Game 33 Jazz vs. Timberwolves: AK Returns

Separate post on AK’s return coming later…

I saw a tweet earlier — sorry, I can’t remember whose tweet it was — about how watching the Jazz had become a chore. This was finally not the case tonight. So many highlights! Andrei Kirilenko in the ESA again! So many, so many highlights! Paul Millsap looking like this old self! Not a last-minute, the-Jazz-barely-escaped win! Six players with 8 to 13 FGA; no one playing more than 28 minutes.

You never, ever wish for injuries, but the Jazz are seriously at their best when Tyrone Corbin’s hands are tied and he can’t go with his beloved hockey substitutions (this goes back to last season, and in fact got us into the Playoffs).

It was like, hey, we can have nice things!

P.S. I was really happy that Greg Miller sent out this tweet:

 

And I was really happy to see the classy side of the ESA and Jazz Nation show up and to see the reception that AK got. The ESA has gotten a bad rep over the past few years (at times deservedly so), so this was great to see. So if you were at the arena tonight, give yourself a pat on the back.

New Year’s Resolutions – The Utah Jazz Edition
** Al Jefferson: Be a better person–to the media.
** Gordon Hayward: Haven’t made it. My mom’s been on me, so I gotta think of one before she calls me back. [She makes you have one?] She doesn’t make me, but you know what I mean, when your mom, you know, asks you a question.
** Derrick Favors: Call my mom everyday. That’s my New Year’s resolution. [Does she get mad at you for not doing that?] Every time…She’ll get mad if I don’t call her back or I don’t answer the phone. So that’s my New Year’s resolution, answer the phone more, and call her back.
** Marvin Williams: I don’t make resolutions. I always break them…I stopped making them probably in high school.

Random Stuff, etc.
** 16 minutes for Derrick Favors. Really?
** This:

** AK collected his 4,000th career rebound.
** This tweet from @Mac_Jazz quoting the Minnesota announcers is just all kinds of weird and funny and strange:

** Another interesting tweet from @andyblarsen:

** I’m convinced Corbin thinks Alec Burks and DeMarre Carroll are the same person, which explains why it seems like they can’t ever play together. We’re also seeing a pattern emerging. Every time Corbin goes nuts and starts playing Burks, Carroll’s playing time drops and he complains. Then Corbin immediately starts playing Carroll more and Burks’ minutes go away.

We saw this happen right after the season began, with Burks getting in three straight games and playing at least 9 minutes. Carroll then talked to his agent and Tyrone, and Burks immediately went back to a string of DNPs while Carroll logged a bunch of 20+ minute games. From Dec. 23 to Dec. 28, Burks logged major minutes while Carroll’s minutes dropped to zero/garbage minutes. Carroll then talks about playing for 29 other teams, and presto! Fewer minutes for Burks.

Unintentional Dirty Quote Machines of the Night (UDQM)
** Marvin Williams on his knee, shootaround: It’s a little swollen still, but you know, I feel pretty good.
** Gordon Hayward on New Year’s resolutions: My mom’s been on me.
** Boler on Enes: Got a great, great stroke for a 6’11” man.
** Boler on some T-shirt or something: I got that tucked away. Whenever we need it, it’s gonna come back out.
** Harpring: I have a lot of respect for Andrei Kirilenko. We went at each other in practice, for years.
** Boler on Al: He’ll push it up…down she goes. (H/T @shandonfan)
** Boler: Backside, Love. (H/T @BrianBonks)
** Harpring: Barea trying to force it inside. Ball is kicked.
** Harpring on Hayward: You go hard, you don’t go soft. You go in there. You know you gotta expect contact. And then either finish or get to the line.
** Minnesota announcer: Barea takes it inside, Amundson follows, and Watson comes out of there. (H/T @Mac_Jazz)
** David Locke: Gordon Hayward is really stroking the ball. (H/T @kidfromkor)