Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BROOKLYN — Four years later, it’s easy to see which team got the best of a blockbuster trade that sent then-Utah Jazz franchise guard Deron Williams to the then-New Jersey Nets.
The Nets viewed the move as the beginning of a strong run for the franchise; the Jazz saw it as a chance to hit the reset button and build for a better future. Utah has succeeded, while the Nets have spent themselves into salary-cap oblivion.
Sunday was another example of how the teams are moving in vastly different directions, as the Jazz picked up a 95-88 road victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
The win helped the Jazz earn the season sweep of the Nets, while simultaneously helping the team go 3-1 on a four-game road trip. Utah will enter an upcoming five-game home stand with confidence, which starts Tuesday against the league-worst New York Knicks.
The win over Brooklyn showcased a variety of positives for the Jazz, but a few different pieces stood out.
The two franchise players for the Jazz shined in yet another victory, with the pair combing for 46 points (24 for Hayward, 22 for Favors). Winning in athletics is most easily accomplished by having dual threats. In other words, winning football teams make it tough on defenses because they both run and pass the ball with efficiency. With Hayward playing well out on the perimeter, defenses have to help on him, creating more space for Favors to operate down low.
It’s tough to quantify toughness, but it’s easy for the eye test to prove its existence. Since the All-Star break, Utah has appeared to be a tougher team, with more attention to detail and more tenacity. The combination is a winner, and the Jazz picked up a win over the Nets through physicality. First, the Jazz won the free-throw battle, making 17 of 21 compared to Brooklyn’s 4 of 11. Then, Utah won the rebounding battle, 43-30.
There are signs that Dante Exum is picking up the NBA game, and Sunday proved to be one of his more complete games of the season. Exum scored 14 points, while going 4-of-4 from three-point range. Simultaneously, Trey Burke scored 12 points. If Exum can continue to improve his playmaking ability, both for himself and his teammates, he will develop into the dual-threat the Jazz were looking for when they drafted him.
