Jazz cruise by short-handed Hornets
March 21, 2010
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)—As short-handed as the Utah Jazz were, they were stillbetter off than the New Orleans Hornets.
The Jazz took advantage of New Orleans’ injury-depleted lineup in a 106-86rout Saturday night that put Utah back within two games of the division lead andthe No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
The Jazz got some help when Boston beat Dallas, and Milwaukee beat Denver,leaving Utah just 1 1/2 games behind the Mavericks and two games behind theNuggets.
Just as importantly, the Jazz got plenty of rest Saturday night as thereserves took over in the second half.
“We just played well together tonight. We went out there and had fun,”said Deron Williams(notes), who had 17 points and 11 assists before sitting out thefourth quarter and icing his multiple sore spots.
Paul Millsap(notes) had 22 points and 15 rebounds, and C.J. Miles(notes) made his firsteight shots and scored 19 points for the Jazz, who were without two injuredstarters and missed Carlos Boozer(notes) for much of the game because of foul trouble.
But the Hornets were missing more as they wrapped up a five-game trip withtheir third straight loss. Chris Paul(notes) has been out since he had knee surgery inFebruary. The Hornets also lost forward David West(notes) when he was called for aflagrant foul late in the first quarter.
Paul is still the Hornets’ leading scorer at 20 points per game and West issecond with a 19-point average.
“Those are probably the two best players on their team and it took a lotaway from them,” Utah coach Jerry Sloan said.
The Jazz pulled away with a 17-1 run at the end of the second quarter andled by 35 in the second half.
Marcus Thornton(notes) led New Orleans with 22 points. Darren Collison(notes) added 19points and six assists and Emeka Okafor(notes) had 14 points and 10 rebounds.
The Hornets outscored Utah 29-15 in the fourth quarter and still lost by 20.
It was New Orleans’ 10th loss in 12 games.
“They outplayed us and I hate to say it in those words, but that’s exactlywhat happened,” Collison said. “Part of it was them and part of it was us.”
The Jazz, blown out the night before at Phoenix, got some much-needed restin this one. Boozer only played 15:44, scoring 10 points, and Williams playedonly 30:37 before sitting out the entire fourth quarter.
Every starter for Utah scored in double figures and every reserve who got inthe game had at least one field goal. Center Kyrylo Fesenko(notes) tied his season highwith 11 points, added eight rebounds and blocked three shots.
“We shared the ball well and guys got out and ran,” Millsap said. “Youneed to move the ball around. That’s what makes our team what it is. Guys aren’tselfish and they make the extra pass.”
The Jazz were without forward Andrei Kirilenko(notes) (strained left calf) andMehmet Okur(notes), who was home with a stomach illness.
The Hornets were without Paul for the 25th straight game as he recovers fromknee surgery and also didn’t have Peja Stojakovic(notes), abdominal strain. New Orleanslost West when he was called for a flagrant foul as Utah’s Kyle Korver(notes) drove foran open layup and took a forearm from West across his head with 1:50 left in thefirst quarter.
That took a big part of our offense away,” New Orleans coach Jeff Bowersaid. “It forced us to look in a lot of other directions and we didn’t have asuccessful answer for that tonight.”
The Jazz capitalized on the Hornets’ woes by outscoring them 33-16 in thesecond quarter. The Jazz closed out the second period on a 17-1 run, scoring thefinal 12 points while building a 63-38 halftime lead. Fesenko started the finalrun with a hook shot and rookie Othyus Jeffers(notes) made a steal and took it in for adunk that put the Jazz up 61-38.
Williams added a little entertainment in the third quarter when he took asteal in for a layup while drawing a foul with 2:19 left in the third. Williamsstumbled in to the front row of seats and put his arms around two fans whilecatching his breath in the front row.
NOTES: Utah was still waiting word from the NBA on whether Sloan would bepunished for making contact with an official late in Friday night’s game atPhoenix. … The Jazz outscored the Hornets 60-46 in the paint. … Millsap’s 15rebounds were a season high. … Aaron Gray(notes) had 11 rebounds for the Hornets.
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