SALT LAKE CITY — The new-look, super-trapping Nuggets were in EnergySolutions Arena this morning, going over last-minute preparations on their game plan for tonight’s Game 3.
The plan is simple: Don’t let Deron Williams go berserk.
To keep that from happening, the Nuggets are expected to press and trap Williams to get the ball out of his hands, forcing someone else to beat them.
Williams, however, shrugs off the Nuggets’ much-hyped new strategy, saying he and the Jazz can handle it.
“Just find the open guy,” Williams said. “If they want to trap me and take me out of the game, we have plenty of guys on this team that can score the basketball. Especially when it’ll be four-on-three, because two people are going to be on me.”
Williams scored 33 points and had 14 assists in Utah’s Game 2 victory.
“We have some reads that we (have) when people trap me,” Williams said. “They’ve done it a little bit both games. I’m going to keep attacking in transition before they can set up, before they can double me. We’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said the key to beating the trap will be other players recognizing the situation and moving to the right spots.
“When John (Stockton) was here we got a lot of layups off of (traps),” Sloan said. “If our big guys can recognize what’s going on, they’re giving up something. One of the big guys, we hope we can handle it catch the ball and put it in the basket. Spread them out a little bit. They can’t cover the whole court with three guys. If we can’t make the right decision I’m sure they’ll be successful doing it.”
Carlos Boozer was succinct when asked how his team can help a trapped Williams.
“Just get open,” Boozer said. “Give him somebody to pass to.”
The danger comes if Utah’s role players start to play well. And those types of players play better at home with familiar rims and a friendly crowd, than on the road in hostile territory.
The Jazz has already gotten good performances from Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver and C.J. Miles in this series. Now, Wesley Matthews could see a spike in his scoring. Of the 40 times he scored in double figures this season, 22 came at home. Matthews averaged 10.3 points on 49 percent shooting at EnergySolutions, while going for 8.5 points on 46 percent shooting on the road.
Still, the Nuggets will take their chances with players not named Williams or Boozer.
“I mean, if we can take the ball out of their two best players’ hands, I think we will have done our job,” Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony said. “If Miles makes shots, if (Kyrylo) Fasenko makes shots, we want that to happen. But if Deron Williams keep beating us like they did in Game 2, then we’ll have a long series.”
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
