Jazz PXP Man David Locke on the Utah Jazz

Emptying the Noggin 
• Uggh
• Entertainment value was high, end result certainly is hard to swallow
• Two huge three’s by Calderon, one from the logo and one to force the second overtime are the plays that turned the tide. Lots of other things to jump on and dissect but those are two plays that changed the outcome.
• Millsap made two plays that should be highlighted the tip in and the three that kept the game alive. He also had two plays to win the game and wasn’t able to get a shot off on either of them.
• Defensively the Jazz had major issues in the 1st half dealing with the pick and roll and the spread game of the Raptors and they improved as the night went on but this was a very tough match-up for the Jazz defensively and they had more of a struggle than we have seen this year.
• Paul Millsap struggled defensively for portions of the night on Bargnani but when it got down to crunch time he clutched up defensively.
• Devin Harris had a brilliant 1st quarter with 12 points and 4 assists and the Jazz jumped out to as big as a 18 point lead only to have the Raptors dominate the 2nd quarter and tie the game at 50 at the half.
• Both Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward really struggled tonight. Favors line looks good but he didn’t have a good night. He struggled in some of those defensive assignments and his offensive game is just not ready to make plays. Hayward is struggling miserably with his shot 1 for 9 tonight and 0 for 5 from three. Gordon has missed 10 straight three’s. He was able to do some other things with 7 rebound and 3 assists and Favors was able to grab 12 rebounds but both these guys showed their youth tonight. That is what makes it so tough to give these minutes to these guys. 
• Neither Gordon or Derrick has much of any experience in these circumstances, this is the growing process and those minutes are more valuable than others.
• Linas Kleiza –again
• Raja continues his good play tonight going 3/6 and 11 points
• The 2nd quarter tonight is the part of the game to go back and look at. The Jazz got completely out of control pushing the tempo and didn’t play well. This is when they lost control of the game and let the Raptors get back into the game. 
• 24 of 36 from the free throw line – Harris missed 3 crucial free throws late in the game.
• Amir Johnson played very well for the Raptors late guarding Millsap. 
• As has been the case all year – the fight and the togetherness was there. These guys battled and improved and adjusted as the night went on. The Raptors made a few more plays than the Jazz late in the game and had match-ups the Jazz were having a tough time with and the Jazz couldn’t find the same match-up on the other side.