MUScoop

MUScoop => Hangin' at the Al => Topic started by: nycwarrior on October 07, 2009, 08:27:44 PM

Title: Wes gets props
Post by: nycwarrior on October 07, 2009, 08:27:44 PM
Check out the link above to the story "Utah Jass win fans, lose to Bulls."

A bit of nice ink for Wes including comments from teammates and Sloan about his good play in opportunistic minutes. Doesn't mean he'll make the team but he's making an impression with his play and his humble, hard-working style.

Here's the bit about Wes.

...On the court, the Jazz's biggest revelation was Wesley Matthews, a rookie guard and training camp invitee from Marquette who might be just as anonymous in Salt Lake City as he was in London.

Matthews took advantage of his chance to start, scoring 16 points with three three-pointers.

That included an 11-point third quarter in which he came up with a steal, got open underneath for Williams, drove for a layup and connected twice from long distance.

"When you've got an all-league point guard passing you the ball, you feel like it's your responsibility to make the shot," Matthews said. "He's doing the tough job. I was just spotting up."

With the Jazz losing C.J. Miles to start the season to thumb surgery, Matthews will have every opportunity to prove he belongs on the opening night roster. The Jazz, for now, are down to just 11 healthy players under contract.

"I started to realize I might have to step up more, the shot might be coming a little sooner," Matthews said.

Matthews averaged a modest 6.2 points and shot 34.8 percent in five games with the Jazz's summer-league team in Orlando, Fla., but nevertheless impressed Sloan with his play in practice.

"I think he has a great body for basketball," Sloan said. "Just trying to figure out what he's doing, what we're trying to accomplish and all that stuff will take him a little time. But I like some of the things he's done."

Added Williams: "I was really impressed with Wes before we even started preseason. I felt like he could be a guy that could stick around on this team."

Matthews called it a dream just to be starting a game in London against the Bulls, but added: "At the same time, that's not what I'm content with. I want to get better, get better, get better and hopefully I've got a good shot to make a team."

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