Okur's producing more since Jazz stars are out

In the Jazz's last two games, he has averaged 38 minutes, 24 points and 11.5 rebounds.

Mehmet Okur seems to sense why, too.

"Andrei's out," he said. "Carlos's out."

Those would be references to Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer, merely the Jazz's top two scorers, out for the season with a broken wrist and strained foot, respectively.

The result: "A lot more touches," Okur said.

It's not just the absence of those two, though, that seems to be spurring Okur in the waning weeks — 11 games remain, including tonight's against Golden State — of one rough season for the 22-49 Jazz.

Bottom line: When the big man from Turkey plays more, he scores, and rebounds, more.

"That's what I want," he said.

Before walking away, Okur stops and offers an addendum: "Both ends. Good defense, too."

It's measurable numbers, though, that amplify the point.

In a win over the Los Angeles Lakers at the start of Utah's current seven-game homestand, Okur logged 39 minutes, had a season-high 27 points and pulled down a season-high 17 boards. In Wednesday's loss to Denver, he played the same number of minutes, scored 23 and again yanked 17 rebounds.

Fifteen of Okur's 18 point-rebound double-doubles this season, in fact, have come when he plays 30 minutes or more.

In 71 outings — he is the only Jazz player not to miss a game this season — Okur is averaging 27.5 minutes, 12.5 points and 7.3 rebounds. In the 11 games when he played 35 minutes or more, though, his scoring average is 18.3 and his rebounding average 12.5.

Play more, produce more.

Makes perfect sense.

"That's what I'm looking for," Okur said.

That's not a selfish plea for more playing time from Okur, who adds, "All I've got to do is just go out there, play hard, bring energy. . . . It doesn't matter how many minutes I'm playing."

There is a reason, however, that his minutes-played count is not higher than it is.

"At the end of games," Jerry Sloan said, "he's gotten a little bit tired, and things haven't fallen into place as well for him as he'd probably like."