--Before Wednesday's game, the Jazz honored Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko (as well as two local Class AAA baseball players) who competed in the Beijing Olympics. All five were presented with Omega watches while everyone but Kirilenko also received a USOC delegation ring. Williams and Boozer both won gold medals as members of USA Basketball.
--The Jazz might as well have set up camp at the foul line in the fourth quarter against Portland. After shooting only five free throws the first three quarters, the Jazz went to the line 17 times in the fourth quarter and made their final 13 free throws of the game. They went 21 of 22 overall, with the lone miss coming from Andrei Kirilenko in the fourth quarter. --Mehmet Okur finally hit his first three-pointer of the season in the fourth quarter. Okur is only 1-for-9 on the season, with the Jazz as a team having connected on only eight three-pointers through four games. "It's a long season," Okur said. "I just don't want to give up." Portland hit 10 three-pointers in the game, more than the Jazz have all season.
--Karl Malone was in town and attended Wednesday's game. Malone was mistakenly introduced as being from Louisiana State, even though he was wearing a Louisiana Tech cap. Malone still has business interests in the area, including two car dealerships.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's not a big deal and I'd as soon not really talk about it. I think this game is for the players and let them be the ones that people talk about." -- -- Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, on the anticipation of his winning his 1,000th game with the Jazz.
