Even before they lost Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur to injuries, then won Game 2 of their first-round playoff series with Denver in the face of all obstacles, the Jazz already could call themselves the NBA’s ultimate overachievers and underdogs. The Jazz will finish this season with the most unique roster in the league, populated by 10 players who were either second-round picks *— the NBA draft has only two rounds — or went undrafted entirely when they first came to the league. Only three of their players were the more heralded first-round picks. With that in mind, maybe the Jazz’s upset of a full-strength Nuggets team that went 34-7 at home in the regular season shouldn’t have been so surprising. The Jazz now can take control of the series with Games 3 and 4 at EnergySolutions Arena this weekend. Read more...
