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Boozer, Jazz take advantage of shorthanded Grizzlies

Feb 3, 2008 - 4:51 AM By Jason Smith PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton could do little to help the Memphis Grizzlies against the Utah Jazz.

With both players watching in street clothes after being traded Friday from the Los Angeles Lakers for forward Pau Gasol, the Jazz dealt the shorthanded Grizzlies a 110-91 loss Saturday at FedEx Forum.

Carlos Boozer's 19 points led six players in double figures in scoring for Utah, which improved its NBA-best winning streak to eight games.

"This is the NBA. We aren't going to feel sorry for them while they are going through that," Boozer said. "Obviously, they are missing a few players and have traded a huge part of their team to Los Angeles. I hope it works out for them in the long run, but we aren't going to stop what we are doing."

Mehmet Okur had 15 points and 13 rebounds and point guard Deron Williams added 16 and 11 assists for the Jazz, who earned their fourth straight road victory after knocking off Washington, 96-87, a night earlier on the road.

"We got after them for a little bit and got a couple of steals," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "We got things in our favor, but you never know what is going to happen. I thought we made some nice cuts to the basket. The guys passed the ball well and got some easy baskets."

Boozer's two free throws at the 10:12 mark of the third quarter gave Utah a 59-44 lead before Memphis forward Mike Miller scored four straight points to spark a 10-2 run by the Grizzlies.

Second-year Memphis forward Rudy Gay split a pair of free throws to cap the run and pull it within seven at 61-54, but Utah responded with a 22-5 spurt over the final 6:11 of the third quarter to take a commanding 83-59 lead after three.

Williams scored all seven of his third-quarter points during the run, as the Jazz connected on 12-of-26 (46 percent) shots from the field in the third quarter.

"It's difficult playing shorthanded against anybody, but especially against a team that's as physical as they are and as well as they're playing," Miller said. "It's a difficult situation, but it's no excuse."

Consecutive 3-pointers by Kyle Korver, Okur and Williams over the final 2:22 of the second quarter gave Utah its largest lead of the first half at 53-40.

Utah guard Ronnie Brewer, who finished with 16 points, scored eight first-quarter points on 4-of-5 shooting to help the Jazz lead by as many as eight points in the first.

Memphis forward Hakim Warrick's 3-pointer as time expired in the first pulled Memphis within a possession at 25-23 after one.

"It was a competitive game until we turned the ball over. They're too good," first-year Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni said. "We caught the turnover bug and, when it struck, our starters had 21 turnovers."

The Grizzlies, who also were without rookie point guard Mike Conley (rib contusion) and forward Stromile Swift (pending trade to the New Jersey Nets), had just nine players dress for Saturday's game.

"It's going to be tough without (Gasol)," Miller said. "Anytime you play in this league long enough, you develop friendships with everybody. But the one thing about people in the NBA, I think they understand that you've got to carry your friendships outside (the team) just as much as inside because there's going to come a time (when people leave).

"I was close with (Houston forward Tracy McGrady) at one time, too, and I'm still real close to him. It's a business, and we understand that as players and we wish (Gasol) the best."

Gay scored 15 points for Memphis.