Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has often been criticized for his lack of flexibility in his substitution patterns. Just look at the game clock and you'll know when Sloan is going to make his moves.
Yet, it was Sloan's flexibility Sunday afternoon that may have been the difference in the Jazz victory over Portland, which kept their season alive for at least two more days.
Howard Eisley played a season-low 10 minutes, while starters Karl Malone, Bryon Russell, John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek each played at least 36 minutes for the second straight game. The most eye-opening numbers, however, belonged to centers Olden Polynice and Greg Ostertag.
Polynice played 39 minutes — his second-highest minutes total of the year, while Ostertag got his first DNP-CD of the season — that's Did Not Play-Coaches Decision.
Ostertag's absence was obvious, considering he had played in every game but one this year (he missed a December game when his newborn baby had surgery) and had averaged 22 minutes a game in eight previous playoff games. So where was he Sunday?
Perhaps Sloan was trying to make a statement about Ostertag's lack of production lately. Perhaps he was trying to light a fire under him for future games. Or perhaps he just forgot about him because of Polynice's solid play in the middle.
Sloan brushed off any hint of controversy, saying that Ostertag's benching was "a coach's decision" and had more to do with Polynice's outstanding play than Ostertag's recent ineffectiveness.
"I thought Olden Polynice was playing pretty well," Sloan said. "He was alive and active, and he was giving us a lot of energy. I just wanted to keep him out there as much as I could."
Polynice was surprised but happy to get the extra minutes. He had only played more than 30 minutes six times this season and more than 40 once, a 42-minute performance at Atlanta in December.
"I was surprised at the end of the (first) quarter when I started to walk to my normal spot because I always come out. But I didn't see Jerry gesture for Oster, so I was like, OK . . . he gave me a nice little vote of confidence and that felt good. That made me play that much harder. I think that was his way of saying that I was doing a good job."
Ostertag was as silent afterward as he was during the game. He dressed alone right next to the throng around Polynice, but when two reporters approached him for a comment, he ignored them and quickly left the locker room.
Polynice finished with a double-double, scoring 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds, including six on the offensive boards. He also played superb defense, and he provided emotion all game, including a little confrontation with Scottie Pippen with 2:03 left in the first quarter when both received technicals.
So did Polynice get tired with all the extra minutes on Sunday?
"No, come on man, I'm in shape," he said with a laugh.
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