Jerry Sloan a big fan of …

SAN ANTONIO – A few things established with the Jazz’s win here Thursday night over the San Antonio Spurs …

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Even after beating them twice now this season, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan is a big Spurs fan.
“I have tremendous respect for what they’re about and what they do,” Sloan said.
“Thet really screen. They had a couple plays where they backscreened us, got a wide open jump shot. Then they ran off the baseline, turned around and stepped back out and got an easy basket that way.
“Those are things that should teach you how to do better yourself, rather than just come down and think ‘I’ve got to jump over somebody to score.’ They do it with the help of their teammates, getting good shots. That’s the way to break another team down.”

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Sloan is an even bigger Tim Duncan fan …
“Duncan is such a great player,” he said.
“He makes it tough for you to get inside. He blocks shots, and the fact he’s back there is enough to persuade you not to go in there a lot of times.”

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And, finally, Sloan is slowly but surely becoming a fan of his own team …
“Our guys, I thought, hung in there pretty well and had to play decent to win,” he said after the Jazz withstood a second-half San Antonio rally bid.
“You’re on the road, and you’ve got to expect the other team to have a run at you. You just hope you can keep your composure and not look for an excuse, and I thought we held in there.”

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