Article:Kyle Korver shoots daggers at old team, helps new team win 107-110

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Former Jazz guard Gordon Giricek gets introduced to his superior replacement Kyle Korver(AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

Because of his timely three point shooting, Allen Iverson dubbed him sniper.

Kyle Korver lived up to his nickname and helped the Utah Jazz close out the Philadelphia Sixers 110-107.

It’s kind of funny how things can change so rapidly for an NBA player. On Sunday he was told that he would be traded from the Sixers to Utah. This past Monday he played with the Jazz in their 111-101 victory over the Portland Trailblazers. Tuesday night was spent greeting his old Sixers teammates at the airport and last night he played a key role in beating them.

Korver had 14 points (2-2 from three point land) in 11 minutes of play, mostly during the fourth quarter. He also had a few key defensive stops, something that he didn’t show too often in Philadelphia.

Four of those points came from clutch free throws in the final minutes of the game. The Jazz had pretty much dominated the Sixers for the game, having a lead at times as big as 13 points. But as expected, the Jazz started slipping in the fourth quarter and at times were whittled down to a 2 point lead. Korver helped them out big time at the end of the game.

Part of the Sixers rally was due to them crowding the paint by going to a 2-3 zone defensive scheme. The Jazz countered that by having Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer going to a high pick and roll which freed up Boozer to take a jump shot from the top of the key. His jumper is a thing of beauty because it gets so much height.

Boozer finished the night scoring 22 points and 9 rebounds. Williams had 15 points and an amazing 20 assists! Their shooting guards Ronnie Brewer and CJ Miles, scoring 11 and 12 points respectively.

Mehmet Okur had a good game for the first time in a while, scoring 20 points (2-3 on three pointers), but only pulled down a paltry 2 rebounds in 38 minutes of play. A lot of his offense came at the expense of Andre Kirilenko (6 points); Okur had 14 field goal attempts to Kirilenko’s 6.

The play of the night involved Okur, but not in a good way. In the third period, he—a 6’11” center mind you—was blocked by the 6’1” Sixer guard Louis Williams, who chased the ball down to the other end for a sick dunk. That Williams wound up scoring 17 on the night. That was joined by Samuel Dalembert’s 20, Andre Iguodala’s 30 and Andre Miller’s 25. Iguodala’s 30 were enough to be his season high.

The other Sixer of note was Gordon Giricek, who played his first game as a Sixer. He was the other part of the Korver trade and was booed pretty loudly. He had 4 points on the night.

I guess the Jazz have made out on the better end of the trade.