The Jazz did get back to within as few as four at 84-80 in the final minute of the third quarter, after All-Star forward Andrei Kirilenko literally stole the ball out of Nick Collison's hands, sparking an amazing sequence.

First, 20-point team high scorer Carlos Boozer went to the free-throw line for two missed freebies. But Okur rebounded the second miss, allowing Eisley to feed Boozer for a layup. Danny Fortson was called for a foul on Boozer, and slammed the ball into the basket's support. Fortson was called for a technical, Okur hit that free throw that resulted, and Boozer followed with his and-1 free throw.

In the fourth quarter, however, Kirilenko played only five minutes, giving him 14 minutes total (14 points, three rebounds, two blocks) in his second game back after missing 26 with a medial collateral knee ligament partial tear.

After Kirilenko reached a set limit on minutes, Sloan said, he had to sit.

That helped the Sonics to go back up by 17.

The Jazz, playing catch-up most of the night, did cut it to eight, but Seattle pushed it back to as high as 19 in the late-going, and that was that.

"We couldn't match up with them as well," Sloan said, "when Andrei had to get out of the game."

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com