Evans has fans in Jazz locker room
My last blog was about all of the changes the Kings had gone through since beating the Jazz in early November in Salt Lake City.
One thing that hasn’t changed?
Tyreke Evans plays like a beast against the Jazz. If the Kings only use highlight video of his three games against Utah to promote his Rookie of the Year campaign, he might win by a landslide. He averaged 27 points, 6.7 assists and four rebounds against the Jazz in three games vs. Utah.
In Friday’s 103-99 win, Evans scored 24 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out seven assists while being defended mostly by Wesley Matthews and Deron Williams.
Think Memphis wishes it had drafted the 6-foot-6, 220-pound star-in-the-making from Memphis instead of D-Leaguer Hasheem Thabeet?
The Jazz sounded like members of the Tyreke Evans Fan Club – Salt Lake City Chapter after their first road loss in eight games at Arco Arena late Friday night.
“It’s a tough match-up for any point guard,” the 6-foot-3 Williams said. “He makes me look small. He’s able to do so many things around the basket, and when he gets in the lane you think you have him contained but he gets right up over you.”
Added Jazz coach Jerry Sloan: “He’s a terrific player. He’s a big man. It’s tough to try to put someone on him that can keep him out of the paint. He can beat you with the dribble. He can go inside and post you up. He’s probably one of the biggest point guards since Magic or Oscar Robertson, someone like that. He’s got a big body and very strong – well poised for a young man.”
And Carlos Boozer: “That kid can play. They put the ball in his hands. His jump shot is getting better. He can get around guards. He can finish with contact. He can play.”
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Odd sight of the night at Arco Arena: A loud-cheering Jazz fan behind the Utah bench wearing a Deron Williams jersey, sporting a BYU hat and drinking a sudsy brew out of a plastic cup.
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The first thing I noticed entering Arco Arena in my first NBA trip to Sacramento is that it feels like you’re going through a time warp. Let’s just say it resembles the old Salt Palace a whole lot more than it does well-kept EnergySolutions Arena.
Part of the arena has wooden floors, the colored chairs are mismatched in spots (obvious red or blue replacements in alternately colored sections, for example) and it’s rather small. The fans had plenty to cheer about, but the attendance was far below a sellout at 12,938.
Speaking of the fans, the Kings erected a big gold No. 6 statue in front of the arena. A plaque explained why that it was put there on Oct. 8, 2005 — “symbolic of the greatest sixth man in the world – Sacramento Kings fans – in appreciation of your extraordinary passion, commitment and loyalty. The Kings feed off of your energy during each and every game. Thank you Kings fans. You are the golden standard.”