Red hot Okur helps Utah past Minnesota
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 22, 2009 00:00
SALT LAKE CITY - A pair of late three-pointers by Turkish center Mehmet Okur helps the Utah Jazz prevent a heroic comeback by the feisty Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA. Despite a string of injuries, the Utah Jazz extends its winning streak to seven in home games.
Turkish center Mehmet Okur scored 22 points and hit consecutive late 3-pointers to send the Utah Jazz past the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 112-107 win in the NBA on Tuesday night.
Paul Millsap led Utah with 28 points and 15 rebounds and his dunk gave the Jazz a 97-89 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
The Wolves cut the lead the 97-96 on Randy Foye's 3-pointer.
Al Jefferson, who had 25 points and eight rebounds, missed a jump hook and Okur grabbed the rebound.
The Turkish center then found his rhythm to make his consecutive 3s and added a free throw. Deron Williams, who had 17 points and 11 assists, made a jumper to expand the advantage to 106-97.
"My shot was cold in the first half but I tried to mix up my game in the second half,'' Okur was quoted as saying on the NBA’s official Web site. "I knew it was going to be a long game, so I stayed focused and hungry. Deron did a good job finding me.''
Ryan Gomes and Foye each had 19 points for Minnesota, whose coach Kevin McHale told that Okur’s shots were crucial in the game.
"Okur hit two big 3s, really big,'' McHale said. "We just couldn't score and we really didn't get good looks after we got it to a one-point game. We had an opportunity there and we just couldn't capitalize.''
Kirilenko out
The contributions by Okur and Millsap were important for the Jazz, who missed Russian forward Andrei Kirilenko for most of the game. Kirilenko left the game due to an inflamed right ankle with 6:43 remaining in the second quarter and did not return.
"We obviously missed him. When he went out of the ballgame, it limited us in what we were able to do,'' Sloan said. That was the seventh straight home win for the Jazz.
Meanwhile, Mike Bibby scored nine of his season-high 31 points in the final five minutes as the Atlanta Hawks beat the Chicago Bulls 105-102 to complete a three-game season sweep.
Solid throughout the night, Bibby came up big in the end to lift the Hawks to their second win in as many nights.
The Bulls were leading 94-93 after Derrick Rose drove for a lay-up, but Bibby buried a jumper over Joakim Noah to start a decisive 7-0 spurt that sent the Hawks to their second win in as many nights. Flip Murray then converted a lay-up on a two-on-one after Chicago's Luol Deng hit the side of the backboard on a drive, and Bibby finished it with a 3-pointer that made it 100-94 with just under four minutes left.
Zaza Pachulia scored a season-high 18 points for the Kings.
Gordon led Chicago with 21 points, Nocioni added 15, and Luol Deng had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Paul Millsap led Utah with 28 points and 15 rebounds and his dunk gave the Jazz a 97-89 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
The Wolves cut the lead the 97-96 on Randy Foye's 3-pointer.
Al Jefferson, who had 25 points and eight rebounds, missed a jump hook and Okur grabbed the rebound.
The Turkish center then found his rhythm to make his consecutive 3s and added a free throw. Deron Williams, who had 17 points and 11 assists, made a jumper to expand the advantage to 106-97.
"My shot was cold in the first half but I tried to mix up my game in the second half,'' Okur was quoted as saying on the NBA’s official Web site. "I knew it was going to be a long game, so I stayed focused and hungry. Deron did a good job finding me.''
Ryan Gomes and Foye each had 19 points for Minnesota, whose coach Kevin McHale told that Okur’s shots were crucial in the game.
"Okur hit two big 3s, really big,'' McHale said. "We just couldn't score and we really didn't get good looks after we got it to a one-point game. We had an opportunity there and we just couldn't capitalize.''
Kirilenko out
The contributions by Okur and Millsap were important for the Jazz, who missed Russian forward Andrei Kirilenko for most of the game. Kirilenko left the game due to an inflamed right ankle with 6:43 remaining in the second quarter and did not return.
"We obviously missed him. When he went out of the ballgame, it limited us in what we were able to do,'' Sloan said. That was the seventh straight home win for the Jazz.
Meanwhile, Mike Bibby scored nine of his season-high 31 points in the final five minutes as the Atlanta Hawks beat the Chicago Bulls 105-102 to complete a three-game season sweep.
Solid throughout the night, Bibby came up big in the end to lift the Hawks to their second win in as many nights.
The Bulls were leading 94-93 after Derrick Rose drove for a lay-up, but Bibby buried a jumper over Joakim Noah to start a decisive 7-0 spurt that sent the Hawks to their second win in as many nights. Flip Murray then converted a lay-up on a two-on-one after Chicago's Luol Deng hit the side of the backboard on a drive, and Bibby finished it with a 3-pointer that made it 100-94 with just under four minutes left.
Zaza Pachulia scored a season-high 18 points for the Kings.
Gordon led Chicago with 21 points, Nocioni added 15, and Luol Deng had 12 points and 10 rebounds.