--Forward Paul Millsap had a star turn in Wednesday's game, scoring 16 of his 19 points in the second half. Millsap exploited his matchup against Jason Maxiell and Antonio McDyess, spinning and driving for baskets and hitting jumpers.
Millsap was so effective that Jazz coach Jerry Sloan opted not to bring back All-Star Carlos Boozer until the final 3:02 of the game. Deron Williams said that Millsap was so unstoppable, he probably felt like Michael Jordan on the floor. "He killed us," Detroit coach Flip Saunders said. "He pretty much took the ball at us, made some big plays, made some big free throws. Basically we had pretty much the game in control and he came in and he and I thought (Matt) Harpring's aggressiveness changed the tempo of the game."
--There might not be another team in the NBA with the kind of swings the Jazz have. One night after losing to Minnesota, the team with the league's second-worst record, the Jazz beat a 42-16 Pistons team with the league's second-best record.
That's par for the course this season. The Jazz have a better record (17-9) against teams with winning records than they do (19-12) against teams with losing records.
"That is something that we need to realize," Boozer said, "that we can be one of the best in the league, but we have to be one of the best in the league on a night to night basis."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We have a very good basketball team (but) they have to be willing to pay the price to be good and not just be satisfied." -- Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, drawing the contrast between Wednesday's victory over the Pistons and Tuesday's loss to Minnesota.
