Friday, January 11, 2008
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Okur, Jazz Beat Short-Handed Suns

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[January 11, 2008]  SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Mehmet Okur scored 22 points and pulled down 17 rebounds and the Utah Jazz routed the tired and short-handed version of the Phoenix Suns 108-86 Thursday night.

Deron Williams added 17 points and 11 assists and Ronnie Brewer tied his career high with 21 points for the Jazz, who had an advantage from the start with three Suns starters unavailable.

Two-time league MVP Steve Nash was home with the flu, Grant Hill was recovering from an appendectomy the day before and Shawn Marion sat behind the bench with a bruised elbow. The Suns had also played an overtime game the night before and were overwhelmed by the Jazz in the second half.

Utah outscored Phoenix 28-12 in the third quarter, holding the Suns to just five field goals and closing the period with seven straight points.

Carlos Boozer added 18 points for the Jazz, but had just one rebound as Okur dominated the lane and missed his career high by one rebound.

Amare Stoudemire had 21 points and 14 rebounds and Leandro Barbosa scored 25, but were the only Suns to score in double figures.

Kyle Korver added 11 points for the Jazz, who had to overcome a sloppy start as even the depleted version of the Suns kept them running through the first half and early in the third quarter.

The Jazz also were short-handed, but not nearly to the extent the Suns were. Forward Matt Harpring was not with the team because his wife was in labor, and forward Andrei Kirilenko missed his third straight game because of inflammation in his lower back.

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The Suns beat Indiana at home in overtime on Wednesday, then flew to Utah and the fatigue showed midway through the third quarter.

Stoudemire hit a free throw that got Phoenix within 63-54, then the Jazz blew it open with a 13-2 run. Williams started it with a long alley-oop to Brewer for a dunk as Utah scored six straight points.

Stoudemire got in a dunk for Phoenix, but the Jazz responded with seven points in a row, taking a 76-56 lead on Okur's 23-foot jumper with about 3 minutes left.

Williams was leading a fast break about 30 seconds later and instead of going for the points tossed it over to Brewer for another dunk that delighted the fans.

Utah led 86-60 at the end of the third and reserves for both teams -- including all three of Phoenix's -- played most of the fourth.

Notes: Nash hadn't missed a game this season. ... Brian Skinner had the Suns' only bench points through three quarters with two. ... The Jazz opened the second quarter 1-for-15. ... Harpring's wife had a baby girl, the couple's second child.

[Associated Press; By DOUG ALDEN]

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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