It isn't this easy. The Jazz improved to 12-1 before a sellout crowd at the Delta Center err ah Energy Solutions Arena. At least it never seemed this easy for John and Karl. They never started a season 12-1. Carlos Boozer scores 31 points and has 16 rebounds. Deron Williams leads the Jazz past the Lakers in the 4th quarter. Although the Jazz trail by 7 points in the fourth quarter, the sellout crowd carries them past Kobe Bryant. Boozer, not Bryant, is the best player on the court, he's smooth, powerful and dominant. The Jazz are getting great performances from role players like Derrick Fischer and unknown second round draft choice Paul Millsap. Everything they do is right. The city is becoming electric like the glory days.
Jerry Sloan is the reason I root for the Utah Jazz though, he is the sole link to the glory days. No matter how many games this team wins they cannot take the place of those individuals with their jerseys retired in the rafters: Stockton, Malone, Griffith, Hornacek, Layden, Maravich and Eaton. Yes, Mark Eaton's name appears in the same sentence as Pete Maravich. Only if Deron Williams plays 19 years in Salt Lake City and gets more assists than John Stockton will he deserve 400 West to be named after him. Only if Carlos Boozer scores more points than Karl Malone can the city name 300 South after him.
Of course this duo may do something Stockton and Malone could never do - win an NBA Title.
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