Hayward comes alive

Blue Devils said:

Another big game for Hayward.

22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.

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LOS ANGELES â€" As Butler coach Brad Stevens stood on the sidelines Monday night, a puzzled look on his face, he seemed to be searching for something or someone that could put the ball in the basket.

If only he could have looked here.

The night after Butler's pratfall in the NCAA championship game, Gordon Hayward showed a celebrity-dotted crowd and a national TV audience what might have been had he stuck around for his junior season.

The baby-faced rookie scored a career-high 22 points Tuesday and added six rebounds, five assists, two steals and one blocked shot as the floundering Utah Jazz stunned the suddenly slumping Lakers 86-85.

"I wish Gordon Hayward stayed in college and helped Butler win that game last night," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "He kicked our butt in the second half."

Hayward was just as central to this one as he was in last year's national championship game when his half-court heave nearly delivered a finish for the ages.

He delivered the winning free throw with six seconds left after the Jazz ran a play for him on their final possession, then he defended Kobe Bryant when the Lakers star lost control of the ball and fumbled it away. It was Los Angeles' 19th turnover.

...

He turned 21 two weeks ago but still barely looks 12 â€" his ruddy cheeks, narrow eyes and Justin Bieber haircut now augmented by a few sprouts of hair on his chin.

But he has an explosive first step, has shot 45 percent on 3-pointers, and has improved his defense.

As for his athleticism?

He put the Jazz ahead 77-76 with 3:25 left when he drove down the lane, jumped off the wrong foot, lost control of the ball in his right hand only to be able to dunk it with his left.

The Jazz never trailed again.

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In the third quarter, Bryant caught Hayward with an elbow. In the fourth, Hayward returned the favor. Though he grew up idolizing Bryant, Hayward said he was not in awe.

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As Hayward spoke, surrounded by a dozen reporters and several camera crews, his mood dampened only once â€" when the subject of his alma mater was brought up.

He watched the game Monday night by himself in his hotel room. As each Butler shot clanked off the rim, the anxiety and helplessness grew greater.

"Man, it was tough watching my guys last night," Hayward said. "I was rooting for them so hard. I know it was tough to go all the way back. They had such a great run. I don't think they played poorly â€" they just missed shots."

It was also clear that, for one night at least, they missed something else â€" Hayward.

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TwentyTwo said:

He scored 28 tonight!

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white lightning said:

Now if the Jazz will wake up and smell the coffee. Go sign Jimmer to join Gordon in the starting five and build some chemistry for some playoff runs down the road! Free Jimmer Now!!

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Freethinker said:

Yes, this is as absurd as the Tebow situation in the NFL. The Kings will clearly let Jimmer walk in the off-season and are showing no signs of playing him as he is buried as the 3rd string at both PG and SG. Why wouldn't the Kings take a 2nd round pick or some cash in a trade? At the same time, don't tell me Utah wouldn't part with a 2nd rounder to acquire a sure fire scorer. Plus the money they'd make in merchandise and ticket sales would easily make the trade profitable even if wins didn't increase. After the season, Utah could let Jimmer walk too. No harm, no foul.

It is clear as day that there is more to professional sports than winning and losing and sound money making business decisions.

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Freethinker said:

Yes, this is as absurd as the Tebow situation in the NFL.

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Carolina Speed said:

Hayward another good half. A career best 18 points at the half, but only 4 in the second half, the night before last.

He's currently averaging 19.5 points a game, we need him to be getting 26-28/game!

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Shadowlight said:

While I was searching around for commentary regarding Lavar Ball's" whites are slow" statement I ran across one guy who said he can't wait to see Hayward dunk on his son. By the way I was a huge fan of Keith Van Horn.
On another note Jerry West wants the NBA logo which is based on him, to go to some other player like Michael Jordan. Abdicating the throne and another nail in the coffin that suggests white people don't exist in the world of sports. Seen through the prism of modern day sports West is seen as a great player from way back but he was white so there is this well reluctance to go whole hog with the guy because he was not black therefore how athletic could he have been? He was a great shooter they say which he was among other things. Since the media has openly had orgasms describing Michael Westbrook and frothing at the mouth about his athleticism in the real book of the just and truth Jerry West was every bit (I say better) the athlete that Westbrook is and West was a superior basketball player too. West was an incredible athlete with tremendous speed, quickness, agility and he could sky. And a perfect basketball player in terms of skills and shooting. But by all means abdicate. Lets make the history of white athletes some sort of fairy tale like Atlantis. Something in people's minds that may have existed but is pretty much washed away from our collective memories.

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