Dec. 2--SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Only four days after they embarrassed the Sacramento Kings with a 44-point third quarter that included one alley-oop pass off the backboard, the Jazz recognize they could be running into a team bent on payback tonight.
"Any time you beat a team like that, they're going to want revenge," Deron Williams said. "And we've always struggled in Sacramento, at least since I've been here."
The Kings (5-14) have dropped six consecutive home games and nine of their last 10 overall, including a 23-point loss Saturday to Dallas. That came one night after a 120-94 loss in Utah that left coach Reggie Theus calling out his players.
"The one thing that I would have liked to see is one of our guys get really angry about it," Theus said. "Not hurt anyone or anything like that, but be angry about what was happening on the floor. Our team has a very good temperament, but somebody should have been angry about that."Net resultWilliams wasn't about to dwell on the 34 points New Jersey's Devin Harris scored Saturday against the Jazz after Harris followed with a career-high 47 Sunday against Phoenix.
"Yeah, I felt a lot better," Williams said. "Devin's definitely out to prove a point that he shouldn't have gotten traded [by Dallas], and he's doing a great job of it."Getting defensiveWith the Jazz giving up 100 points on average in last week's four-game homestand, coach Jerry Sloan was asked whether he'd seen the improved defensive effort talked about since the first day of training camp in Boise, Idaho.
"We haven't been together enough to know whether we are or not," Sloan said. "I think that's the thing. We've had some moments where we've played fairly decent, but it's the gimmicky stuff.
"Our individual one-on-one defense, we're getting broken down off the dribble and guys are driving by us like we're not even there."Toy driveThe Jazz will hold a Toys for Tots drive in conjunction with home games Wednesday and Friday. Fans are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toys to the game. The first 2,000 fans who do so or make a cash donation will receive a ticket voucher to a 2009 Bees baseball game.
rsiler@sltrib.comKings and their castle
The Jazz have gone just 1-5 against Sacramento at Arco Arena the past three seasons.
Date Result
Feb. 8, 2008 L, 117-104
Dec. 4, 2007 L, 117-107
PhinsFan 
