Jazz beat Pistons for 6th straight time

2/28/2008

SALT LAKE CITY - Mehmet Okur scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and the Utah Jazz rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit to beat the Detroit Pistons 103-95 last night.

The Jazz won their sixth straight over the Pistons, holding them without a field goal for almost 12 minutes between the end of the third and midway through the fourth quarter.

Paul Millsap scored 19, including 16 in the second half and led Utah's comeback. Carlos Boozer added 18 points and 15 rebounds and Deron Willliams had 14 points and 14 assists.

Richard Hamilton scored 22 points, Chauncey Billups had 21, and the Pistons led by 18 in the first half and continued to hold down the Jazz until the end of the third quarter.

The Jazz outscored the Pistons 25-18 in the third quarter, going on a 15-2 run late to cut the lead to two points.

Detroit didn't score for four minutes as Millsap led the Jazz on a comeback after it appeared Detroit was on its way to ending its losing streak to Utah.

Billups put the Pistons up 67-52 on a layup with 5:19 left in the third and Detroit didn't get another field goal until Hamilton's fadeaway with 5:28 left to play.

The Pistons scored only on free throws during the shooting drought and Utah capitalized.

The Jazz took 17 free throws to Detroit's 35.

Millsap scored the first four points of the fourth, then gave the Jazz their first lead on a 19-foot jumper with 8:24 left to play.

Okur hit a 3-pointer with 2:41 left to play, but Hamilton answered his former teammate with another 3 to tie it.

Williams hit two free throws to put Utah ahead again with 1:27 left, then after a miss by Rasheed Wallace, Okur hit another 3 and it was all but over.

Wallace scored 11 points and Antonio McDyess had 10 rebounds for Detroit, which had opened up a four-game Western Conference road trip with wins at Phoenix and Denver.

NOTES: Utah coach Jerry Sloan was called for a technical with 7:45 after Williams drove for a layup that was blocked by Wallace. Matt Harpring was called for a foul on the rebound and Sloan erupted. ... Detroit went scoreless from Jason Maxiell's two free throws with 4:03 left in the third until Billups was fouled with 2.7 seconds left. ... The Pistons were 4-for-16 on 3-pointers. ... Okur was 10-for-18 and Boozer went 19-for-17