Empty the Bench

His return to the court after missing 44 games due to injury was a quiet one statistically, but that was to be expected. In the bigger picture, a healthy Carlos Boozer is enough to push the Jazz back into serious contender status and give the Lakers another run for their Western Conference money.

Boozer did his best to keep expectations low for his first start since November 19, warning that he’d probably play just 5 minutes a quarter at first and slowly work his minutes back up from there.

True to his word (and probably mandate from coach Jerry Sloan and Jazz brass), he logged just over 21 rusty, ineffectual minutes, finishing with just 2 points (1-5 FG), 5 boards, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Fortunately for the Jazz, they hardly needed even those minimal contributions to blow out the Atlanta Hawks 108-89.

That marked the fifth straight win for the streaking Jazz, who pulled their record to an underrated 34-23 and are now just three games back of Northwest Division-leading Denver Nuggets; expect them to catch up soon. I call the Jazz’s record “underrated” because of how successfully they’ve weathered the tide and kept their collective head above water after being dealt one blow after another (read: injuries) to some of their key cogs.

That they’re 11 games above .500 and still well within striking distance of a 2- or 3-seed speaks volumes about both their depth and the outstanding coaching, yet again, from that old bore Jerry Sloan. Take a look at their litany of games missed:

Carlos Boozer – 44 games
Andrei Kirilenko – 15 games
Deron Williams – 14 games
Mehmet Okur – 9 games
Paul Millsap – 6 games

This team has been on the cusp for a few seasons now, advancing to the Conference Finals in ‘07 then bowing out in the Semifinals 4-2 to the eventual Western Conference champion LA Lakers. The roster remained largely unchanged headed into this season, with the idea that past playoff battles and the ongoing development of Williams, Millsap, Ronnie Brewer, etc. might be enough to finally push them over the top.

The spectre of injury looms largely over this team given their recent history, but I’m starting to think this team does indeed have what it takes to come out on top–if Carlos Boozer returns to form and stays there.

More about Carlos Boozer’s importance to the Utah Jazz after the break…

We’re big fans of free-agent-to-be Paul Millsap, who stands as one of the top candidates for this season’s Most Improved Player Award in averaging 14.7 points, 9.3 boards, 54% FG, 2.1 assists, 1 steal, and 1.1 blocks through 51 games. With both he and Boozer potentially on the market this summer (Boozer has said he’ll opt out, but we’ll see if he actually follows through), we’ve already argued that Millsap would be the most logical choice for the Jazz to prioritize if forced to choose.

That said, Boozer at 100% is certainly no slouch and has the ability to do many things better than Millsap. Don’t forget we’re talking about a career 54% shooter who’s averaged over 20 points and 10 boards the past two seasons. He has excellent chemistry with Williams, especially on the pick-and-roll, and has one of the sweetest strokes of any power forward in the league today.

And, of course, he has a golden opportunity right now to prove his worth to both his current employer and to any potential ones in the future. If this team pushes themselves back near the top of the WC standings and makes a deep run in the postseason, it’s likely going to have a lot to do with Boozer. Never underestimate a motivated NBA player with talent to spare.

Because of Millsap’s accelerated development this season and their depth elsewhere on the roster, the Jazz would likely prove a tough out in these 2009 NBA Playoffs even if Boozer were to suffer another setback and see his season end prematurely. But with Boozer in the starting lineup and Millsap complimenting him off the bench, this team just might have enough to emerge at the top of the Western Conference heap.

Related Reading:
- The Power Forward Conundrum in Utah
- Ten of the Most Pleasant Fantasy Hoops Surprises So Far This Season
- The NBA’s Top 6 Double-Double Machines Who Aren’t Household Names

Carlos Boozer Photo Credit: Icon SMI