Utah Jazz: Unlike season opener, Jazz get big fourth quarter for win

It ended with a late-game highlight-reel dunk by Ronnie Price that put a big, fat exclamation mark on the first win of the 2009-10 season.

And the Utah Jazz's home-opener began with a pregame meet-and-greet with the Miller family and Jazz brass at entry ways, a stirring rendition of the national anthem by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, a Haka dance by powerful-looking Polynesian performers and fireworks.

What happened between all that hoopla and the eventual 111-98 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, however, caught most in the sold-out EnergySolutions Arena by surprise.

The Jazz, who were playing with Mehmet Okur (ankle, knee), Kyle Korver (knee) and C.J. Miles (thumb) in dressy duds, will gladly take the comeback win nevertheless.

"Anyway you get a win, it certainly was a good one," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said.

Especially, he added, because Utah was forced to "mix and match" players.

The Clippers gave a gutsy effort for nearly three quarters, but the Jazz did in this game what they were unable to do in their season-opening loss at Denver — finish strong.

And, boy, did they ever pound out an impressive finish.

Paul Millsap scored 14 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter, and the Jazz used a commanding 15-0 run midway through the second half to turn a six-point deficit into the blowout victory most expected.

"Paul Millsap had a terrific game," Sloan said, "and a lot of other guys played well."

Surprisingly, the Jazz needed all the contributions they got. Included among the players to delight the nail-biting home crowd: Deron Williams with 21 points and nine assists, Carlos Boozer with 20 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, Ronnie Brewer with 17 points and five boards and Kyrylo Fesenko with 10 points and a blocked shot in a solid start in place of the late-scratch Okur.

"Tonight we played really great basketball in the second half," Fesenko said. "We executed, we were playing defense, helping each other and we get lots of layups. That's what led us to victory."

Playing the Clippers seemed like it might be anti-climactic to the opening-night festivities. They are, after all, now 1-35 all-time in this building and have lost five straight against Utah.

But the perennial NBA doormats threatened to steal the show in Utah even without injured No. 1 pick Blake Griffin available.