Utah Jazz: Boozer wants to get the ball more

Carlos Boozer didn't exactly get in a sound eight hours' sleep Thursday night.

But it wasn't because of the late start time, and finish time, of Game 3 in the Jazz-Houston Rockets first-round NBA playoff series.

Wasn't due to crying kids, or a lousy mattress, or noisy neighbors either.

Rather, the reason for deprivation was work-related.

"I don't sleep well when I don't play well," the Jazz's All-Star power forward said Friday morning.

Boozer admittedly struggled in Utah's 94-92 loss to Houston, which cut the Jazz's advantage in the best-of-seven series to 2-1 heading into tonight's ESPN-televised Game 4 at EnergySolutions Arena.

He had a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double, but scored only two points in the fourth quarter and missed two critical free throws as Houston rallied in those final 12 minutes.

That comes on top of having scored 20 points in Game 1 and just 13 in Game 2.

And that leaves him with a series average of 16.0, more than 8.6 below his average when the Jazz beat the Rockets in a first-round, seven-game series last year — and 5.1 off his average during the 2007-08 regular season.

So Boozer showed up at practice Friday an hour-and-a-half before its scheduled start time, and headed immediately to the free-throw line.

There, he converted 83-of-100 attempts — almost 10 percent better than his 73.8 percent average during the season.

That accomplished, Boozer proceeded to his next task: Continuing the plea he made in the immediate aftermath of Thursday's game.

That would be the one for more touches on the ball, particularly down the stretch.

"I think we need to just force it inside a little bit more," said Boozer, who took just 11 shots (making six) from the field in Game 3 — including just one in the final quarter.

During the season, Boozer averaged 16 shots; last postseason, nearly 18.

"I think sometimes we get a little jump-shot happy," he said. "We hit some jump shots, so it makes you want to keep taking 'em, but if we force it inside we'll get the ball inside and score."

Jazz point guard Deron Williams hears the call, and seems prepared to answer.