Another McLeod headline :-)

[ZiggyZoomba]

(gotta click the link to see Keith BLOWING by Kobe!!)

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595103193,00.html

McLeod is sky high after his first start
By Tim Buckley
Deseret Morning News

OAKLAND, Calif. — Before the biggest game of his professional life, Keith McLeod had a chat with someone who knows all about big.

Utah's Keith McLeod directs the Jazz offense against the Lakers in Wednesday's season opener.

Tom Smart, Deseret Morning News
Actually, he mostly listened. Jerry Sloan spoke.
The words from the longtime Jazz coach went something like this: "Just play, and go try to do what you're supposed to do. Don't get crazy, or anything like that, and you'll be just fine."
McLeod was just that in his debut with the Jazz, dishing eight assists and making only one turnover while logging 29 minutes in a 104-78 Delta Center victory over Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers that marked the beginning of Utah's 2004-05 NBA regular season.
They weren't just any minutes, though. They were starter's minutes.
With usual starter Carlos Arroyo nursing a sprained ankle and usual backup Raul Lopez recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, and with Howard Eisley having been signed for veteran help just hours before Wednesday's opener, McLeod got the call.
Early in the preseason, he would have been considered a longshot candidate to get the nod — because while he did play 33 games as a rookie for Minnesota last season, he clearly was brought in to be the Jazz's No. 3 point.
One sprain here and one scope there, though, and McLeod was up to No. 1 — at least for Wednesday, and most likely for back-to-back road games tonight at Golden State and Saturday night at Denver.
How much longer beyond that remains to be seen.
Arroyo is expected back after five games, meaning the Jazz coaching staff must then choose between McLeod and former John Stockton-backup Eisley for the second-behind-Arroyo role.
Lopez is expected back by December, at which time the Jazz may have to decide if they really want four healthy points — and, if not, who goes.
Eisley, franchise officials have said, has been signed for the season's remainder.
That means McLeod — who has only $250,000 of his one-year, $750,000 contract guaranteed — must make the most of November if he is to stay through the holidays and beyond.
The undrafted 24-year-old from Bowling Green University took the first step toward just that with his play Wednesday, an effort that prompted Sloan to gush like he typically does not.
"I told him I thought he would do a good job the other day, whenever I talked to him," Sloan said Thursday morning. "And I thought he did just fine, trying to get us in our offense, taking a shot or two whenever they're there. Beyond that, there's not much more to ask."
Sloan got the most out of McLeod not by urging him to stay calm, but rather by encouraging self-trust.
"He's got to learn how to play," Sloan said. "That's why I told him, 'Just do what you're supposed to do, and you'll be fine.' I don't know what else to tell him. You know, that's all the confidence, I guess, I can try to give him."
One can also guess it rubbed off.
"I was fine. I was great," McLeod said. "I felt the intensity (of a season-opener), but Coach Sloan had the confidence in me to start me, and that put a lot of confidence in myself.
"I just went out there," he added, "and just played — thought about what I had to do on the floor, and let everything else go out the window."
What did not break glass kissed it.
Sure, McLeod made only 2-of-7 from the field — but his shot selection was wise more often than not, and his ability to know when to push the pace and when not to helped the Jazz jump to an early 19-6 lead.
He felt comfy, McLeod said, "when we started getting out running, and getting easy buckets — from then on, everything else was all right."
McLeod did not let the pressure get to him — like at times during the preseason. He did not commit the bundles of turnovers that plagued him during exhibition play. He did not, save perhaps for one pass to Carlos Boozer that floated like a ball bounding off the back rim of a pop-a-shot, do anything too crazy.
Which is just what Sloan wanted, and precisely what he expected.
"When it comes right down to it, my question mark is, 'Can we play hard?' " the Jazz coach said. "I knew he was gonna play hard."
Sloan did not doubt that, either, when McLeod came to camp after signing a make-good contract this past offseason.
Whether he could handle heavy minutes, however, was another question.
But now, if the opener was any indication, it's been answered in the affirmative.
"There's no question," Sloan said, that McLeod has made progress since early October.
"He didn't look very comfortable (initially), but as time wore on, we could see he became a little bit more comfortable," the Jazz coach said. "He had his head up a little more, could see a little bit better, didn't panic.
"Everybody has to start somewhere," Sloan added, "and I thought he did a very good job. I was pleased."
Which can't always be said.
What next, then? Well, for now, it seems no more chats are needed.
"We have to try to give him more confidence," Sloan said, "and let him play."

[Metz]

I hope he does make the best of November...it's really his only chance at proving himself to the Jazz or any team in the league from the looks of it. If he excels and they cut him, I'm sure another team will pick him up because every team needs a solid back-up PG. The other night he looked nothing but solid...just needs to work out the rusty shots