The Comeback: Part V

3-POINT SHOTS from the Jazz’s 96-95 win over Charlotte on Saturday, which you might’ve heard was their fifth consecutive victory after spotting their opponent a second-half, double-digit lead:

POINT 1: Al Jefferson told Deron Williams, “Bring it home,” late in the game, and that’s definitely what happened in the last 25 seconds.

First, Williams knocked the ball out of a driving D.J. Augustin‘s hands and off his leg, giving Utah a chance to win it.

D-Will said the designed play was a high-ball screen, and he wanted Paul Millsap to be a decoy by acting like he was going to come out and go back down. That, in theory, would have left Williams in a one-on-one situation.

But Williams got cut off by 6-foot-8 Stephen Jackson and was forced to improvise with about five seconds left after momentarily losing control of the ball. Jackson mirrored Williams to the left and then said adios to the athletic but toasted Jackson by crossing over to his right with his patented move. He then seized advantage of just enough open space in the free-throw lane.

“I crossed back over and had the floater in the lane,” Williams said. “I knew it was good as soon as it left my hand.”

Just like the Jazz knew they could beat the odds and rally back from a second-half double-digit deficit for the fifth consecutive game.

Here’s a video of the play with Steve Brown and Ron Boone on the call:

“They did a great job executing. You have to give them credit,” Charlotte coach Larry Brown said. “He (Williams) made a hell of a shot. Jack guarded him as well as he could, as well as anybody could. He just made a heck of a shot.”

The experienced Brown simply should’ve known better than to let his team go up by 19 points against the Jazz.

POINT 2: C.J. Miles struggled yet again from the floor Saturday night. He missed 9 of 13 shots and is shooting just 30 percent (21-for-70) over the past six games.

But this isn’t a bash-on Miles post. Just the opposite, in fact.

Though Miles’ aim was off, he had another well-rounded game. He was as an integral part in the Jazz’s win as just about anybody else, finishing with 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in one of his best A.K. stat-filler impersonations.

But here’s the statistic that pops right off the page: Miles was plus-18 for the game. The plus-minus stat has its flaws, but good things happened for the Jazz on this night when Miles was on the floor. Literally, even. On one occasion, he ended up lying on his back when a rebound plopped into his arms.

When Miles came into the game for good in the fourth quarter, the Jazz were down seven. Utah’s last surge began with his 3-pointer with five minutes to go.

And did I mention he was plus-18 for the game?

POINT 3: On the opposite end of the spectrum, Raja Bell had one of those nights that, well, was one of those nights. He ended up with a minus-13 on the night, and he and Miles were the only ones in double digits on either side.

Bell also had foul trouble, getting called for five in 22 minutes. He raised a ruckus in his old stomping ground after he fouled Augustin hard by hooking his shoulder and bringing him down in a horse-collar move. He was visibly showing the referees and somebody in the crowd (Michael Jordan maybe?) that he was attempting to go for the ball.

He’s certainly a feisty defender, which he showed again Saturday. There’s no doubt he is a well-respected leader and contributor in other ways, but it will serve the Jazz all the better when his offensive production increases a bit. Bell hasn’t hit double digits in scoring since he opened the season with 12 points in the blowout loss at Denver.

MISC: Here’s one of my tweets (@DJJazzyJody) from last night: “Just saw a glum-looking Michael Jordan slowly walk by Jazz locker room gazing at stat sheet that had final score of Jazz 96, MJ’s team 95.” Somebody then suggested I should have asked him when he was going to schedule that one-on-one with Bryon Russell, and I’m now kicking myself for an opportunity lost.

P.S. Having now arrived back in chilly Salt Lake City from a week in the warm South, I think Mother Nature needs to post her own rally. Time to come back – this temperature is definitely in double-digit deficit territory.

Hmmm. Maybe I should get the Jazz working on that instead.