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San Antonio • Boris Diaw had already been back to San Antonio, the place and franchise where he won an NBA title.
Still, Sunday afternoon proved to be special for Diaw because it was the first time the veteran power forward played against the Spurs at AT&T Center. Diaw was battling a calf injury earlier in the season when the Jazz visited San Antonio. So he looked forward to actually getting onto the floor against his old team.
"I have a lot of great memories here," Diaw said. "This was a great place for me to play, and it's always good to come back and see so many friendly faces."
Diaw played extremely well against the Spurs, scoring 19 points in 19 minutes. He looked like prime Boris Diaw for long stretches, consistently posting up San Antonio defenders and finding mismatches. He finished at the basket. He made his only 3-point attempt, and he shot a perfect 9-of-9 from the field.
He played like the Diaw the Jazz would love to see once the playoffs begin. At his best, Diaw's a guy the Jazz feel they can run their offense through, giving guys like Gordon Hayward and Rodney Hood possessions where they can catch their breaths. That was on full display against the Spurs.
"Boris was aggressive," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "There are a lot of times where we feel we can play through him in the post, and tonight he had that opportunity. Usually, he's thinking to pass, but tonight, he attacked the rim more. We have confidence in him on the block. He's creative around the basket and a good finisher."
The Jazz have paced Diaw this season, playing him around 18 minutes a game. On Sunday, he looked fresh, ready for what's in store once the playoffs begin. If he can continue to play like he did Sunday, he makes the Jazz more dangerous.
Doing it again
Sunday marked the third consecutive solid game for Shelvin Mack, who moved into the rotation with Hill out nursing a groin strain. Mack scored 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field. He played 25 minutes and again earned minutes at the close of the game.
"It's a good thing we have four point guards," Snyder said. "We know that Shelvin is good and capable. Now, we're missing George and Raul [Neto], so having that kind of depth at the point guard spot is nice."
Almost clinched
With Oklahoma City losing at home to the Charlotte Hornets, the Jazz are almost locked into a first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers. Utah — in the fourth spot in the Western Conference — leads OKC by 31/2 with five games to play. Should the Jazz win Tuesday against the Portland Trail Blazers, they can finish no lower than the fifth spot.
Twitter: @tribjazz