Mavericks Fall To The Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Carlos Boozer scored 21 points, including six of Utah's last seven, and the Jazz held off the Dallas Mavericks 99-90 on Wednesday night.<br/><br/>Although he was hampered by

Wednesday, December 26th 2007, 10:39 pm

By: News On 6

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Carlos Boozer scored 21 points, including six of Utah's last seven, and the Jazz held off the Dallas Mavericks 99-90 on Wednesday night.

Although he was hampered by foul trouble, Boozer finished strong for the Jazz, who had been struggling in the closing moments of games in the past few weeks.

Boozer shot 8-of-13 and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Jazz to their third win in the last 12 games. Andrei Kirilenko and Deron Williams had 17 points apiece as the Jazz improved to 10-2 at home.

The Jazz led by 10 points in the fourth quarter before Devean George made back-to-back 3-pointers. The Jazz, bolstered by steals by Kirilenko and Corey Brewer, then held the Mavericks scoreless for almost 4 minutes.

Dallas stayed close with 3-pointers until Boozer made a mid-range jumper and a dunk that put Utah ahead 97-89 with 1:28 to play.

Dirk Nowitzki had 20 points for Dallas but made just 3-of-10 from 3-point range as the Mavericks abandoned any attempt at an inside game in the fourth quarter. Devin Harris and Josh Howard each had 17 points for the Mavericks, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Utah led 16-0 and the Mavericks didn't score until Brandon Bass' jumper 5:12 into the game. But Dallas whittled away at the lead and actually passed the Jazz just before the end of the first half.

Kirilenko's dunk before the buzzer regained the lead for the Jazz, 47-46.