The Jazz avenged one of their worst post-All-Star-break losses by beating the L.A. Clippers on Friday and will have the chance to do the same when they play Minnesota in a Sunday afternoon game.
It's the first of two games against the Timberwolves in four days. The last time they were in Minnesota, the Jazz suffered a 111-100 loss. The Jazz were outscored 39-28 in the fourth quarter and four Timberwolves players each scored 20 points or more. The Jazz have been largely biding time for the past week, riding a three-game winning streak after beating Seattle, Charlotte and the Clippers. Their final six games of the season come against Western Conference team with a .600 winning percentage or better.
JAZZ 121, CLIPPERS 101: Even though they finished the game down three starters, with just nine players in uniform, the Jazz at least could say they still had Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. The two were extraordinary in leading the Jazz to victory Friday.
Williams and Boozer combined to score 66 points -- 32 points and 10 assists for Williams and 34 points and 17 rebounds for Boozer -- and went 29 of 37 from the field. The Jazz led by as many as 28 points in the fourth quarter and cruised to the win.
The Jazz are now 32-1 all-time against the Clippers at Staples Center. They avenged a February loss in Los Angeles and sent the Clippers to their 10th straight loss.
Only in the afternoon before tip-off did the Jazz learn how shorthanded they would be Friday. Mehmet Okur was sent home sick and Ronnie Brewer never made it to the arena, both sickened by a stomach virus. Andrei Kirilenko then was lost in the first half to a calf injury.
