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Jazz seek 20th win of season vs. Bobcats

Dec 22, 2006 - 2:48 PM Utah (19-7) at Charlotte (6-18) 7:00 pm EST

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan would feel a little better if his team did not need to overcome a huge hurdle.

The Jazz look to win for the seventh time in 10 games this month and become the second team to reach 20 victories this season Friday when they visit the struggling Charlotte Bobcats.

Playing the fourth contest of a five-game road trip, Utah needed to overcome a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's 112-106 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Mehmet Okur scored a season-high 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Derek Fisher added 18 points for the Jazz, who outscored the Hawks, 40-13, in the final period and shot nearly 56 percent (39-of-70) for the game.

Ranked 29th in scoring (92.4), Charlotte has dropped six of its last seven contests, including Wednesday's 111-109 double-overtime defeat to the New York Knicks.

Gerald Wallace scored 28 points, Primoz Brezec had 21 and Raymond Felton 13 with 16 assists for the Bobcats, who have dropped eight of nine against Western Conference opponents this season.

The teams split their two meetings last season, with the Bobcats winning here in overtime, 95-91, on November 7, 2005.