Corbin draws it up, Tinsley executes, but Jazz need OT to beat those pesky Timberwolves

Tyrone Corbin politelly deflected the kind thoughts, instead giving all credit to his players, even though he really did draw up a great play in the final second of regulation Thursday night.

Good play, good execution but bad, bad luck.

The Jazz missed a chance to beat the Timberwolves at the end of regulation, but dispite forward Paul Millsap somehow getting a wide-open layup at the buzzer. However, the ball rimmed out and sent the game into overtime, which Utah won 111-105 in a highly-entertaining contest.

“Gordon (Hayward) set a great screen for him and he came off (under the basket),” Corbin said. “Jamaal (Tinsley) I thought made a tremendous pass to get it to him. It was a lucky miss (but) a great opportunity.”

Had Millsap not played so well in the overtime period the Jazz may well have lost the game and the atmosphere in the locker room afterward certainly would have been somber. Instead, the veteran power forward recorded three of his career-best eight steals in the extra period and the Jazz held on for the win.

Corbin gave credit to Hayward and Tinsley and even Millsap, but barely acknowledged drawing up the play during a timeout. But he must have done something right because Millsap was so wide open it probably surprised him.

“I’m not going to say anything about that,” he say anything about that, Cobrin said with a laugh.

Tinsley, who sometimes gives the impression he’s a coach on the floor, knew exactly how to execute the play.

“I knew somebody (on the T-Wolves) was going to switch (defensive assignments once the play began),” he said. “I just told him ‘Look for the ball.’ The ball went up but … like I say, I think tonight we played a good 53 minutes as a team and we came out with the victory.”

Corbin said Millsap showed “true professionalism” in coming back after that missed layup and Tinsley said it revealed some of his true character.

“That tells you about him,” he said. “The shot didn’t go down in (regulation) but he took it into overtime and he made some big plays on the defensive end. You know we’re going to score (but) he got a couple stops on an All-Star like (Kevin) Love. He did a great job tonight.”

Tinsley played extended minutes on Thursday because No. 2 point guard Earl Watson was out with a sprained ankle. He has filled in nicely for Watson before, but never in front of the home crowd.

A vetearn who didn’t even play in the league last season, Tinsley has been a solid addition to the team this season.

On Thursday he played nearly 21 minutes, scoring six points on 3-for-5 shooting while adding a team-high five assists and a rebound.

“Jamaal’s been a pro all year,” Corbin said. “He’s always been ready.”

Tinsley scored 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting with eight assists in 23 minutes of playing time during Utah’s 120-111 loss to Phoenix on Wednesday.