Jazz add Carroll
--F DeMarre Carroll was a surprise signing by the Jazz, who are in need of outside shooting. Even though he doesn't fill an immediate need and hasn't exactly torn it up with three previous teams, the athletic small forward was quickly picked up by Utah after being waived by Denver.
Carroll became the 14th player on the Jazz roster, and he was inactive Friday after joining the team Thursday.
"Once I get the opportunity," the 25-year-old said, "I hope I can be like Lin-sanity."
The Jazz became aware of that phenomenon earlier this week in New York, when rarely-used Jeremy Lin dropped 28 points and eight assists on Utah during his breakout week.
But coach Tyrone Corbin said the team will bring Carroll along slowly, helping him adapt to the Jazz system with film, plenty of discussions, game observation and some practice time, when possible during this busy stretch.
"We're excited to have him here," Corbin said, "and (we're) looking forward to finding time to get him on the floor."
--C Al Jefferson wasn't about to blame the referees for the Jazz's 101-87 loss to Oklahoma City on Friday night, but host Utah did shoot 19 fewer free throws than the visitors.
Though careful not to call out the refs, Corbin called the discrepancy at the free-throw line "the big difference in the ballgame." The Thunder went 27-for-32 from the stripe compared to an 8-for-13 outing for the Jazz.
"If we stay aggressive," Jefferson said, "the referees will give us them calls."
Added Corbin: "I thought we were attacking the basket a lot. We just didn't get anything out of it. They got a lot of free throws."
QUOTE TO NOTE
"They're a good team, but I think we beat ourselves this game. I'm not just saying that. We had shots that we wanted, shots that we should make, including myself. A lot of easy buckets we should've made. We just didn't make them." -- Jazz forward Paul Millsap, after his 4-for-15 shooting night in the Jazz's 101-87 home loss Friday to Oklahoma City.
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