Back to life: Homecourt advantage returns in Jazz victory

Carlos, Gordan, Deron and Big Rob all were out, and Greg left early.

But The Boss was back.

No, not George. No, not Bruce.

Larry.

With Jazz owner Larry H. Miller back in his usual Delta Center courtside chair for the first time since leaving that very seat to berate his club for its pitiful performance during a Nov. 14 loss to the New York Knicks, the Jazz merely beat the best team the NBA currently has to offer.

Utah's 92-78 victory over Detroit not only handed the 15-3 Pistons just their second road loss of the season, but also restored a little bit of the luster the Delta Center has lacked since lads named John and Karl endeared themselves to Jazz fans in first-name fashion.

"It was nice to see him," Jazz forward Matt Harpring said of the boss, whose white cardigan sweater-adorned presence was not only business casual-compliant but also seemingly a source of much-needed inspiration for a 9-12 team that until Monday had lost all but three of 11 at home.

His absence at eight previous Delta Center games did not go unnoticed.

"Larry forced us to play even harder," said forward Andrei Kirilenko, whose season-high 22 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and four blocked shots were quite a complement to teammate and ex-Pistons big man Mehmet Okur's game-high 24 points, 12 boards, three assists and two blocks.

"He's a very loyal fan," added Kirilenko, who shook off an intestinal virus to play Monday, "and we need him."

What the Jazz needed more, though, was a quality win.

Only three of Utah's first eight wins this season came against opponents that presently have a winning record, and two of those came in its first two games of the season.

They got one Monday, beating a Detroit club that was thoroughly flustered during a fourth quarter in which the Jazz outscored the Pistons 29-12.

And they did it oh-so-shorthanded.

Carlos Boozer was present and accounted for Monday, back from his home in Los Angeles, where he has been rehabbing the strained hamstring that has kept him out all season.