Utah Jazz: Late blunder hurts Jazz in defeat

CHARLOTTE — It wasn't just that they were missing three key cogs. Or that All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer was battling foul issues, again.

But combine those facts with a big blunder at the end, and it was a recipe for some really bad soup as the Jazz fell 104-96 at Charlotte on Friday night.

It was the third loss in a five-game Eastern road swing that concludes tonight in Cleveland for the 6-3 Jazz, who were without starting point guard Deron Williams (sprained ankle), starting center Mehmet Okur (family issues) and sixth man Andrei Kirilenko (sprained finger).

Not that they were blaming just that for falling to the 3-5 Bobcats, who themselves were without team-high scoring leader Jason Richardson because of arthroscopic knee surgery.

"Even if it is 'we're shorthanded,"' said Boozer, who also endured foul trouble when the Jazz started their trip with a loss at New York last Sunday, "I feel like the guys in this locker room can play with anybody. No matter who's out there."

"It shouldn't affect us at all," backup power forward Paul Millsap added with regard to the varied and assorted lineups to which the Jazz resorted. "It's just an excuse for losing. The fact is we play with different lineups every day."

It certainly wasn't a typical one, though, when Boozer picked up his fourth foul late in the third quarter.

The Jazz and Bobcats were tied 68-68 at the time, and Utah — with replacement starter Ronnie Price at the point, back-from-injury Matt Harpring and usual starter Ronnie Brewer both on the perimeter, Millsap playing power forward and rookie Kosta Koufos at center — wound up watching former No. 3 overall draft choice Adam Morrison hit a 3-pointer in the period's final second.

When Boozer finally returned with just under seven minutes to go, Charlotte — boosted by a second Morrison trey — was up 82-76.

"It certainly didn't help us having to sit (Boozer) down for a period of time," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said.

"But, you know, we were still somewhat in the ballgame. We got back in it a little bit," Sloan said. "And they just made plays. They outhustled us, they outworked us, they got to the free-throw line."

Charlotte pushed its fourth-quarter advantage to as many as eight before the Jazz twice got the Bobcat advantage back down to two.