Utah Jazz notebook: Seeking road win, sweep of Spurs

SAN ANTONIO — Coach Jerry Sloan just wants a win. Over any team, really. Especially while his team is on the road.

For some with the Jazz, though, a victory at San Antonio tonight would come with added meaning.

The Spurs, after all, enjoyed one stretch that started in April of 2000 and ran until it ended in January of 2005 in which they won 18 straight regular-season games over the Jazz.

It wasn't until a Nov. 19 win this season that the Jazz were able to end a streak of 23 consecutive regular-season/postseason losses in San Antonio, one that started way back in May of 1999.

Moreover, the Jazz already have three victories over the perennially powerful Spurs this season.

A win tonight would give Utah its first regular-season series sweep of San Antonio since the 1993-94 season — when the Jazz won all five meetings between the two teams.

"It would mean a lot," point guard Deron Williams said prior to a practice Monday at San Antonio's Trinity University. "This is a team we've struggled with in the past ... especially in (the AT&T Center).

"But," Williams hastened to add, "it's gonna be a different game (tonight). They're gonna have everybody healthy this time."

Or at least the Spurs are expected to have key pieces Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili both available.

Those two both missed Utah's November win here because of injuries, arguably adding an asterisk to the Jazz finally breaking their long streak of ineptitude in San Antonio.

"It would mean a lot to us (to sweep), for our franchise and where we've come from," said forward Carlos Boozer, adding the Jazz have been "dominated by the Spurs" during the 51/2 seasons he, Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur have all been teammates in Utah.

"It ain't gonna be easy," Boozer added. "It's hard to beat a team twice, let alone four times. So, we'll be ready to play them."

ANSWERING THE CALL: Former Miami Heat standout Alonzo Mourning personally called, as did current Heat star Dwyane Wade.

Boozer answered, and so did teammate Ronnie Brewer. The two Jazz players both made donations to Haiti earthquake relief efforts being organized by Mourning and Wade, who according to an Associated Press report had solicited as of Monday pledges of more than $800,000 from various professional athletes.