Another critical factor: points in the paint.

The Jazz outscored the Clippers 66-40 down low en route to shooting 57 percent — 45-of-79 — from the field.

Never was that more evident than late in the third quarter, after the Clippers whittled what had been a 14-point Jazz lead to four after rookie Al Thornton knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 66-62 with 4 minutes and 17 seconds left in the period.

First, Harpring scored on a reserve layup. After Boozer hit a freebie resulting from a technical foul on Corey Maggette, Ronnie Brewer scored inside. Harpring followed with a finger roll. Brewer converted a Harpring-fed layup, then stole a Sam Cassell pass and dunked on the other end. And Paul Millsap capped a 13-5 run to end the quarter, laying in a last-second pass from ex-Clipper Jason Hart to make it 79-67 heading into the fourth.

The Clippers never got closer than within nine in the final quarter, and the Jazz led by as many as 23 with 2:24 to go after Williams found Harpring for a layup and Harpring hit the free throw that followed.

"Deron," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said of Williams, "did a terrific job of getting the guys involved inside."

"We're better when we get more points in the paint," Harpring added after Utah finished just four points off its season high for inside scoring. "That's one of goals before every game."

Mission accomplished, so much so Sloan seemed willing to overlook the fact the Jazz committed 19 turnovers — including eight in the opening quarter alone.

Rather, he opted to appreciate the fact Utah forced the Clippers into 20 miscues — leading to 29 Jazz points — and rationalize that his club's high count was due primarily to aggressive play.

"We ran the floor and pushed the ball up the floor a lot more than what we've been doing, instead of walking," said Sloan, whose Jazz — winners now in eight of their last 10 — are idle until playing host to Sacramento on Friday. "We were never putting any pressure on the defense until today.

"That is what we've got to do on the road," he said. "We can't just sit back."

No matter what the start time.

---

E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com