From Deseret News archives:
Jazz claim vital road triumph at Denver
Backup power forward Paul Millsap and starting center Mehmet Okur were out too, both having fouled out in the fourth quarter.
And starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko was just barely hanging in, playing with five fouls for the final five minutes and 47 seconds of the fourth and all of overtime.
Despite being so shorthanded, however, the Jazz still managed to win their 10th straight, beating Denver 118-115 in a decidedly physical thriller Wednesday that marked their first OT game this season.
"We hung in there," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, whose club also has won 14-of-15 with the lone loss in that stretch coming when they visited here last month.
"I was proud of guys, the way we fought in the game," Sloan added. "(We) tried to stay with what we were trying to do, instead of getting into a pushing and shoving contest."
Starting point guard Deron Williams finished with a game-high 11 assists and team-high 29 points, including a 3-pointer that made it 106-106 with 17.8 seconds left in the fourth.
"Some guys had to play out of position a little bit," Korver said after Utah finished with starting power forward Carlos Boozer at center in place of Okur.
"But we just kept on fighting," added Korver, whose 27 points in 37 minutes off the bench were a season-high and just four off his career high. "Sometimes, you know, the calls and the ball doesn't bounce your way. (But) the sign of a good team is a team that can fight through that and persevere, and we did that."
As a result, Utah extended its current league-high winning streak and matched its longest stretch since it won 11 consecutive games in April 1999.
The 32-18 Jazz also became just the third NBA team this season to win at least 10 straight, joining Portland (13) and Detroit (11).
Moreover, they ended division-rival Denver's overall win streak at three and its home win streak at eight.
"That was a physical game," said Jazz backup small forward Matt Harpring, who scored 13 as he, Korver and Millsap combined to outscore the Nuggets' bench 50-11. "But that's what happens when both teams need a win like that.
"It's good that we got some experience playing down the stretch on the road against a hostile crowd in a hostile game," Harpring added. "It's like a playoff game."
Recent comments
The facts are the the facts. The jazz have never won a championship...
Jazzsmack | Feb. 8, 2008 at 4:53 p.m.
Its funny how teams try to match Jazz's physical play, yet they get...
TEJA | Feb. 8, 2008 at 3:44 p.m.
is this Jazzsmack smoking?
What... | Feb. 8, 2008 at 10:42 a.m.
- Hurricanes snap 14-game skid 5:31 p.m.
- Tar Heels beat Valparaiso, 88-77 5:28 p.m.
- Mountaineers outlast Loyola, Md. 5:27 p.m.
- Wie gets 1st LPGA Tour win 5:25 p.m.
- Surprising wisdom from children 5:13 p.m.
- Favre to Rice helps Vikings win 4:19 p.m.
- Photos: A Royal welcome 3:58 p.m.
- Bengals beat Steelers 3:06 p.m.
- Johnson, Titans beats Bills 41-17 3:05 p.m.
- Bush helps Saints stay unbeaten 3:04 p.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
361 - BYU happy to escape with victory
224 - TCU creams U.
216 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
201 - Will state consider gay rights law?
148 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
133 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
130 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - RSL heads to MLS title game
117 - Celtics crush Jazz
104
to BYU. The talk before the season was that BYU had a shot, if they went...
Who says that third parties don't have a chance. Seems to me that every two...
1. Utah, is that the same red as the 80's, no. 2. BYU has the most fickle...
You guys have been our kids for 4 years and some of you more...what a bunch...
I couldn't agree more the game has been played and the best team on the night...
The funny part about all the BYU fans and the ranking stuff. The only ranking...
Clearly winning capped it, but it was great having Gameday and the Utes in...
Get rid of the incumbents!Get people in office that take their...
Way to go! Knock off the defending champions already twice!
I am a frog fan for forty years but the Utes showed class when a TCU player...

