They said it, before and after the Jazz snapped a six-game losing streak Friday night with a 108-100 victory over Minnesota at EnergySolutions Arena:


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Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis, before the game on playing the Jazz without their injured All-Star, Deron Williams: "I hope it doesn't change our approach -- the intensity and focus that we have to come out with to win a game in this sort of environment. We know we will have to play extremely hard to get a win here. ...
"He is a very talented ball player, but in a lot of ways, his absence can be dangerous. Their substitutes will feel comfortable and confident that there's no reason for coach Sloan to take them out. He doesn't have another avenue to go to. So they will play free and confident."

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Utah coach Jerry Sloan, on Paul Millsap playing well (30 points, eight rebounds) with a bruised thumb: "He's always banged up, but he doesn't miss games."

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Sloan on the Jazz's defense, which limited Minnesota to 6 of 20 shooting in the fourth quarter and only one field goal in the final seven minutes: "Our guys stepped up and really tried to help each other."

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Rambis on Minnesota power forward Kevin Love, who posted his 32nd straight double-double with 22 points and 15 rebounds: "He's done a terrific job all season for us and he continues to get better. He's working to expand his offensive game. We feel like, in the future, he'll do what he's doing now plus be someone who can play with his back to the basket -- in that mid-range area off the post. He's really working hard to improve his defense, too -- on the ball and off the ball."

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Sloan on rookie Jeremy Evans, who was scoreless while playing the opening 3:49 of the fourth quarter: "We'd like to get him more time. But one of the things you have a problem with is he has to play against bigger people. How do you get him matched up with guys you feel he has a chance to succeed against?

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C.J. Miles, on the play of point guard Earl Watson, who started in place of Williams and finished with 10 points, 13 assists and only one turnover in 39 minutes: "He works out after every practice and stays on top of it. Because he's a veteran, he knows how the game works. He can go from playing 15 minutes to playing 40 minutes."

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Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko, on the Timberwolves, who lost for the 11th time in the last 12 games: "Give them credit. They are one of those outsider teams. They don't win a lot of games. But they've lost a lot of [close] games right at the end. They are a better team than people think. They are young and aggressive. Great rebounders. Kevin Love is one of the biggest improvements in the game this season."

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Rambis, on his team's 25 turnovers, including three in the final minutes: "Some of them were just mindless and careless."


-- Steve Luhm