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Jazz remain hot, down struggling Hornets

Nov 29, 2012 - 4:22 AM New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Al Jefferson put home a game-high 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds as the Utah Jazz knocked off the New Orleans Hornets, 96-84, on Wednesday at New Orleans Arena.

Paul Millsap scored 16 points and grabbed eight boards, while Marvin Williams also had 16 points for the Jazz, who have won five of their last six contests. Gordon Hayward hit 4-of-8 from the floor for 15 points in the victory.

"It's a road win for us. That's what we came out to get," Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin said. "We toughed it out."

Greivis Vasquez scored 18 points and handed out eight assists, while Robin Lopez contributed 18 points and seven boards for the Hornets, who lost for the eighth time in nine tries. Brian Roberts gave 11 points in the setback.

A tightly played first quarter in which neither side led by more than five and the lead changed hands three times ended all tied at 20 apiece.

Utah scored the first nine points of the second quarter to open a 29-20 lead with 6:08 on the clock. New Orleans answered with an 11-4 surge, capped by a deep jumper by Roger Mason Jr., which cut the deficit to 33-31 with 2:47 to play before the break.

Williams sank a pair of free throws with less than a minute to go in the half to push the lead to six, but the Hornets netted the final four points and trailed 41-39 at the break.

Utah took control of the game in the third quarter as a free throw from Williams gave the Jazz a 56-46 lead with 5:12 to play in the stanza.

Four straight points from Vasquez cut the Hornets' deficit to six, but the Jazz responded with eight straight points to push the advantage to 64-50. Enes Kanter capped the quarter with an easy layup at the buzzer to give the Jazz a comfortable 72-56 lead heading into the final 12 minutes.

Demarre Carroll drained a deep trey early in the fourth to give the Jazz their largest lead of the night, 75-58, but the Hornets rallied with an 11-1 surge to cut the deficit to 76-69 with 7:28 to play.

A three-point play by Hayward put the Jazz back up by 11, but New Orleans again cut it to seven on a pair of free throws by Jason Smith with 5:14 on the clock.

New Orleans could not get any closer, however, as the Jazz maintained a comfortable lead the rest of the way.

"When you miss shots and turn the ball over, it usually sets you up for a loss," Hornets coach Monty Williams said. "Our guys never quit though, no matter who we put in the game. Some nights you don't have it."

Game Notes

Utah snapped a three-game slide in New Orleans ... The Jazz improved to 3-7 on the road this season ... Utah shot 49.2 percent from the floor and 6-of-11 from 3-point range, while the Hornets hit 42.5 percent from the field but just 5-of-21 from beyond the arc ... The Jazz hit 28-of-38 free throw attempts, while the Hornets had 21 free throws, making 17.