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SALT LAKE CITY - Al Jefferson did what no Jazz player had done before with 28 points and 26 rebounds, but DeMarre Carroll kept Utah's playoff hopes alive with a few plays that might go unnoticed.
As the clock finally ticked down to a 123-121 triple-overtime victory over the Dallas Mavericks, the usual starting line of Jefferson, Devin Harris, Gordon Hayward and Paul Millsap all had over 53 minutes of playing time. The other starter, DeMarre Carroll - still relatively new to the Jazz - had 45 minutes and did just enough to give the Jazz a chance to win.
Carroll has been placed in the starting lineup after injuries to Raja Bell, Josh Howard and C.J. Miles. In his fifth start this season he recorded a season-high in minutes, nearly doubling his previous high of 26.
"He did a great job, he brought a lot of energy and he did a great, great job on the defensive end of the floor playing different guys," said head coach Tyrone Corbin. "He rotated on Dirk and the ball handler some times and made them make tough plays."
Carroll's game came as a surprise for the fact that he was suffering from a concussion and had a broken tooth coming into the game. He got the injuries in the last game against Memphis, but passed the tests and was able to start.
Man, I'm going to take this chance but I don't want to. [Memphis guard] Tony Allen always told me, you going to lose some, you going to win some but you got to take chances. I just said ‘I'm going to go' and if he hit it I just got to take it and shake it off tomorrow
–DeMarre Carroll
"He's falling right in line with the rest of the guys, just showing character," Corbin said. "These guys are banged up, tired and when they step on the floor with that uniform on they give you what they have."
He had three sets of plays that helped keep his team in the game - one put up points, one kept Dirk Nowitzki from getting a clean shot and the last was an offensive rebound that allowed the Jazz to milk the clock a little more.
The first took place in the third quarter where he had nine of his 15 points in the last three minutes. He also contributed to the other bucket scored in that stretch with a steal and an assist to Gordon Hayward.
Carroll talked about the importance of filling up the stat sheet and contributing what's not on the stat sheet with, "if they had deflections on it, I'd be the top of that."
The defining moment for Carroll might be his help defense on Nowitzki in the second overtime to keep him from taking a potential game-winning shot. He described what was going through his mind right before he rotated over to the superstar.
"Man, I'm going to take this chance but I don't want to," Carroll said. "[Memphis guard] Tony Allen always told me, you going to lose some, you going to win some but you got to take chances. I just said ‘I'm going to go' and if he hit it I just got to take it and shake it off tomorrow."
With 33 seconds left and the Jazz clinging to a two-point lead in the third overtime he came up with an offensive rebound to milk the clock and help secure the win.
"I just said I'm going to get the ball by any means necessary," Carroll said.
Carroll is making his presence known in Utah, but also knows that he might not get the chance to stay with the Jazz. His contract is set for this season with a team-option for next season, so he is trying to make an impact after spending time over the past two seasons with other teams and in the D-League.
"I'm just trying to grind," Carroll said. "My whole thing is, I'm auditioning not only for the Utah Jazz but for everybody in the league."
