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Okur, Jazz continue stellar play on road

Mar 5, 2007 - 5:34 AM OKLAHOMA CITY (Ticker) -- The Utah Jazz had little problem solving the home dominance of the New Orleans Hornets.

Mehmet Okur scored 28 points as the Jazz capped off a perfect three-game road trip with a 108-94 victory over the Hornets.

Deron Williams added 20 points and Carlos Boozer had 17 and 12 rebounds as Utah ended New Orleans' home winning streak at six games.

"We want to finish the season strong, we want to play playoff type basketball night after night," Okur said. "We are a playoff team, and the mark of a playoff team is to win on the road. Even when we don't play good like we did tonight, we find ways to win.

"We look forward to playing teams like us, who are in or in the playoff race. Whoever is hungrier is the one who is going to win."

Okur scored 14 points in the second quarter, including seven straight in a 9-0 run as the Jazz went ahead to stay en route to taking a 44-37 halftime lead. Okur was scoreless in the first quarter but that didn't faze coach Jerry Sloan.

"He was 3 for 19 the other night, and he kept shooting the ball," Sloan said. "We knew he would find his touch soon enough. Once he gets a couple under his belt, he starts to get on a roll. Mehmet can hit from almost anywhere on the floor, so if one spot isn't working for him we have to try and find other places to set him up so he can help us win."

Williams hit a pair of 3-pointers to help the Jazz extend the advantage to 62-46 midway thought the third quarter.

Tyson Chandler, who registered his 12th consecutive double-double with 20 points and 19 rebounds, had consecutive dunks to bring New Orleans within 77-68 heading into the final 12 minutes.

Bobby Jackson opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to slice the deficit to 77-71, but Utah responded with a 9-1 run capped by Okur's shot from the arc for an 86-72 cushion with nine minutes left. The Hornets never threatened thereafter.

"We didn't do a good job defensively, we keep making the same mistakes over and over again," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "This is the time of the year that we have to be focused and play smarter, and I think we didn't come out with a lot of intensity.

"We played their style of basketball, and it is hard for us to win at their pace."

Gordan Giricek contributed 13 points off the bench for the Jazz, who won their fourth straight game away from home to match a season high set from November 10-22.

"It seemed like we were never going to get it going in the beginning of the game, and our bench got us back in the game," Sloan said. "That is customary of what we have been doing lately."

Desmond Mason scored 17 points and Chris Paul 14 for New Orleans, which was beaten on the boards, 47-37.

"There are very few weaknesses on this team, and I hope it stays that way," Williams said. "We are trying to establish ourselves as a playoff contender and getting wins on the road, and playing on the road like we have been are helping us do that."