Road warriors: Jazz close out Clippers with dominating 2nd half

LOS ANGELES — The Jazz came here having won 33 straight times when carrying a lead into the fourth quarter.

Make it 34.

Utah took a seven-point advantage in Wednesday night's final 12 minutes and never needed to look back, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 105-86 without — save for coach Jerry Sloan's predictable perfectionist grumblings — any real final-period frets.

For that, the Jazz — who extended their NBA-leading record to 17-5 — can thank what is developing into one rather dynamic scoring duo.

"Deron Williams seems to play much better, obviously, when you get in that (with-a-lead) situation," Sloan said, "and (Carlos) Boozer has played extremely well in the fourth quarter."

Williams matched his career scoring high with 28 points on 13-of-21 shooting from the field, and dished 14 assists.

Boozer, meanwhile, had 28 points point as well and pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds, marking the 15th time the Jazz have won in 16 games this season when their starting power forward registers a double-double.

"They're getting to know each other," Sloan said of the two, who have been limited because of Boozer's extended injury absence during Williams' rookie year last season.

"They haven't played a great deal together ... (but) that should get better as time goes on," the Jazz coach added, "because when things stay together that's what should happen."

It took a bit of time before Utah did all of what it should Wednesday, but eventually things fell into place.

The Jazz trailed by nine points late in the opening quarter, but used a 26-14 second quarter to take a five-point advantage into the break.

Utah scored the final five points before halftime, getting a Williams-fed inside bucket from Paul Millsap and a Mehmet Okur 3-pointer in the half last 35.4 seconds.

The Clippers did briefly go back ahead early in the third quarter, but the Jazz never trailed after Williams fed Boozer for a layup that made it 59-57 with 6:47 remaining in the period

The Jazz quickly extended their seven-point third quarter lead to double digits early in the fourth, and led by 12 or more for the game's final 10-plus minutes.

Still, Sloan was not totally satisfied.