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Jazz-Clippers Preview

Mar 1, 2010 - 6:27 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Utah (38-21) at Los Angeles (24-34), 10:30 p.m. EDT

The Utah Jazz are coming off what may have been their best offensive performance in years, and one of Deron Williams' most efficient games of the season was the key.

Lately, they've used Carlos Boozer to dominate the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Jazz look for a seventh straight win against the Clippers and a 20th victory in their last 24 games overall as they visit Los Angeles on Monday night.

Losses anywhere have been rare for Utah (38-21) in the last two months, and Williams wasn't pleased after the team's seven-game road winning streak was snapped with a 103-99 loss at Sacramento on Friday.

He responded with a brilliant game to help the Jazz beat Houston 133-110 on Saturday. The All-Star point guard had 20 points in the first quarter and totaled 35, shooting 13 of 17 from the field and 4 of 4 from 3-point range. He also added 13 assists and seven rebounds.

"I felt a lot of motivation," Williams said. "I wasn't happy with the way I've been playing, so I wanted to come out and set the tone early.

"I've been a little passive to start games and it kind of hurts me because it takes a while to get into a groove," he added.

His performance was the main reason that Utah shot 67.5 percent from the field - the highest for any NBA team in nearly 12 years, since the Clippers shot 69.3 percent in a 152-120 win over Toronto on March 13, 1998.

The Jazz matched their highest point total since the 1991-92 season, doing it with help from two unlikely sources. The team used a much faster pace than normal and hit 14 3-pointers, five more than its previous season high.

"When we're scoring like that it shows we can play in a variety of ways," rookie Wesley Matthews told the NBA's official Web site. "I don't think we would have played like that if our shots weren't falling. We can do different types of styles and that's a testament to this team and their maturity and the talent level."

Utah has been efficient offensively all season, leading the NBA in field goal percentage (49.1). But the team has been especially good during a 19-4 run that began Jan. 9, averaging 106.9 points while shooting 50.8 percent in that stretch.

During their six-game winning streak against the Clippers, the Jazz have scored 106.2 points per game, with Boozer averaging 24.3 points and 12.3 rebounds in those contests.

He had 34 points and 14 rebounds in a 109-99 win at Staples Center on Feb. 9, with Williams calling him a "monster" after that game.

The Clippers (24-35) have won three straight at home, but they came up empty on a two-game road trip that closed with Sunday's 97-92 loss at Sacramento.

Guards Baron Davis and Eric Gordon combined to shoot 9 of 30 (30.0 percent) as the Clippers were 37.3 percent from the field, the team's worst performance in that category since an 88-72 win over Indiana on Dec. 5.

"I think we took the first half off," interim coach Kim Hughes said. "I don't believe we're a good enough team to play the first half like that with poor energy."

It's unclear if Utah forward Andrei Kirilenko will be available for Monday's game after he missed three of the last four due to back spasms.

The Clippers and Jazz will meet again Saturday in Salt Lake City.