This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Even a Seattle Seahawks fan could appreciate what the Denver Broncos did on Sunday, as Von Miller and company harassed MVP quarterback Cam Newton en route to a Super Bowl victory.
Because for Jazz coach Quin Snyder it was "another testament to defense" and "what a group can do when they're committed" to it.
"That's where I think our strengths lie," Snyder said after practice Monday, transitioning from football to basketball. "Not that we can't be efficient in other areas, but I think that's where we have an opportunity to win games."
The Jazz have seized that opportunity of late, winning six straight with two games left before the all-star break. With Saturday's 98-89 win over the Phoenix Suns, the Jazz have held an opponent under 90 points 17 times this season — and they've won all 17 of those games.
"With Rudy [Gobert] and Fav [Derrick Favors] back in addition, I think, to some of the progress that some of the other guys on the team have made defensively — their habits and their awareness and their commitment — I think we are defending as well as we have all year," Snyder said this week.
And if they hope to continue that streak this week on the road against Dallas and New Orleans, getting stops will be the top priority.
"We don't want to start slipping up on things just because the break is almost here," shooting guard Rodney Hood said.
The Jazz have struggled against the Mavericks of late, losing eight of their past nine meetings, including a 102-93 loss at Dallas in November. In that one, former Jazz point guard Deron Williams went for 23 points and eight assists and forward Dirk Nowitzki, the NBA's sixth leading scorer all-time, scored 19 points.
This time around, the Jazz will also have to contend with Chandler Parsons. Injury kept the forward out of the teams' first meeting of the season, but Parsons has found his groove of late, averaging 20 points per game over his past 10 contests.
Parsons will be another test on the perimeter for a group that has taken major strides in improving their defensive effort since Snyder called them out earlier this year.
"He just showed us some stats," Hood recalled. "As far as wing players, we weren't near the top."
Looking back, Hood jokingly questioned the validity of the numbers the coach showed them. "I don't think it's true," he quipped. "Joe [Ingles] had us all beat."
But the Jazz's wings have responded nonetheless. "We took pride in it," Hood said. "Since then, we've done a better job."
Whether it's been defending the pick and roll or pin-downs, Snyder said his team's work early in the season is "starting to pay off a little bit."
The Jazz will hope that translates to a couple more wins before the all-star break — starting with a little payback in Dallas.
"It's going to be a battle," Hood said. "They know we're a good team; better than we were when we played the first time."
Jazz at Mavericks
P Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
TV • ROOT