When you play every game as if points are scored for sheer effort, you're not going to let a little bronchitis stop you.
Adam Keefe, the Utah Jazz's hustle-happy backup forward, said he felt lousy before Wednesday's game against Denver. He should feel lousy more often. He totaled 15 points and six rebounds, his best numbers in a week, and gave the Jazz some much-needed spark in a 103-91 victory over the Nuggets.Keefe officially was listed as "probable" before the game, after a visit to the doctor earlier in the day. On this team, "probables" play.
"You point the guy out to me on this team that's not going to play when he's hurting," Keefe said.
"Sometimes you surprise yourself by going out and playing when you're under the weather," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan.
Keefe certainly seemed to surprise the Nuggets, who saw him sneak under the basket several times to receive a pass and dunk, or beat everyone downcourt - and we're not talking Carl Lewis here, folks - for a layup.
"Adam stays active all the time," Sloan said, "and as soon as he sees the double-team, bang, he goes to the front of the rim."
Keefe played 27 minutes; only John Stockton, Karl Malone and Jeff Hornacek played more. That trio also turned in typically terrific performances. Malone, playing in his 800th NBA game, finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five blocked shots. Stockton had 15 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, and scored 12 of Utah's 24 fourth-quarter points to hold off a late charge by the Nuggets. And Hornacek hit seven of 10 shots for 18 points, with eight rebounds.
This was a clash of two teams with more than the usual motivations for winning. Utah is trying to finish the season with the best record in the NBA; this victory ties them with Phoenix for the best record in the Western Conference, a half game behind Orlando in the overall race. And the Nuggets are trying to put on a stretch run, as they did last season, to edge Sacramento for the final playoff spot in the West. They came into the Delta Center 10-5 since Bernie Bickerstaff took over as coach.
In the opening minutes, the Nuggets clearly had an edge. They hit their first six shots from the field, including three three-pointers, in racing to a 15-4 lead. But the Jazz, who figure that coming back from a double-digit deficit is just something you do at least once a game, fought back on 11 first-quarter points from Malone and eight from Hornacek to trail by a single point at the buzzer, 25-24.
The game remained close until the third quarter, when the Jazz appeared to get things under control. Utah used runs of 12-2 and 17-3 to lead by 17 at 79-62.
"For some reason we got a lead, and then it was time for everyone to stand around," Sloan said.
As the Jazz stood, the Nuggets scored - going on a 14-2 spurt over the final 33 seconds of the third quarter and first 4:41 of the fourth.
"We had a good third quarter, and we let them back in," Sloan said. "We quit guarding them."
The Nuggets pulled to within two, 93-91, with 3:27 left, and then the Jazz put a stop to all that upset nonsense. In those final minutes, Malone came out of nowhere to swat away a shot by Dale Ellis, Hornacek stole the ball from Bryant Stith off the dribble, Keefe got open for a pass from Stockton for a dunk, Utah's Blue Edwards took a pass from Stockton on a three-on-two break for a layup and free throw, Stockton drilled two foul shots, and Malone took a rifle pass from Edwards for a jam.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, missed all four of their shots from the field.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf led Denver with 22 points, on 9 of 21 from the field, including 2 of 10 from the three-point line. Ellis, Jalen Rose and Rodney Rogers each scored 12, Dikembe Mutombo had 11.
The Jazz left immediately after the game for Houston, where they will meet the Rockets Thursday night. Houston is the only Western Conference team the Jazz have yet to beat this season (in two meetings), and it will be interesting to see how they matchup since the Clyde Drexler-for-Otis Thorpe deal.
"We haven't faced them since the trade, so we're not even sure exactly how they play," Hornacek said.
"I think they're just as talented," Sloan said. "You still have to deal with (Hakeem) Olajuwon."