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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Mehmet Okur had a season-high 23 points to lead the Utah Jazz to a 103-94 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night.
Okur was 9-of-15 from the field, including missing only one of his five shots from 3-point range, as the Jazz won the sixth straight game in the series.
Ronnie Brewer, who was 10-of-14 from the floor, added 21 points, Morris Almond had 11, and Ronnie Price 10.
O.J. Mayo led Memphis with 23 points, and Rudy Gay added 21. Darrell Arthur had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Mike Conley finished with 14 points and eight assists.
The Jazz were short-handed. Guard Deron Williams missed his 12th game because of a sprained ankle, Carlos Boozer sat out with a strained left quadriceps, and Kyle Korver was sidelined by an inflamed right wrist.
The Jazz shot 55 percent, including 54 percent from 3-point range.
Early on, Memphis was getting to the rim with dunks and working the ball inside. Ten of its first 17 points came in the paint.
But the Jazz tightened up their defense, poking the ball away from the Grizzlies, double-teaming the ball and getting in the passing lanes. That, plus contesting shots, caused Memphis to miss 11 of its first 13 attempts in the second quarter as the Jazz built the lead to 36-29, eventually extending it to as many as 10 before the break.
When the Jazz weren't committing turnovers -- matching the Grizzlies with 12 miscues in the half -- they were shooting 67 percent through the first quarter and 58 for the half, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range. That helped Utah to a 50-43 lead at the break.
The Jazz were able to stretch the lead at 13 midway through the third as ballhandling was still at a premium. The Jazz continued to pressure Memphis players, and the Grizzlies didn't seem to match the intensity.
Memphis was able to cut the deficit under double digits with a small rally late in the third, and Utah carried a 77-69 advantage heading into the fourth.
But the Jazz ran away at the start of the fourth. Notes:@ With all of the injuries, Brewer and C.J. Miles are the only two Utah players to start all 14 games. ... In Utah's five previous wins in the series, the winning margin was an average of 18 points. ... Millsap started his first game of the season and only the fourth of his career. Millsap is in his third season out of Louisiana Tech. ... Officials reviewed Mike Conley's runner at the end of the first half and confirmed that it was good. ... Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni drew a technical in the fourth for arguing calls. The frustration probably was accentuated by his team going scoreless for the first four minutes of the period.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
