Utah — which went into Monday's game holding down a Western Conference playoff spot for the first time in what seems like forever - concludes its week with games Wednesday night at Oklahoma City, Friday at Memphis and Saturday at Dallas.

"We just wanted to keep our streak going before we go on the road," said Okur, whose 43 marked the Jazz's first 40-plus-point game since Boozer dropped 41 on New Jersey last March.

And now that know they will, he added, "We're going to go out there with a lot of confidence and try to win all three games."

He can say that largely because of a personal performance that offset a collective effort from the pesky Pacers — one that seemed to impress Sloan much more than that of his own club's.

"For a team with the record they have," the grumpy Jazz coach said of 13-25 Indiana, which finished a five-game trip 1-4 while yielding 121 points per outing, "I thought they played about as well as anybody we've seen."

As for Okur's showing, Sloan — whose Jazz also scored 36 points in the first quarter, four more than in any previous opening quarter this season — acted almost as if he expected it.

And he wasn't alone.

"He's been shooting the ball extremely well," Sloan said, "and obviously he showed that again tonight."

"I know he's capable of it," Kirilenko added. "He's my neighbor."

One who doesn't even mind sharing the ladder.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com