It would take something along the lines of an MVP season or NBA championship to make Jazz fans forget Carlos Boozer's comments last summer. Boozer, however, is doing his part to ease some of the memories. Boozer has been nothing short of a force as the Jazz have won seven of their last nine games. He had 24 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists Monday -- the second consecutive game in which he has come up three assists shy of a triple-double. Boozer has scored 20 points or more in the last five games. During that time he's averaging 25.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists while hitting 49 of 70 shots -- yes, 70 percent.
"He just looks so much more alive than probably anytime in the last couple years," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said.
As strongly as he expressed his desire to be traded last summer, Boozer might want to settle in for the long haul this season in Utah. Boozer is in the final year of his contract, but he also is playing like a restored All-Star.
In fact, Boozer's numbers in October/November -- 20.1 points, 10.9 rebounds and 55.7 percent shooting -- aren't far off what he averaged before he was selected an All-Star in 2007 and 2008.
Boozer has made an improved commitment on the defensive end as well as to sharing the ball. He's had back-to-back seven-assist games and is averaging 3.6 assists for the season, better than his career-best 3.0 in 2006-07.
JAZZ 120, GRIZZLIES 93: The Jazz led by as many as 32 points in the fourth quarter in dismantling the Grizzlies. It was the Jazz's third consecutive victory, and they have led at the end of all 12 quarters. The Jazz beat the Grizzlies for the 10th consecutive time, their longest current winning streak against any team. Those victories have come by an average margin of 17.1 points.
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