Things could be worse for Jazz guard Jay Humphries. He's got his starting job back, which he's been missing for nearly two years. He's playing his best basketball since being traded to the Jazz in 1992. A variety of nagging injuries are healing. And the Jazz, in part due to Humphries' improved play, are on a nine-game win streak.
While the Jazz will attempt to tie their franchise record for consecutive wins Tuesday night against Minnesota, Humphries will work on a streak of his own. Since becoming the Jazz's first string off-guard on Feb. 25, he has averaged an impressive 14.2 points, shooting .558 from the field."This is definitely the best I've played in Utah," said Humphries. "For a period of time, I was hesitant. Not now. Whatever happens, I know I can't play back on my heels. Some nights I'll go 8-for-8 and some nights 1-for-8. That's the way it goes in this league."
Humphries' emergence began nearly two weeks ago, the night after starter Jeff Malone was traded to Philadelphia for Jeff Hornacek. In Malone's absence, Humphries, a 10-year veteran, was added to the starting lineup. He wasn't exactly a nervous wreck. Having started nearly all his games as an NBA player until coming to Utah, he responded with 23 points, two steals and three rebounds in a rout of Phoenix.
"All the time since I've been in the NBA I've been starting until I came to Utah," said Humphries. "I've never come off the bench except for half my rookie season in Phoenix. Then right after I got traded from Phoenix to Milwaukee I came off the bench for awhile. But other than a few games, this was the first time since then that I was coming off the bench."
Humphries' first year in Utah wasn't smooth. Not only was he trying to adjust to coming in cold and producing immediately, but he was learning a new system and a new position. Through high school in Los Angeles, college at Colorado and at stops in Phoenix and Milwaukee, he spent virtually all his playing minutes at point guard. Now he was playing mostly off-guard behind Malone.
Rather than having the ball in his hands, creating movement and shots, he found himself learning how to make things happen, often without the ball. "My job description wasn't the same," he said.
The changes took their toll. Humphries shot just .436 from the field last year - the worst percentage in his career. His free throw shooting was also down from previous years. Predictably, with fewer minutes his assists and scoring averages were also down.
Though he had the Jazz system mastered by this year, his start was slowed by a number of nagging injures to his hands, knees and hamstrings. "I try not to talk about injuries," he said.
Humphries became so tired of answering questions about injuries earlier this year, he told reporters that he didn't want to discuss them. "I'll let you know when anything changes," he said.
"I try not to talk about injuries," he said. "But I'm feeling a lot better now and it shows in the type of ball I've been playing."
In the last six games, Humphries has scored in double figures five times. Sunday at Phoenix, he played 28 minutes and added eight points but was slowed by personal fouls early in the game.
"I feel confident enough now that I don't hesitate," said Humphries. "If I shoot an air ball, I'm still going to put it up the next time. My lowest percentage was last year. That's not me. That's not me as a player and I wasn't going to let it continue to happen."
Humphries' percentages have risen along with his minutes. For a time during the regular season his overall field-goal percentage hovered below 40 percent and was actually worse than his 3-point percentage. But his overall percentage is up to .443 on the year.
"He's playing everything well right now," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan.
Humphries says he would like to be playing in the fourth quarter of close games, but so far Hornacek has had most of the late-game minutes. "I could be somewhat upset. But we're winning and the coach has to make tough decisions," said Humphries. "That's the decision he has to make and I'll just go with the flow. I've accepted a lot worse things than what we have here. You won't hear a peep out of me. I want to be part of winning and you can't gripe about the situation we have. I'm still getting minutes, so I can't complain."
Though he is more comfortable starting, he expects Hornacek to take over the starting spot eventually. Sloan says he hasn't given much thought to whether he'll keep Humphries in the starting lineup. But Humphries obviously has.
"Honestly, in my heart I feel that the day is going to come when (Hornacek) starts," continued Humphries. "And I can accept that. I haven't been worried. I just plan to be part of the flow and be consistent. Getting minutes and not being pulled out for mistakes is more important than having me around at the start."