Trevor Booker was brought to the Utah Jazz because of Saturday night.
He was brought in to play with energy. He was brought in to provide a spark in games where nobody else does.
And that's exactly what he did on Saturday night.
The Jazz escaped EnergySolutions Arena with an 88-71 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. But it was a night in which not many Utah guys played with passion. Booker was the notable exception.
From the beginning, he attacked Philadelphia's defense. He rebounded the ball, he scored inside. It was exactly what the Jazz needed, even against a Sixers team with just four wins on the season.
"That's what Trevor can do," Utah coach Quin Snyder said. "We look for that from him. He made plays tonight, and he made things happen around the rim. He was good at putting the ball in the basket tonight."
In 20 minutes of playing time, Booker scored 14 points. He grabbed five rebounds, blocked a pair of shots and came up with a steal. He shot 6 of 8 from the field and made both of his free throws.
More importantly, his teammates fed off his energy. Booker was at the front of things when the Jazz finally pulled away from the Sixers in the fourth quarter. He played well enough that Snyder kept him in to close the game.
"We struggled shooting the ball but found a way to win," Booker said. "We kept fighting back as a team, but couldn't get it done offensively. Usually when you play well defensively, it carries over offensively. It didn't tonight, but it's good that we got the win.
Booker missed the last game of Utah's pre-Christmas road trip — Monday night at Memphis — to have an outpatient procedure done on his chest. But his return was welcomed on a team that looked like one playing for the first time in five days.
Over the past few weeks, the Jazz have proved effective with their four big man rotation involving Booker, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter and Rudy Gobert. Usually, someone has stepped in and to have big games on different nights.
On Saturday night, it was Booker's turn. And it was his energy that ultimately put him over the top.
tjones@sltrib.com
twitter: @tjonessltrib
Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible