Jazz run out of steam vs. Bulls

CHICAGO — After committing 24 turnovers, falling apart in the second half and losing an eighth straight game, the Jazz heard many of the same questions that have haunted them for some time now.

The responses had a familiar refrain, too.

"The famous answer is, 'I don't know,' " co-captain Matt Harpring said. "If we knew, I think we'd correct it, and we'd go win."

But that did not happen Friday night at the United Center, where the 11-23 Jazz fell 84-78 to the Chicago Bulls for their 11th loss in 12 games and their 18th loss in 21.

"It's stupid just to say all the time the same thing — 'We had a chance to win,' " shooting guard Gordan Giricek said.

Yet that indeed was the case, again.

"I think guys are giving everything," Giricek added. "It's just these crucial minutes. It's all the same. Every time, it's the same moments — third quarter, end of the fourth quarter. I don't know. I can't say, really. I can't be smart enough to say what we're doing (wrong)."

Friday's third quarter is a great place to start, though.

Despite leading by as many as 13 late in the opening quarter, and despite heading into halftime up one at 40-39, the Jazz failed to carry an advantage into the fourth quarter for a 12th straight game.

Their trademark third-quarter collapse started this time with just more than five minutes to go in the period.

After a missed 3-point attempt from Giricek and consecutive turnovers by Carlos Boozer (bad pass), Mehmet Okur (bad pass), Keith McLeod (bad pass) and Matt Harpring (three-second violation), the Bulls were well on their way to going from one up to as many as 14 ahead late in third.

"I don't think they felt like they could win at the end of the third quarter, some of our guys," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "But some of the guys that came in came up with a little bit different attitude to try to fight back. And that's all you can do."

Yet even that was not enough for the Jazz, who close a back-to-back road set tonight in Milwaukee looking for their first win since they beat Philadelphia on Dec. 20 — almost three weeks ago.

After Giricek made a trey and center Curtis Borchardt knocked down two free throws with 6:17 to go, the Jazz were back even at 70-70.

And that's when it really went awry.

For eight straight possessions, Utah came up empty.

Bulls point Kirk Hinrich got a piece of the ball as Jazz point Carlos Arroyo tried to blow by near half-court. Boozer was called for an offensive foul. Luol Deng blocked Arroyo. Howard Eisley lost the ball. Arroyo and Okur both missed jumpers, and Boozer had one rim out. Okur missed a chip shot from the lane, and Giricek also could not get one to go.

Chicago, meanwhile, was up 79-70 before the Jazz snapped their cold spell.

Chicago swept its two-game series with the Jazz, the first time the Bulls have done that since the 1995-96 season.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com