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Okur leads Jazz over Grizzlies in dramatic finish

Dec 24, 2006 - 7:29 AM MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Damon Stoudamire and the Memphis Grizzlies cannot seem to catch a break. Mehmet Okur had a lot to do with it.

Okur nailed the go-ahead 3-pointer with 37 seconds left and Carlos Boozer collected 24 points and 11 rebounds as the Utah Jazz survived a near-miraculous shot by Stoudamire at the buzzer and used a decisive fourth-quarter run to post a 100-97 win over the Grizzlies.

Okur had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Jazz, who shot just 43 percent (33-of-76) from the field but nailed 31-of-35 foul shots to finish their season-high five-game road tip at 3-2.

Trailing, 97-92, Utah scored the game's final eight points - five by Okur. The 6-11 forward nailed a wide-open shot from the arc and capped the run with two free throws to make it 100-97 with 2.5 seconds left.

After a timeout, Stoudamire banked in a running 3-pointer in front of the Grizzlies' bench as time expired, but it was waved off after a review. The heartbreaking defeat was the second in as many nights for the Grizzlies, who lost to New Orleans, 100-97, on Friday.

Okur was 6-of-14 from the floor, 7-of-8 from the line and hit his lone 3-pointer of the night when it mattered most. The Jazz had struggled from the arc all night, going 2-of-12 on 3-pointers prior to Okur's huge shot.

Boozer was 7-of-17 from the field and 10-of-12 from the line to continue his stellar season. He came in leading the team in scoring (21.8), rebounding (11.9) and field goal percentage (55 percent).

Utah improved to 4-3 on the second night of back-to-backs. The Jazz dropped a 101-89 decision to Charlotte on Friday.

Mike Miller scored 28 points for Memphis, which shot 48 percent (30-of-63) and has dropped eight of its last nine contests.