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(AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Carlos Boozer had 19 points and 10 rebounds and the Utah Jazz recovered from a humbling loss the night before by beating the Los Angeles Clippers 106-88 on Friday night.
Deron Williams scored 15 and Andrei Kirilenko added 13 points and seven assists for Utah.
All five Jazz starters scored in double figures and were resting on the bench with about 4 minutes left in the game with Utah comfortably ahead. The Jazz lost 120-109 at Denver on Thursday, letting a close game get away in the second half against their division rivals.
Back at home Friday, the Jazz never let it get close. Utah led by 14 at halftime and at least 10 the rest of the way while beating the Clippers for the ninth straight time in Salt Lake City.
Corey Maggette scored 20 and Chris Kaman had 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Clippers, who are 1-30 in EnergySolutions Arena -- originally known as the Delta Center.
Sam Cassell had 16 points and Tim Thomas scored 11 for the struggling Clippers. Los Angeles, which snapped a four-game losing streak Tuesday against Phoenix, has lost 11 of 13. The Clippers had 15 turnovers and were outrebounded 43-34. Mehmet Okur and Ronnie Brewer each scored 12 for the Jazz, who improved to 23-18 midway through the season. Since falling to .500 at 16-16 with a loss to the Celtics on Dec. 29, the Jazz have won seven of nine.
Utah had been just 2-8 on the second night of back-to-back games.
The Jazz led 59-45 at halftime, then blew the game open in the third quarter after the Clippers opened with a mini-run. Kaman's dunk with 8:44 left in the third cut the lead to 65-55.
Later in the period, Kirilenko grabbed an offensive rebound under the basket and dunked it to put Utah up 83-65, then made a steal and went in all alone for another dunk that increased the lead to 20. Kaman scored on a putback for the Clippers, then Okur answered with a 3-pointer and Utah's lead was up to 88-67 late in the third quarter.
The Clippers trimmed it to 88-71 after Brevin Knight was fouled with .1 second left in the third quarter and made two of three free throws and Thomas opened the fourth with a basket, but the Jazz responded with a 10-2 run.
Notes:@ Jazz reserves outscored the Clippers 35-25. ... Utah improved to 17-3 at home. ... Boozer had 12 points and six rebounds -- two more than the Clippers -- in the first quarter. ... The Clippers have lost five straight on the road.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)







