| Korver Brings New Life To Jazz Authored by Derek Flack - January 3, 2008 - 4:30 pm
Two games into his tenure with his new team, sharpshooter Kyle Korver has helped the Utah Jazz get back on track with two straight wins. His dead-eye accuracy has been showcased this week with the Jazz as he has come off the bench and knocked down open jump shots from beyond the arc.
So far Korver has played a similar type of game to that of a former Jazz man who, coincidentally, was also acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers back in 1994, Jeff Hornacek. It’s too early compare the two, but there are some early similarities. When they had Hornacek the Jazz now had a designated free throw shooter, now they have the 91% shooter Korver who went 5 of 6 from the line in the final minute of the game against Philly. Also like Hornacek, the Jazz again have a deadly outside shooter in Korver who will make teams pay for doubling down on Carlos Boozer in the post with his career average of 40% from the 3-point line.
The addition of Korver also creates more space for the Jazz to run the Williams-Boozer pick and roll in the final minutes of games because teams can’t leave Korver to stop Deron Williams from getting to the basket after the screen has been set, so the opposing big man that guards Boozer must stick Williams while his teammate fights over the Boozer screen, which leaves Boozer open to roll to the basket or to spot up for a 15 footer at the free throw line. The opposing big man that guards Mehmet Okur can’t leave the Turkish deep threat either, so Williams has many options on the pick and roll if teams try and stop him from getting to the basket, which was evident in the Jazz’s win over the 76er’s on Wednesday; having Korver on the floor opens up many new options for the Jazz’s pick and roll.
Korver has shown that he isn’t shy about taking shots either. In his first game with the team against the Trailblazers on New Years Eve he launched two 3-pointers on his first two touches of the game after only 30 seconds on the floor, narrowly missing the first shot but netting the second one; He also drained a 3 on his first touch against his former team on the January 2. Each of these deep shots was within the offense and each shot was an open look for the sniper.
He came to the Jazz labeled as a one-dimensional player but in his first two games he has been 3-D like Mario on the Wii. In his first game against Portland he actually led the team in blocks by swatting away 2 shots, one of them on everybody’s new favorite player Brandon Roy. In that game he also recorded 2 steals and pulled down a huge rebound late in the game to help secure the victory that ended the red hot Blazers 13 game winning streak.
Playing against his former team he did a little more than just shoot as well. Andre Iguodala, who led the 76ers with 30 points, drove to the basket with under 2 minutes to play but was cut off by Korver, who swiped at the ball and knocked it away; the ball landed Samuel Dalembert’s hands for a lay up, but it was another good defensive play by Korver to knock the ball away from Iguodala. Then, to close out the game, Korver pulled down a defensive rebound with 13 seconds left in the game, forcing Philadelphia to foul him. He sank both free throws like a Tiger Woods put, clutch, which locked up a win for his new team.
If Korver can continue the all around game he has displayed early on with the Jazz there will be greener pastures ahead as Utah tries to makes a push for May and June. |
