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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Mehmet Okur is quickly becoming the Utah Jazz's shot-maker with the game on the line.
Okur hit a 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds left to help the Utah Jazz hold off the Seattle SuperSonics 109-107 on Saturday night.
"Since last year, he has hit so many big shots for us. He can struggle all game, it doesn't matter, he'll take that big one," said Deron Williams, who had 18 points and nine assists.
Okur is earning a penchant for game-winners and calls his late, long-range shots: "Moneyballs."
"You know, right place at the right time. I think D-Will did a great job. He just pushed the ball hard," said Okur, who missed his first four shots. "It was a good pass and I was open. I have confidence in my shot."
So do his teammates.
"Memo hits big shots," said Carlos Boozer, who led Utah with 24 points and made a putback to give Utah a 106-105 lead with 11.5 seconds left.
Ray Allen scored 20 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter, including a drive past Andrei Kirilenko for a layup with seven seconds left that gave Seattle a 107-106 lead.
But that left too much time for the Jazz. Without calling a timeout, Deron Williams rushed the ball up the court and found Okur open in the right corner for a 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds left.
Allen had one last chance but missed a hurried 27-footer as time expired.
"He's a great player," Williams said of Allen. "He struggled a little bit with his shot early in the game, but when it came to the fourth quarter, he brought them back single-handedly."
After the game, Allen was more interested in talking about the officials and his lack of offensive opportunities in the first three quarters.
"I thought tonight we had a bad whistle, plain and simple," said Allen, who made 13-of-14 free throws. "I can sit here and be disappointed at the calls that they made, which were the wrong calls, but we still had opportunities to win the game."
Allen entered the fourth quarter shooting 2-of-10 from the field, but made 6-of-9 shots, including three 3-pointers to erase Utah's 14-point lead in the final period.
"I tell Luke (Ridnour) and Earl (Watson) that they have to get me involved in the game in the first three quarters instead of waiting and trying to figure out what's going to happen, because I do some good things when I'm on the floor," Allen said.
Paul Millsap had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Okur had 12 points for the Jazz, who have now won 31 straight games when leading as they enter the fourth quarter, the longest active string in the NBA.
"We're having fun. It's been great so far, and hopefully, we're going to keep doing what we've been doing out there all season," Okur said.
Following a 12-1 start, Utah (14-4) had dropped three of its last four.
"It's definitely important. It's a big game for us, we needed this win to get back on track," Williams said.
The Jazz, who lead the league in rebounding margin, took control of the game by controlling the boards and outrebounded the Sonics 40-31. The Sonics did not get one offensive rebound in the fourth quarter.
Rashard Lewis scored 27 for Seattle, which has lost four of its last five games. Luke Ridnour and Chris Wilcox each had 13.
Notes: The Jazz have the best record in the league again. . ... Boozer's emphatic dunk just before halftime earned him a technical foul for hanging on the rim and scissor-kicking his legs. . ... Bob Hill got a technical with 4:58 left in the third quarter. The Jazz beat the Sonics 118-109 in Seattle on Nov. 17. Utah is 12-1 when outrebounding their opponent.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-12-02-06 2306MST
