Ike Austin is beginning to understand that in pro basketball, it's easier to throw your weight around when there's less of it.
The Utah Jazz's 6-foot-10 center reported to rookie-free agent camp a couple of weeks ago at 290 pounds, some 20-plus pounds more than what team officials felt he should be packing.Now Austin says he's down to 280, and as his weight has waned, his game has gained. Tuesday night at East High, Austin put on his best performance of the Rocky Mountain Revue, scoring 21 points and grabbing 17 rebounds as the Jazz edged Sacramento, 74-71.
"He (Austin) is getting in better shape and getting a better understanding of what we're trying to do," said Gordon Chiesa, Jazz summer league coach. "He's finishing plays now."
As he does so, he's getting more minutes. In the Jazz's first four games, he was fifth on the team in rebounds per minutes played, while averaging 25.5 minutes per game. With 27 rebounds in the Jazz's last two games, it's no surprise that he was on the court for 35 of 40 minutes Tuesday.
"It's just getting in better shape," Austin said, explaining his improved performance.
Whatever the reason, the new and improved Austin was the main reason the Jazz were able to beat the Kings. Sacramento puts a good team on the court, with some scrappy defenders at guard; a solid 6-10 forward in Pete Chilcutt (18 points, 10 rebounds); and a promising first-round draft choice from Maryland, Walt Williams (18 points).
But except for Austin, Chilcutt and Williams, nobody was able to locate the hoop. Corey Crowder, the Jazz guard who scored 30 on Monday, made four of 16 shots. David Benoit hit five of 15. Sacramento's Scooter Barry, son of NBA Hall of Famer Rick, made 1 of 8. Maybe he should have shot underhand.
Sacramento shot 35.3 percent from the field; the Jazz shot 32.8. And, after finally having a decent night at the free-throw line Monday, the Jazz reverted to form, missing 17 foul shots.
Chiesa said the blame for Utah's shooting woes goes to good defense - "They came at us hard" - while the credit for the victory goes to second effort on the boards - "Our second shots were the difference in the game."
What was probably a bigger factor, at least for the Jazz, was the lack of a true point guard. Tom Garrick's bad back kept him from suiting up, and John Crotty's injured leg has kept him out since Game 2. That left Corey Crowder and Tank Collins to play point, and it wasn't an entirely pretty sight. Crowder committed nine turnovers.
Still, it took the Kings until halftime, when they were down by 13, to figure out that putting pressure on Utah's guards might be a good ploy, and then they weren't able to capitalize. In the third quarter Sacramento held the Jazz to 14.3 percent shooting (3 of 21), but the Kings could only make five of 18 themselves.
The Jazz scored just three field goals in the fourth quarter, too, but made just enough free throws (16 of 23) to hold on.
And there is relief on the horizon. Chiesa says Garrick is expected to play Thursday; Crotty says he hopes to be ready then, too.
The Jazz have Wednesday off, while the schedule continues with the L.A. Clippers vs. Dallas, 3 p.m.; Seattle vs. Phoenix, 5 p.m.; Golden State vs. Denver, 7 p.m.; and Houston vs. Portland, 9 p.m.
On Thursday the mini-tournament will be held, with the No. 1 team facing the No. 2 team, No. 3 team vs. No. 4, etc., except that Nos. 9 and 10 will not be included. The Jazz are 4-2 and in sole possession of second place, behind Dallas at 4-1. Wednesday's games, however, could conclude with four teams deadlocked at 4-2, so the Jazz's opponent for Thursday and game time are not known yet.
In other games Wednesday, Houston downed Phoenix, 87-76, and Portland knocked off Denver, 76.