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Okur, Boozer guide Jazz past Raptors

Jan 20, 2007 - 4:35 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- The Toronto Raptors became Mehmet Okur's lastest victim.

Okur scored 27 points and Carlos Boozer was dominant in the second half as the Utah Jazz posted a 102-94 victory over the Raptors.

Deron Williams had 16 points and eight assists for Utah, which improved to 2-1 on its four-game road trip. Utah opened the trip with a loss at Washington after dropping three straight home games.

"I think we've been playing well of late, playing with a lot of confidence," Williams said. "It feels good to get back on track with two in a row after our four-game skid."

After scoring a career-high 38 points on 13-of-22 shooting at Washington in the opener of the road trip, the Turkish center drilled 8-of-13 shots for 22 points in a 100-99 triumph over Detroit on Wednesday.

Okur scored 18 points in the first half of this one and capped a 10-0 run with a short jumper with 4:37 left in the third period that gave the Jazz a 71-59 lead. Toronto never got closer than three points thereafter.

"Another huge game for us on the road," Okur said. "I have confidence in my shots and so do my teammates, and they look for me and create open shots for me. We try to play hard every night. We are such a young team and we try to improve every time out.

"On the offensive end, everybody played unselfish basketball and looked for each other and created open shots for each other."

Okur finished 9-of-19 from the floor and made 7-of-8 free throws.

"Memo shot the ball great for us and that gives us an added dimension," Williams said. "Boozer is an inside presence and Memo likes to mix it up and step outside and make jumpers, and he does it well."

Chris Bosh scored 20 of his 29 points in the first half and added 11 rebounds for Toronto, which had won four of its previous five games and fell to 1-1 on its season-high five-game road trip.

"We played the way we wanted to in the first quarter," Bosh said. "But Utah's one of those teams that if you don't play hard and aggressive and get after loose balls and keep them off the boards, they're going to beat you, and we didn't do those things well."

Toronto had allowed just 86 points per game in its last five but allowed Utah to shoot 49 percent (39-of-80) and was outrebounded, 45-34.

Despite foul trouble, Boozer posted his 30th double-double with 23 points and 19 rebounds. He had 10 points and nine rebounds in the fourth quarter. In the final 3 1/2 minutes, he scored on a pair of layups, grabbed a key offensive rebound and made a steal that resulted in a basket.

"He's played great for us all season and he really stepped up tonight," Williams said. "He's an All-Star and he's playing like one, so we're going to keep going to him."

Boozer scored 35 points in the first meeting this season against Toronto, a 101-96 victory on November 20.

"He's a load down there, you have to be prepared to play a guy like that," Bosh said. "He can be finesse but can be power at the same time. He's just a really good basketball player and a tough matchup."

Jose Calderon had 16 points and five assists and Anthony Parker added 14 for the the Raptors, who close out their homestand against Charlotte, New Orleans and Boston.