at home after going 21-20 in 2010-11 and losing 12 of their last 16 there. It was their worst season in Utah since posting an 18-23 record in 2004-05.

Utah plays 15 of its next 20 at home and doesn't have consecutive road games until Feb. 6-7.

"The downfall we had toward the end of last season was unacceptable," point guard Devin Harris said. "We know that, and we're looking forward to getting back at it."

Favors scores 20 points to lift Jazz over Sixers

By LYNN DeBRUIN
Posted Dec 31 2011 1:05AM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Derrick Favors had been benched at power forward earlier in the day by Utah Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin.

But with starting center Al Jefferson scratched less than an hour before Friday night's game against Philadelphia because of an inflamed right ankle, Favors needed to step up.

In his first career start at center, the second-year pro scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Utah to a 102-99 victory over the 76ers.

"He gave us a huge lift," Corbin said of the 6-foot-10 Favors. "We know he can score some points for us, but he had some huge rebounds."

Favors was even a factor in what would have been a game-tying shot by Lou Williams with 5.9 seconds left, forcing Williams to shoot his layup a little higher. It didn't fall, and Williams missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer that would have forced overtime, sending Jazz fans jumping for joy as the team avoided its first 0-3 start in 32 years.

"We needed a win, first of all," Corbin said of a Jazz team that had lost by 25 to the Lakers on Tuesday and by 17 the next night at Denver.

It didn't look good after the team had to scratch Jefferson. He was averaging 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds and had started every game since being acquired in a trade with Minnesota before last season. He also had scored 30 in an overtime win against the Sixers last season.

And it didn't look good when the Jazz fell behind by 13 points in the second quarter.

Jazz point guard Devin Harris, who played only 4 minutes in the first quarter, started Utah's comeback. He began attacking more and scored 13 in the quarter, including 6 of 6 free throws.

"They want me to push the ball and it's hard to do when you take the ball out of the net," Harris said.

But the Jazz started getting stops and rebounds after being outrebounded 15-5 in the first quarter and allowing Philadelphia to shoot 57.9 percent.

"We had pretty good control of the game then the physicality of the game changed," Philadelphia coach Doug Collins said. "I thought they started knocking us around; some loose balls and stuff. I thought that was the difference."

The Jazz would finish with a 41-40 rebounding advantage and nine blocks - two each by Paul Millsap, Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Evans and one by Favors.

Rookie reserve Enes Kanter also added six rebounds for Utah.

"I came out and played a lot better," said Favors, who insisted earlier Friday he was unfazed about being sent to the bench after starting the first two games but getting into early foul trouble in both.

"I do whatever (coach) wants me to do."

Corbin now will have some decisions to make, but Favors will likely get his minutes.

"He can be a monster down there and he's tough to handle when he plays like that," Hayward said of Favors.

Millsap, who made his first start at power forward this season, added 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Jazz.

Utah has now beaten the 76ers seven straight times at home and in 21 of the last 23 meetings in Salt Lake City.

Jrue Holiday scored a season-high 22 points for the Sixers and Williams added 20 off the bench but couldn't make the final shot when it counted.

Spencer Hawes also missed a tip shot off Williams' missed layup and Millsap grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Harris, who was fouled and sank one of two free throws for the final margin.

Williams knew what he was up against having worked out with Favors all summer.

"He got to a lot of my layups this summer, so this one I wanted to make sure when it counted I got it over him," Williams said. "I didn't get the bounce, Spencer didn't get the tip. It happens."

The Sixers (1-2) also hurt themselves by missing eight free throws, including three late by Andre Iguodala - one that would have been a four-point play and two more that would have given Philadelphia a lead with 2:10 remaining.

Jazz players gave some of the credit to the crowd, which stood behind the home team even though Utah looked headed for another loss early.

"Definitely a fun crowd," said Harris, who finished with 19 points. "They gave us effort and energy."

The Sixers led 29-22 after the first quarter, with Hawes shooting 4 of 4 and the Jazz just 40.9 percent (9 of 22) as a team.

The Jazz led 18-17 with 3:22 left in the first before the Sixers went on a 12-4 run fueled by Hawes. Philadelphia then outscored Utah 8-2 to start the second quarter and bump its lead to 13 points.

A 3-pointer by Harris pulled Utah within 41-34 with 6 minutes left in the half, and Favors' jam off a pass down low from Hayward cut the gap to five.

Josh Howard's pull-up jumper got Utah within 1 with 2:46 left in the half, and the Jazz came up with another defensive stop and took the lead on a pair of Harris free throws.

The schedule only gets tougher from here for the Jazz, with Friday's game the first of six in nine days.

The Sixers finish their season-opening five-game road trip - the longest trip to start a season in franchise history - with visits to Golden State and New Orleans.

Notes: About 25 diehard fans from suburban Olympus High School in Holladay walked nine miles to the game to show their support for the Jazz. At least the weather cooperated with temperatures in the mid-50s. ... The Jazz management team greeted fans upon entrance to a pregame festival on the arena concourse. ... Elton Brand had 12 points for the Sixers, but only 3 in the second half ... Hawes led Philadelphia with 13 rebounds.

Notebook: Jazz 102, Sixers 99

By Andrew Aragon, for NBA.com
Posted Saturday December 31, 2011 3:02AM

THE FACTS: Utah Jazz center/forward Derrick Favors was removed from the starting lineup, and then he wasn't. Good thing for Utah he found his way back in.

Favors scored a career-high 20 points and had 11 rebounds to lead the Jazz to a 102-99 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. Favors, the Jazz announced earlier on Friday, was being replaced by Paul Millsap in the starting lineup because of how he struggled in Utah's first two games. He was named a starter again less than an hour before tipoff because of an ankle injury to center Al Jefferson.

Millsap, who made his first start of the season, had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Jazz, who overcame a 13-point second-quarter deficit. Jrue Holiday had a game-high 22 points for Philadelphia.

QUOTABLE: "He can be a monster down there and he's tough to handle when he plays like that. He can really help us and be an impact player."
-- Jazz forward Gordon Hayward on the play of Favors against the 76ers.

THE STAT: The entertaining game featured 12 lead changes, giving fans their money worth on Friday night.

TURNING POINT: Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin started the fourth quarter with a lineup of Favors, rookie Enes Kanter, C.J. Miles, Earl Watson and Josh Howard. It was a gutsy move by the second-year coach to play an unorthodox lineup, and the five turned the game in Utah's favor. Miles hit a 3-pointer to give the Jazz the lead for good at 74-73. The five turned a two-point deficit at the start of the fourth into a 93-89 lead before Corbin made his first substitution in the period with 4:48 remaining.

QUOTABLE II: "It was tough. We had pretty good control of the game, then the physicality of the game changed. I thought they started knocking us around -- some loose balls and stuff. They are tough to play. They tight cut you on all that flex action. They had some guys come off the bench and play very well."
-- 76ers coach Doug Collins on his team losing a 13-point second-quarter lead.

HOT: Favors made some close-range shots and was tough to stop near the basket. He shot 10-for-16. Philadelphia's Spencer Hawes continued his outstanding play early in the season, shooting 7-for-9 with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

NOT: Millsap played hard like usual, but struggled with his stroke, shooting just 4-for-16. Evan Turner shot 0-for-5 for Philadelphia.

ROOKIE WATCH: Kanter, the third overall pick in the 2011 draft, provided the Jazz with some valuable minutes with Jefferson sitting out. He matched up with fellow rookie Nikola Vucevic early in the fourth quarter and had the upper hand. Kanter finished with four points and six rebounds in 15 minutes. Vucevic went scoreless and had two rebounds in nine minutes.

QUOTABLE III: "I liked the energy level they had, the way they pushed the ball up the floor, the way they really passed the ball to each other and the way they communicated. In the fourth quarter, that was really good for us."
-- Corbin on his five players who started the fourth quarter.

NOTABLE: Jefferson missed a game for the first time since joining the Jazz prior to last season. Philadelphia has lost 10 of its last 11 games in Utah. The Jazz avoided being 0-3 for the first time in 32 years. Devin Harris scored 19 points while shooting 8-for-9 from the free-throw line. It was the third game of a season-opening five-game road trip for the 76ers.

UP NEXT: For the 76ers, Saturday @ Golden State, Wednesday @ New Orleans, Friday vs. Pistons. For the Jazz, Saturday @ San Antonio, Monday vs. Hornets, Tuesday vs. Bucks.

• 76ers: Allen
• Jazz: --

• 76ers: --
• Jazz: --

• Lead Changes: 12
• Times Tied: 2

• Arena: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
• Officials: #25 Tony Brothers, #40 Leon Wood, #28 Tommy Nunez Jr.
• Attendance: 19911
• Duration: 2:16