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Boozer, Jazz rout undermanned Kings

Nov 13, 2007 - 6:38 AM By Chris Bellamy PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) - Carlos Boozer had 32 points and 10 rebounds to help the Utah Jazz push their winning streak to four games with Monday's 117-93 lopsided victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Andrei Kirilenko collected 15 points, eight boards and eight assists and Ronnie Brewer added 13 and three steals for Utah, which is set to embark on a brief three-game East Coast swing.

Boozer spoke mostly about his team's defensive effort after the game.

"I'm happy with the team effort," Boozer said. "We had guys come in and knock some shots down, we moved the ball pretty well offensively. The biggest thing I'm proud about is we held another team under 100."

The Jazz, who came into the contest averaging a league-high 111.1 points and shooting 50 percent from the floor, were on the offensive once again Monday night - pushing the ball up the floor and spreading it around against a makeshift Kings lineup that is still missing the likes of Mike Bibby and Ron Artest.

"You've got to look at who we're playing. Three of their best players didn't even suit up," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "They were shorthanded, and I don't think it's anything to do cartwheels about. They scored 34 points in our building to start the second half."

The Jazz didn't waste much time, either. They scored the first six points of the game and, by the end of the opening period, were practically in cruise control with a 35-18 bulge after one.

With Utah's lead at 25 points at one stage, Sacramento whittled the deficit down in the third, thanks in large part to a hot streak from 3-point range. The Kings connected on 5-of-7 from the arc, including three from emerging star Kevin Martin.

"It's always important (to get an early lead), but I would be more happy if we could keep it," Kirilenko said. "In the second half, we kind of relaxed and we lost that comfortable margin."

Beno Udrih's three-point play with 1:26 remaining in the third completed a 17-8 run as Sacramento drew within 83-73.

"I think we were getting a little anxious trying to make too many steals, and we were breaking down on defense," Brewer said. "They were getting to the basket, or driving and kicking, and that started hurting us down the stretch."

But they got no closer as Brewer's coast-to-coast jam pushed Utah's edge back to double figures in the final seconds of the period.

John Salmons netted 22 points and Martin added 21 for the Kings, who should have Artest back in the lineup for Wednesday's matchup against Minnesota.

"We're not just playing for (now)," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "We're playing for two weeks from now, a couple months from now when we get all of our horses back. We've got to find a way to get a couple of wins on the road, (but) we were playing against a very good basketball team."

Kings rookie center Spencer Hawes scored eight points on 4-of-7 shooting in 12 minutes. It was his second game of the season after battling a knee problem in training camp.