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Heavy-hearted Jazz hope to continue recent surge

Feb 21, 2009 - 3:35 PM New Orleans (32-21) at Utah (32-23) 9:00 p.m. EST

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- One day after losing their patriarch, the Utah Jazz will have to turn their attention back to the basketball court as they look to continue their playoff push.

Team owner Larry H. Miller died Friday of complications from type 2 diabetes, which had forced the amputation of both of his legs below the knee just one month ago. Players past and present expressed sadness at his passing following the announcement of the news.

However, those on the current incarnation of the Jazz will have to put serious matters aside as the New Orleans Hornets come to town for a pivotal Western Conference matchup on Saturday night.

The Jazz's recent surge - winning six of their last seven games - coupled with the Hornets' overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday has pulled the two within one game of each other in the tightly packed playoff race. Both advanced to the conference semifinals last spring and the Jazz made it to the West finals the season before.

Of course, given the two teams involved in this one, the stage is set for yet another duel between the league's top two point guards, New Orleans' Chris Paul and Utah's Deron Williams. The two were selected 3-4 in the 2005 draft and both have blossomed into superstars - and they were even teammates on the gold medal-winning Olympic team last summer.

While Paul has shined brighter - particularly given the severe ankle injury that held Williams back for the first month or two of the season - the Jazz's fourth-year floor general has clearly had the upper hand in head-to-head matchups with Paul. He has come out on top in nine of 11 career meetings, including a 116-90 rout at EnergySolutions Arena on January 7.

The Jazz are coming off recent victories over the league's top two teams from last season - and perhaps the top two once again this campaign. They closed the first half with a hard-fought, 113-109 triumph over the Lakers, as Williams out-dueled Kobe Bryant with a 31-point, 11-assist effort.

Two nights ago, Williams led the Jazz from behind in the fourth quarter and buried a game-clinching fall-away jumper with 20 seconds left as Utah upended the reigning champion Boston Celtics, 90-85.