Kings-Jazz Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
Posted Feb 03 2013 4:59PM

The Utah Jazz have appeared to recapture the defensive form that keyed their recent dominance in Salt Lake City.

That's not exactly a good sign for the Sacramento Kings, who have sputtered offensively on their current road trip.

Utah will try for its ninth home win in 10 games Monday night when it takes on a Sacramento team that has one of the worst road records in the NBA.

While the Jazz (26-22) have lost both road games during a current stretch with 10 of 12 in Salt Lake City, they've won six of those first seven in Utah.

Utah has been far better at home defensively, limiting Portland to 36.7 percent shooting in an 86-77 win on Friday before allowing the Trail Blazers to shoot 50.7 percent in a 105-99 road loss a day later.

Aside from a franchise-record 45-point loss to Houston on Jan. 28, the Jazz have allowed just 93.4 points on 43.2 percent shooting in their last eight home games.

Utah, however, has given up 99.8 points per game and 50.8 percent shooting in its last 11 on the road.

"We're getting better at being active and understanding some of our rotations on the weak side," coach Tyrone Corbin said.

The Jazz will try to continue their winning ways at home against the punchless Kings, who have averaged 80.7 points on 39.7 percent shooting while losing three straight on their current six-game swing.

Sacramento (17-32) is 5-20 on the road, but has given the Jazz a tough time lately. The Kings have taken four of the last seven meetings, winning 108-97 at home Nov. 24.

They also had a 13-point fourth-quarter lead at Utah a day earlier before Gordon Hayward hit a tiebreaking jumper with 4.5 seconds left to give the Jazz a 104-102 win.

Tyreke Evans has scored 23.7 per game while shooting 52.7 percent in his last three against the Jazz, including a 27-point effort in the last meeting.

Evans, however, looks to bounce back after finishing with seven points on 3-of-10 shooting in a 120-81 loss at New York on Saturday.

"I missed a lot of layups," Evans said. "One of those nights. I think it was the worst game I ever played in the NBA."

Leading scorer DeMarcus Cousins broke out of his recent slump with 25 points and nine rebounds against the Knicks. He had averaged 11.5 points over his previous six games.

Although they've struggled lately, the Kings has shot a combined 51.9 percent from the floor and 16 for 33 (48.5 percent) from 3-point range in the two meetings with the Jazz.

Utah, meanwhile, hopes forward Paul Millsap can continue to provide a spark after averaging 19.3 points in his last three games. Millsap, though, has scored 9.2 per game in his last six against the Kings.

Randy Foye has reached double figures in a season-high eight straight games, averaging 14.9 points while shooting 41.5 percent from 3-point range during that stretch.

That's helped Utah recover from the loss of Hayward (13.5 ppg), who is expected to miss a fifth straight game due to a shoulder injury.

After making 39.6 percent from the field in their last three games in the series, the Jazz look for better efficiency against a Sacramento team that has allowed 106.0 points per game and 50.2 percent shooting while dropping seven of its last eight overall.

Foye, Millsap lift Jazz over Kings in OT, 98-91

By LYNN DeBRUIN
Posted Feb 05 2013 1:47AM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) It was only a matter of time after DeMarcus Cousins got his first technical with 2:23 left in the second quarter of Monday night's game against the Utah Jazz.

His night was over by halftime, when the Sacramento Kings' big man argued with officials at midcourt during the break, letting loose with an expletive that earned him his league-leading 12th technical.

The Kings went on to lose 98-91 in overtime without him.

Cousins insisted officials always tell him he can talk to them if there's an issue, but during the first half was told, "Don't talk to me."

When he approached an official again at halftime and was rebuffed, Cousins lashed out.

"I shouldn't have said that," Cousins said of the curse. "That's about it."

He missed a wild ending that saw Randy Foye lead Utah with 20 points, including six in OT, for the Jazz win.

Paul Millsap added 14, with a key block, a step-back jumper and a rebound in the extra session for the Jazz, who used an 8-0 fourth-quarter run to take the lead with 2:40 left in regulation.

"When DeMarcus went out, that was huge for us because he was active, he was really active early on," Foye said of Cousins, who started 4 of 4 but finished 5 of 8 for 10 points. "But it just made my job a lot harder with Tyreke Evans because every play he was coming right at me. They did a good job of getting him the ball in areas where he could be effective."

Jason Thompson also picked up the slack, finishing with a season-high 23 points for Sacramento (17-33).

Evans added 20 but had a key turnover in overtime.

Utah (27-22) had a chance to win it in regulation, but Al Jefferson shot an air ball 3-pointer at the buzzer after getting the pass from Foye when he was double-teamed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jefferson quipped when asked about that ugly final shot in regulation. "I did it on purpose. I just wanted to go to overtime. I just wanted to play five extra minutes."

In overtime, Foye didn't pass up the shot, instead draining one just inside the 3-point line before sealing the game with four free throws down the stretch.

He also forced Evans into a bad miss on a 3-foot shot on Sacramento's final possession in regulation.

"He made good moves and put me in foul trouble early in the third quarter," Foye said. "But I just said to myself, `I'm not going to let him score."'

Plenty of credit for the win also goes to second-year pro Alec Burks.

Before the game, Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said the pressure was on Burks with Utah down to one point guard because of injuries to Mo Williams and Earl Watson.

Though Burks made some mistakes (four of Utah's season-high 22 turnovers), he had perhaps his best game as a pro.

He made 5 of 7 shots for a season-high 14 points, including a 19-foot shot on the run that gave Utah a 90-87 lead in overtime.

Before that he had a steal, then grabbed the rebound that set Millsap up for the winning 19-footer with 1:06 left in OT.

Burks added four assists, three rebounds and a block of Thompson's shot in the lane to end the third, keeping the Jazz within 66-62 entering the final quarter.

"He did a great job," Corbin said of Burks, a shooting guard asked to help at point. "It has put him at a little bit of a disadvantage. But with he and Randy on the floor together, they are able to split duties a little bit and at times initiate, at times be the secondary guy."

Burks, known more for his slashing drives to the basket at Colorado, never has lacked in confidence.

"I just tried to play aggressive with my game and I'm glad coach had the confidence to let me play that one," Burks said.

The Jazz shot 52.8 percent (38 of 72) while the Kings made just 41.2 percent (35 of 87), including 3 of 20 from 3-point range.

Jimmer Fredette, who played college ball at Brigham Young down the road, went 0 for 5, including 0 for 3 beyond the arc and finished with 2 points and three turnovers.

He endured a loud mix of boos and cheers every time he entered but played just 13 minutes.

At least he was around to see the ending.

This was the second time this season against the Jazz that Cousins has been ejected.

The first time, the Kings won 108-97 on Nov. 24.

On Monday, Sacramento had a chance.

The Kings led 82-75 lead with 4:26 remaining.

Utah went on an 8-0 run, Foye hitting a 3, Marvin Williams a pair of free throws then another 3 with 2:40 remaining to give Utah an 83-82 lead.

When it was done, Sacramento had finished its six-game road trip 1-5.

"I think there was conversation on both sides and the referee got to the point where he didn't want to hear anymore," Kings coach Keith Smart said. "The part where it is halftime and you're walking toward them, you will probably always get in trouble doing that."

Notes: Jazz PG Mo Williams remains out at least another two weeks following thumb surgery but had a better excuse to miss practice Monday. He and his wife were celebrating the birth of their fifth son, Maxwell, who arrived Friday at 7 pounds. ... Watson missed his second straight game with a right leg bone bruise. ... Jazz G/F Hayward's has now missed five games with a sprained right shoulder. ... Kings G Fredette was surprised by his wife, who flew to Salt Lake City to meet him for Super Bowl Sunday then attend Monday's game. ... A day after the Super Bowl power outage, the lights at EnergySolutions Arena had to be re-set at the start of the game.

Notebook: Jazz 98, Kings 91 OT

Andrew Aragon, For NBA.com
Posted Tue Feb 05, 2013 1:43 AM - Updated Tue Feb 05, 2013 1:49 AM

THE FACTS: It took the injury-riddled Utah Jazz until overtime to get things figured out, but they managed to avoid what would have been a disastrous home defeat. The Jazz, working out their rotations and personnel while dealing with numerous guard injuries, finished off the Sacramento Kings 98-91 in overtime on Monday night. Randy Foye had 20 points and six assists, while Al Jefferson had 15 points, 12 rebounds and five assists for the Jazz (27-22), who overcame a seven-point fourth quarter deficit.

Sacramento (17-33), one of the league's worst road teams, was without DeMarcus Cousins in the second half. He picked up his second technical foul at halftime and was ejected. Jason Thompson picked up the slack with Cousins out, recording a season-high 23 points and 10 rebounds. Tyreke Evans had 20 points for the Kings.

QUOTABLE: "We just got stops. I don't know what was wrong. Our energy was down in the third and fourth quarter, but we picked it up and had a chance to win at the end but closed it out in overtime."

--Jazz center Al Jefferson

THE STAT: Utah's shortened bench again sparked the team with energy and production. The Jazz's four bench players, Alec Burks (14 points) Derrick Favors (13), DeMarre Carroll (10) and Enes Kanter (4) combined to outscore Sacramento's reserves 41-21. The boost was needed as Utah's starters came out flat to start both halves and put the team in a hole to dig out of.

TURNING POINT: The Jazz thoroughly outplayed the Kings in overtime. Foye opened the extra period with a jumper, and Utah led the rest of the way. The Jazz shot 4-for-6 and improved in two areas where it struggled for most of the game -- ball movement and getting to the free-throw line. The Kings, meanwhile, fell apart, shooting 3-for-8 while committing two turnovers including a pass by Evans that landed in the fifth row. A jumper by Paul Millsap with 1:06 remaining gave the Jazz a 92-87 lead and iced the game. Foye scored six points in overtime.

HOT: The Jazz's bench shot 17-for-26 with Burks and Favors each finishing 5-for-7. Utah shot a season-high 58.3 percent from 3-point range. Thompson, who returned to Sacramento's starting lineup after a one-game absence, recorded his first double-double since Jan. 2.

NOT: It was a rough night for Sacramento's Jimmer Fredette, who is still a local hero/villain after starring at nearby BYU. He seemed to be pressing while trying to impress some of his hometown fans. He shot 0-for-5 and committed three turnovers in 13 minutes. John Salmons shot 1-for-9 and scored two points for the Kings, while Marcus Thornton shot 3-for-12. For the Jazz, Jefferson set the wrong tone for Utah's offense early, taking the team's first seven shots. He made three of them. Jefferson also air-balled a jumper in the final seconds of the fourth quarter that would have ended the game. The Jazz committed 20 turnovers.

QUOTABLE II: "Before that [the officials] tell us if you have a problem with them, come talk to them. They give us permission to do that. I tried to wait until the play was over. I waited until the play stopped. I went up to the ref. He kept telling me, 'Don't talk to me, don't talk to me, I don't want to talk to you.' So I waited until halftime. He said the same thing. He was saying, 'Don't talk to me.' So my response was, 'You don't have to act like an effing female.' I shouldn't have said that. That's about it."

--Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins on his ejection

GOOD MOVE: Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin played Burks instead of starter Jamaal Tinsley at point guard the entire fourth quarter and overtime and the move paid dividends. Burks, a shooting guard, ran the offense efficiently and dished four assists in the fourth quarter. In overtime, he swished a 20-foot jumper with 2:39 left to give Utah a 90-87 lead. Burks is a much more athletic alternative to Tinsley, and the Jazz might not have won if Corbin hadn't played him down the stretch.

BAD MOVE: Cousins hurt his team by bickering with officials and getting booted from the game. He picked up his second technical foul as he was walking into the locker room at halftime. His first came with 2:23 remaining in the second quarter when he said something to anger an official who was standing approximately 20 feet away from him. Cousins, instead of just going into the locker room for the break, stopped to argue with officials and earned another technical. Cousins leads the league with 12 technical fouls. He has been ejected in two games this season, and both of them were in Utah.

NOTABLE: The Jazz were without injured players Gordon Hayward, Earl Watson and Mo Williams, leaving Tinsley as the team's only true point guard. Burks' 14 points were a season high. The Kings closed out a challenging six-game road trip that took them to Denver, Washington, Boston, Philadelphia and New York before Utah. They went 1-5 on the trip. Sacramento is 0-3 in overtime games, and has lost nine of its last 10 games overall. Utah is 3-0 in overtime games this season. The Jazz had 25 assists. When they dish 20 or more assists, they are 23-12 this season. Utah had just four free-throw attempts in the first three quarters. The Kings fell to 5-21 on the road. Utah has won nine of its last 10 home games.

UP NEXT: For the Kings, Saturday vs. Jazz, Sunday vs. Rockets, Feb. 12 @ Memphis. For the Jazz, Wednesday vs. Bucks, Friday vs. Bulls, Saturday @ Sacramento.

• Kings: Honeycutt
• Jazz: Bell, Williams

• Kings: Cousins, Cousins
• Jazz: --

• Lead Changes: 4
• Times Tied: 7

• Arena: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
• Officials: #48 Scott Foster, #18 Matt Boland, #73 Tre Maddox
• Attendance: 17742
• Duration: 2:23