• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Utah races to 12th straight win

Mar 11, 2009 - 5:20 AM INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Mehmet Okur led the way with 24 points as the Utah Jazz dispatched the Indiana Pacers, 112-100, on Tuesday en route to their 12th straight win.

Paul Millsap added 22 points and nine rebounds and Ronnie Brewer chipped in 18 and five steals for the Jazz, who forced 22 turnovers and hit 28-of-32 free-throw attempts.

Utah has not lost since February 8 and has worked its way to the top of the Northwest Division.

"It can last as long as we want it to last," Millsap told the Salt Lake Tribune of the winning streak.

"We've just got to keep going," Jazz point guard Deron Williams told the newspaper. "We can't get complacent, we can't get satisfied with winning these two games on the road. We have a little bit left to do on this road trip. There's some tough games coming up."

The game was tied, 90-90, with 6:56 left when Andrei Kirilenko snapped the deadlock with a 3-pointer that sparked a 20-6 run over the next three minutes. Kirilenko, who finished with nine points, and Okur each scored five points during the surge.

The Pacers went cold from the field down the stretch, managing just one field goal over the final 5:21.

Okur set the tone in the first half, knocking down 6-of-8 shots as the Jazz went into the break with a 54-48 lead.

Troy Murphy kept Indiana in it in the first 24 minutes, tying a franchise record with seven 3-pointers in the half to go into the break with 21 points. He cooled off in the second, however, finishing with 23 points and 13 rebounds.

"They run the same offense and just execute the heck out of it," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien told the Indianapolis Star of the Jazz. "It's very unique to the NBA."

Jarrett Jack and T.J. Ford each added 21 points for the Pacers, who entered the contest having won three of four.