Martin, Kings End Utah's Long Win Streak

[February 09, 2008]  SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Kevin Martin scored 27 points and the Sacramento Kings pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Utah 117-104 Friday night, ending the Jazz's 10-game winning streak.

Ron Artest had 22 points and eight rebounds for Sacramento, which won four of five on its homestand. Brad Miller, who missed the previous game after cutting his right index finger on Sunday while washing the dishes, had 15 points and eight rebounds.

Quiet through the first three quarters, reserves Quincy Douby and John Salmons had dominant roles in the fourth. Salmons made back-to-back driving layups and Douby had consecutive 3-pointers in a 10-4 run that put the Kings ahead 109-99 with 5:10 remaining.

Douby finished with 15 points and Salmons had 13.

Carlos Boozer had 23 points and 12 rebounds for Utah, which has not won 11 straight games since April 1999. Deron Williams had 18 points and nine assists, Andrei Kirilenko scored 14 points, Matt Harpring had 13, and Mehmet Okur and Ronnie Price added 11 each.

The Jazz had their winning streak end at Arco Arena, where they have lost 11 of their last 14 trips, most of them lopsided. Utah also lost for just the third time in 19 games since Dec. 29, when a nearly monthlong slump left them at 16-16.

With veterans Martin and Mike Bibby watching from the bench the entire fourth quarter, Douby took an unlikely lead role along with Salmons. Douby hit three 3-pointers and scored 12 points and Salmons had nine for Sacramento, which outscored the Jazz 29-17 in the period.

The Kings were helped by shooting 40-for-50 from the free-throw line and they outrebounded the Jazz 54-39 in a physical game.

Coming off a season-low five points, Martin got going right away, making four 3-pointers in the opening quarter and scoring 16 points.

Trailing since the game's opening minutes, the Jazz scored nine straight points to take a 77-73 on Boozer's driving layup at the 4:46 mark in the third quarter. But Douby's 3-pointer with 17 seconds left put the Kings ahead 88-87 heading into the final quarter.

Martin scored 22 points in the first half as the Kings shot 56 percent and led 58-57 at the break.

Notes:@ Artest threw down a vicious dunk in the second quarter and was fouled by C.J. Miles. Artest high-fived several fans, then stepped to the line and completed a three-point play. ... Averaging 20.3 points in the previous three games, Kyle Korver was scoreless through three quarters and finished with four points for Utah. ... Price, a former King, made two 3-pointers in the first half, but drew more jeers for inadvertently kneeing Francisco Garcia in the back late in the second quarter. Garcia lay on the floor for several minutes before walking slowly to the locker room, leaving the game for good with a strained lower back.

[Associated Press; By HOWARD ULMAN]

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