Game Preview: Utah Jazz vs. New Orleans Hornets
Teams: Jazz vs. Hornets
Stadium: Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City
Date Match: Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Preview
The Hornets had a very tough time as they lost their last three meetings with the Jazz last season. The Hornets look to get back on path and smash a three-game losing streak against the Utah Jazz.
Utah has won seven of eight home meetings with New Orleans.
This match would be a great battle of the point-guards of both teams (Paul vs. Williams).
Hornets fall short of twelfth win of the season in their last match against Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Centre. While on the other hand, the Hornets had won three in a row.
Players to Watch
Utah’s swingman, C.J. Miles had a backbone importance in the game as he scored a season-high 25 points in a 103-94 win at Portland on Saturday. Additionally, he went 7 of 10 from 3-point range.
Hornets’ David West scored a season-high 34 against Cleveland on Friday. Currently, he is averaging 18.8 points.
Chris Paul or Deron Williams - Who is superior?
Hornets’ point-guard Chris Paul had missed all of the defeats against Jazz due to injury.
Paul is averaging 17 points and 10 assists with 2.8 steals per game and 4.7 rebounds. He remains a must-start in all formats. It is Paul’s quality that no matter where he is, his team’s play is robotically boosted when he is on
the court.
Utah’s point-guard Deron Williams “D-Will” averaged 19.3 points and 12.0 assists in the four-game season series and as a result the Jazz moved to 15-4 in their last 19 games against New Orleans.
An observation exists that Deron Williams was always playing catch-up to Chris Paul. The reality is that Williams has been the best point-guard in the world for a while.
While confronting each other over the course of their careers, Williams has gotten the better statistical record as compare to Paul. Williams also shot 56% from the field against Paul, his highest versus any team. Beside such impressive
record against Paul, he scored a season-low 12 points in each of Utah’s last two games.
So, who is better - let the upcoming match decide!
Quotable
"For the past three or four games, we've just been getting by.
"They say winning cures all. But hopefully, with this loss, we'll get back to paying attention to what we've got to do as a unit defensively," Paul, at the defeat against Clippers.
"They have been instrumental in a lot of our wins. They have come together. They know what their objective is - to get after people defensively, execute, to get out and run - and they do it," said Williams.
Numbers
The Hornets are shooting 44.6 percent from the field and the Jazz are expected to shoot 49 percent.
The Jazz have the rebounding advantage at 42.6 and Hornets at 39.2.
Turnovers are almost flat with the Hornets probable for 13.9 turnovers as compared to 13 for the Jazz.
The Hornets are making 5.7 three pointers on 36.3 percent from three point range, while at the other end the Jazz are making 4.8 three pointers on 36.4 percent.
Conclusion
Ultimately this game will be decided on the play of the interior players. Moreover, the rebounds could play a close role in determining the winner of this game, all other things being equal. Utah has had triple-success, but the
Hornets are desperate for a win. Who will prevail?
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