Jazz End Skid, Gregg Popovich Loses Mind

Dec 9, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (R) yells at referee Ben Taylor (46) during the second half against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. The Jazz won 100-96. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

The Utah Jazz were on the cusp of their worst losing skid in 33 years coming into a back-to-back from a loss at the Sacramento Kings with the San Antonio Spurs in Salt Lake City. And in need of a win as badly as they have ever needed one. For the first time in ten games Quin Snyder’s Jazz played like they meant it for all four quarters, in the process frustrating Gregg Popovich into losing his mind.

The Jazz have been terrible in second quarters, but won a rare second stanza 23-21, largely on the expansive shoulders of Rudy Gobert, who played offense in addition to the defense we’re becoming accustomed to seeing. Every Jazz player on the floor appeared to be more focused, more aggressive, more intent on breaking the long losing skid with Snyder’s former franchise in their building.

Snyder has been holding his players longer than usual in practices lately, and it paid off tonight, Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward leading the charge, especially late. Favors finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, two assists, a steal and two blocks, while Hayward shot well, 20 points on 13 shots. The Jazz’s max player also filled the stat sheet with seven rebounds and four assists.

Utah hasn’t been rebounding well, but won the glass 43-37 over the San Antonio, spurred on by a quick three rebounds by Enes Kanter that came by the first time out, setting the tone. Kanter played well at both ends, showing progress and focus after being fined $25,000 earlier in the day for throwing his mouth guard into the Sacramento stands last night.

Kanter had the Jazz’s lone double-double with 12 and 15, while Tim Duncan was Tim Duncan, with the Spurs’ lone dub-dub, an impressive 23 points and 14 rebounds in the loss, adding 2 assists, 3 steals and four blocks to the effort.

A frustrated Gregg Popovich was ejected with two technicals in the third quarter that came faster than you can say Ettore Messina, the Spurs assistant who took over for him.

Jazz rookie Dante Exum hit a huge, deep three late in the last stanza, noting in postgame that the Jazz finally hit all their marks they’ve been focusing on in practice and game prep.

"“We always made steps, it was always about having goals each game. To come in here and achieve all the goals we wanted to and finally get that win was good for us and the coaching staff.”"

"–1280/97.5 The Zone, audio"

Despite some perplexing late calls by NBA officials, the Jazz would hold on to win 100-96 over the Spurs to break their nine-game losing skid. After the final buzzer came some good-natured ribbing by Gobert with French National Team teammate, Boris Diaw.

Which translates to “I told you so!”

Diaw would tweet back:

Our resident French-speaking staffer Jared Barker tells us Diaw responded with:

Next up, the Utah Jazz host the Miami Heat before heading out on their annual pre-Christmas road trip, a Utah tradition (to avoid holiday distractions), from December 14-22, six games.