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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz made a trade on Nov. 28, and it resonated with all Jazz fans around the state.
The Jazz sent Alec Burks and a couple of second-round picks to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for sharp-shooter Kyle Korver, who reunited with Utah after a three-year stint from 2007-10 with the team.
The trade was met with a lot of speculation and concern from Jazz fans. Was this really the fix to the Jazz’s early-season problems — a 37-year old shooter?
In a very small sample size of three games, it just might be.
The Utah Jazz have had two main struggles this year: defense, which has improved, and 3-point shooting. Enter Kyle Korver, a career 43-percent 3-point shooter.
In his three games with the Jazz, Korver is shooting a remarkable 53 percent from the 3-point line and he is averaging 10.7 points per game.
Even more remarkable is the effect it has had on the rest of the team. Before the veteran joined the team, the Jazz were shooting 31.9 percent from the 3-point line. But during the three games Korver has played for Utah, they are shooting an astounding 46.2 percent from beyond the arc. And the Jazz are averaging 119 points per game during that stretch.
Although it is a small sample size, it is making a huge difference for the Jazz as they move their way up in the league standings for total offense — since his acquisition, the Jazz have moved from 27th to 24th. Their 3-point percentage on the year has also gone up from 31.9 percent to 33.8 percent in just three games.
In their dismantling of the San Antonio Spurs earlier in the week, the Jazz broke a franchise record with 20 made 3-pointers in a game.
Korver is certainly not the only reason for the Jazz’s recent success, but he has played a big part in the improvement. While his time with the Jazz remains young, he has turned the negative speculation of the trade with Cleveland all positive for Jazz fans.
The Jazz return to action at home Thursday night with a stint against the visiting Houston Rockets. Rockets star, James Harden, recently tweeted:
It may be cold outside, but Jazz fans are hoping Korver and the team can continue to heat things up from beyond the arc.
