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Show Just Jazzin' With John By JOHN ALLEN Chief Statistician for the Utah Jazz The first game after the All-Star break is always a big worry for the coaching staff, especially espe-cially top-division teams. Upsets are commonplace. com-monplace. That very thing almost happened in the Salt Palace when Minnesota gave the Jazz a real scare. The Timberwolves were leading by 10 with four minutes to go in regulation play, only to fold, as expansion teams are supposed to do, giving Utah a 1 10-104 overtime victory. The road was not as good, as Phoenix whipped the Jazz a lot worse than the 102-1 14 score. However, in a most-important game in San Antonio, Utah was in the game all the way until the end when the Spurs scored the last 15 points to win 100-86. If nothing else, the game should have been a confidence-builder for future battles with the Spurs. The fourth game in five days was, thank goodness, at home. The team looked tired from the beginning as Sacramento outscored Utah in each of the first three quarters, leading 82-74. The fourth period was a three-man show for the Jazz. All the points were scored by Malone, 18; Stockton, 1 2; and Griffith, six, as they outscored Sacramento 36-24 to overcome an upset and win 1 10-106. This was the 15th consecutive home win for Utah. They haven't lost in the Salt Palace since Dec. 11, in the controversial Cleveland game. And the sellout "streak" continues with 66 straight. The next four home games, including last Monday's game with Philly, will be real testers. Following the Sixers are Boston tonight, then Portland and San Antonio after a trip to the coast to face both the Los Angeles teams. The Jazz filled the vacant roster spot of Jose Ortiz by adding Raymond Brown, a 6-foot 8 225-pound rookie forward from the University of Idaho. Brown was signed by Utah last summer and played in the Southern California League, where he averaged 11 points for the Jazz entry. He also played five Jazz preseason games before being waived at the end of Oc tober. Most recently, Brown played for Rapid City in the CB A, averaging 15 points and nine rebounds in 40 games. The Jazz have three players among the leaders in NBA statistical categories. Mark Eaton is sixth in blocked shots, averaging 2.5 per game. Karl Malone is second in scoring at a 30.3 ppg average, behind Michael Jordan, who averages 32.9 ppg, and Malone is sixth in rebounding re-bounding and fourth in field goal percentage at .584. John Stockton leads the NBA in assists with 1 3.7 per game, and in steals with 3.76 per game. He also ranks seventh in 3-point field goal percentage at .443. Not only is scoring down across the NBA, but assists have fallen off for the second straight year. In 1986-87, there were assists credited to 60.3 percent of the baskets at about this point of the season. Last year it dropped to 59.6 percent across the NBA, and this year it is down to 59.4 percent. There are currently five players averaging double figures in assists. Stockton leads the league followed by Magic Johnson, 11.8; Kevin Johnson of Phoenix, 11; Muggsy Bogus of Charlotte, 10.6; and Gary Grant of the Clippers, 10.0. Here's what the Adrian D and ey -Dallas contract con-tract amendment means. The Maveriks will waive Dantley the day after the season ends. Dantley agrees to release the Mavs from the final year of his contract. A team claiming Dantley will be obligated to pay him under the terms of the existing deal for next year. If he is not claimed, he becomes an unrestricted free agent, and could sign with any team without compensation to the Mavs. Dantley believes he can follow Kareem as the NBA's second full-time 40-year-old player. (He'll be 34 next Wednesday.) The trade deadline is tomorrow night Will the Jazz fill in the missing link? |
