canihavu
01-21-2009, 03:32 PM
Okur and Jazz Beat Wolves 112-107
Jan 21, 12:39 AM (ET)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -When the game got tight, Mehmet Okur took over for the Utah Jazz.
After the Minnesota Timberwolves cut a big lead to one, Okur hit consecutive 3-pointers to boosted the Jazz past Minnesota 112-107 Tuesday night for their seventh straight home win.
Deron Williams twice drove to the basket and collapsed the defense to set up Okur.
"My shot was cold in the first half but I tried to mix up my game in the second half," Okur said. "I knew it was going to be a long game, so I stayed focused and hungry. Deron did a good job finding me."
The Wolves never led, but cut the lead the 97-96 on Randy Foye?s 3-pointer.
With a chance to claim their first lead, Al Jefferson, who had 25 points and eight rebounds, missed a jump hook and Okur grabbed the rebound. He then made his consecutive 3s and added a free throw.
"Okur hit two big 3s, really big," Minnesota coach Kevin McHale said. "We just couldn't score and we really didn't get good looks after we got it to a one-point game. We had an opportunity there and we just couldn't capitalize."
Williams, who had 17 points and 11 assists, followed Okur's shots with a jumper to expand the advantage to 106-97.
Paul Millsap led Utah with 28 points and 15 rebounds and his dunk gave the Jazz a 97-89 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
"I wanted to step up tonight. I had a tough game last time and I'm not used to that, so I felt like I needed to crash the boards hard tonight," Millsap said.
Ryan Gomes and Foye led Minnesota's rally with late 3-pointers and each finished with 19 points. Sebastian Telfair scored 17, but couldn't keep the Timberwolves from losing a sixth consecutive game in Salt Lake.
Williams and Kyle Korver made six free throws down the stretch to keep the Wolves at bay.
"When they got within one point of us, we could have folded our tents and said, 'Okay, this is it.' But we made some stops on them, about three or four, and kept them from getting what they wanted," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said.
Minnesota fell to 7-2 under coach Kevin McHale in January, who took over for Randy Wittman last month, and finished a three-game road trip 2-1.
The Jazz jumped out to a 12-0 lead as the Wolves couldn't find the net until the 8:46 mark when Telfair finally made a jumper.
"We spotted them too many points. Got down by 14 points in the third, but we fought back hard," McHale said.
Once Minnesota got going, the Jazz could not shake the Wolves.
The Jazz never led by double-digits in the fourth quarter and were aided by Minnesota's free throw woes to escape. The Timberwolves missed five of seven foul shots in the final period.
Millsap, who had 19 straight double-doubles before he was derailed with a bruised right knee earlier this month, had nine offensive rebounds and kept five Utah fourth-quarter possessions alive with his second efforts.
"Once I was in the game running around, I forgot about my knee. But I feel it now," Millsap said.
Millsap's toughness was crucial as the Jazz had to hold off the Wolves without Andrei Kirilenko for most of the game. The Russian forward left the game due to an inflamed right ankle with 6:43 remaining in the second quarter on Tuesday and did not return.
"We obviously missed him. When he went out of the ballgame, it limited us in what we were able to do," Sloan said.
Minnesota shot 51.2 percent and outscored the Jazz in the paint 58-46.
^
Notes:
The undefeated University of Utah football team walked across the court between the first and second quarters to a standing ovation. ... After a season-low eight turnovers against LA Clippers on Monday, the Timberwolves had 18 turnovers that led to 23 points for Utah. ... Telfair, McHale and Williams all were whistled for technical fouls.
Jan 21, 12:39 AM (ET)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -When the game got tight, Mehmet Okur took over for the Utah Jazz.
After the Minnesota Timberwolves cut a big lead to one, Okur hit consecutive 3-pointers to boosted the Jazz past Minnesota 112-107 Tuesday night for their seventh straight home win.
Deron Williams twice drove to the basket and collapsed the defense to set up Okur.
"My shot was cold in the first half but I tried to mix up my game in the second half," Okur said. "I knew it was going to be a long game, so I stayed focused and hungry. Deron did a good job finding me."
The Wolves never led, but cut the lead the 97-96 on Randy Foye?s 3-pointer.
With a chance to claim their first lead, Al Jefferson, who had 25 points and eight rebounds, missed a jump hook and Okur grabbed the rebound. He then made his consecutive 3s and added a free throw.
"Okur hit two big 3s, really big," Minnesota coach Kevin McHale said. "We just couldn't score and we really didn't get good looks after we got it to a one-point game. We had an opportunity there and we just couldn't capitalize."
Williams, who had 17 points and 11 assists, followed Okur's shots with a jumper to expand the advantage to 106-97.
Paul Millsap led Utah with 28 points and 15 rebounds and his dunk gave the Jazz a 97-89 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
"I wanted to step up tonight. I had a tough game last time and I'm not used to that, so I felt like I needed to crash the boards hard tonight," Millsap said.
Ryan Gomes and Foye led Minnesota's rally with late 3-pointers and each finished with 19 points. Sebastian Telfair scored 17, but couldn't keep the Timberwolves from losing a sixth consecutive game in Salt Lake.
Williams and Kyle Korver made six free throws down the stretch to keep the Wolves at bay.
"When they got within one point of us, we could have folded our tents and said, 'Okay, this is it.' But we made some stops on them, about three or four, and kept them from getting what they wanted," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said.
Minnesota fell to 7-2 under coach Kevin McHale in January, who took over for Randy Wittman last month, and finished a three-game road trip 2-1.
The Jazz jumped out to a 12-0 lead as the Wolves couldn't find the net until the 8:46 mark when Telfair finally made a jumper.
"We spotted them too many points. Got down by 14 points in the third, but we fought back hard," McHale said.
Once Minnesota got going, the Jazz could not shake the Wolves.
The Jazz never led by double-digits in the fourth quarter and were aided by Minnesota's free throw woes to escape. The Timberwolves missed five of seven foul shots in the final period.
Millsap, who had 19 straight double-doubles before he was derailed with a bruised right knee earlier this month, had nine offensive rebounds and kept five Utah fourth-quarter possessions alive with his second efforts.
"Once I was in the game running around, I forgot about my knee. But I feel it now," Millsap said.
Millsap's toughness was crucial as the Jazz had to hold off the Wolves without Andrei Kirilenko for most of the game. The Russian forward left the game due to an inflamed right ankle with 6:43 remaining in the second quarter on Tuesday and did not return.
"We obviously missed him. When he went out of the ballgame, it limited us in what we were able to do," Sloan said.
Minnesota shot 51.2 percent and outscored the Jazz in the paint 58-46.
^
Notes:
The undefeated University of Utah football team walked across the court between the first and second quarters to a standing ovation. ... After a season-low eight turnovers against LA Clippers on Monday, the Timberwolves had 18 turnovers that led to 23 points for Utah. ... Telfair, McHale and Williams all were whistled for technical fouls.