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Jazz look to keep winning streak alive

Feb 8, 2008 - 1:41 PM Utah (32-18) at Sacramento (22-25) 10:00 pm EST

SACRAMENTO, California (Ticker) - The Utah Jazz are officially the hottest team in the NBA.

The Jazz go for their 11th straight win on Friday when they visit the Sacramento Kings.

Utah made a major statement in the Northwest Division during its last game on Wednesday, outlasting the Denver Nuggets in overtime to claim a 118-115 victory.

Deron Williams, who has been the catalyst for Utah's recent surge to the top of the division, recorded his ninth straight double-double against Denver, finishing with 29 points and 11 assists.

Unlike the Jazz, the Kings failed to keep their winning streak alive on Wednesday, suffering a 105-92 loss to the lowly Seattle SuperSonics.

Despite the setback, Ron Artest scored 20 points to lead six players in double figures for Sacramento. Artest is averaging 18.4 points and 5.5 rebounds this season but insists that the Kings would be better off without him.

"He's (first-year coach Reggie Theus) doing good; he's doing good," Artest told the Sacramento Bee earlier this week. "I just think they (the Kings) would be better if I wasn't on the team. I think (Theus) would be doing much better."