Utah Jazz: The Beast — Boozer's game roars back

There have been sightings from California to Utah — coming from multiple witnesses, too — that a powerful predator is on the loose out West.

The fearsome force is preying on purple-and-gold-clad Americans and Europeans, gets energized by ensnaring orange leather orbs and even occasionally bellows out ear-piercing roars after rampages.

Eyewitness Deron Williams described the 6-foot-9, 266-pound being as "a beast" after seeing it cause serious damage at EnergySolutions Arena on Thursday.

Phil Jackson, whose Los Angeles group was menaced and manhandled by the creature, compared it to "a monster."

Beware the Abominable Alaskan.

Eek! Run! Hide the women, children and players wearing Lakers gear! And one!

Also known as Carlos Boozer — and sometimes referred to as a two-time All-Star and Olympian and perhaps soon to be called a former Jazzman — it appears he's returned to being a dangerous threat again.

The Beehive State is sure hoping Boozer the Beast, the Jazz's first-round leading scorer and rebounder who's coming off of a monstrous 23-point, 22-rebound outing, victimizes the visitors again in tonight's pivotal contest.

"That was one of the best games I've seen him play in a long time," Jazz forward Matt Harpring said. "That was vintage Boozer. We need that for Game 4."

"He just played like a beast," Williams added. "He's played well this whole series. It looks like he's back to his normal form."

That, of course, can be scary depending on if he considers you a friend or a foe.

"He's a monster in there," Jackson, the Lakers' coach, admitted. "He's a big, strong guy. He's pushing our guys around and getting good position for rebounds."

Boozer is also, as noticed by teammates, playing as well as he has all year. The resurging power forward's game and the postseason both seemed to have arrived at the same time.

To wit, Boozer has strung together three consecutive games of 20 or more points against the Lakers in the first round after not doing that at all during the 2008-09 regular season. His 27 points in Game 1 were more than he'd notched in one night all season long. It helps, he says, to be 100 percent after missing 44 games due to knee surgery and rehab. Going through the painful process of filing for divorce is also behind him.