This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Twenty games into Al Jefferson's Jazz career, it appears he's more than capable of replacing Carlos Boozer.
Jefferson, acquired from Minnesota during the offseason, averages 16.8 points and 8.8 rebounds heading into Friday night's game against Dallas.
During the Jazz's seven-game winning streak, however, Jefferson's numbers have been even more impressive.
Since Nov. 20, Jefferson has averaged 18.8 points. He has scored at least 17 points in six of Utah's seven victories.
Jefferson is also shooting 53.8 percent during the winning streak, bumping his season percentage to .491.
"He's worked hard," said coach Jerry Sloan. "He's trying to understand what we're doing. We do a lot of things — probably too much. But he seems to be getting more comfortable with that, so the game can be a little more instinctive rather than stopping to think about it."
Jefferson has provided the low-post scoring threat the Jazz thought they might miss after Boozer left for Chicago via free agency.
"Al has great hands and good feet," Sloan said. "I think the thing that hurt him a little when he came in was conditioning — not really knowing how he was going to be played.
"But he's worked hard trying to improve that. Hopefully, he carries that out so he can have a better start next year. That's when that confidence really builds up."
One shining moment
Jazz rookie Gordon Hayward played only two minutes in Wednesday's 110-88 win over Indiana, but his 3-pointer in the final seconds caused one of the biggest crowd reactions of the night.
Hayward grew up in Brownsburg, Ind., where he pulled for the Pacers. He also starred at Butler, so he had a large number of family members, friends and fans watching the game on TV.
"I was definitely anxious," Hayward said. "… It was nice to get in there."
The Jazz's first-round pick has played 24 minutes in the last nine games, in part because veterans Ronnie Price and Earl Watson have taken over the backcourt duties for Utah's second unit. But Hayward doesn't sound discouraged.
"… It's going to be a learning process," he said. "I'm trying to get better every single day. I feel I've gotten better. So I'll keep putting in the work and, as long as I stay ready, it will be good."
After the game over Indiana, Hayward smiled upon hearing Butler had defeated Loyola-Chicago, 65-63.
"That's a big-time win," he said. "Loyola was undefeated."