Shoot Out In Salt Lake City Jazz Out Last Spurs 116-110

The Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks looked like they took a trip back to the future circa 1985, as their game Monday night at the Energy Solutions Arena resembled a contest from that run and gun era, with longer shorts (Thank Heaven.) Utah ended up on the winning side of the shootout as they outgunned the Mavericks 116-110. The Jazz shot 53.6% (41-77) from the floor for the game, and Dallas shot an almost as impressive 50.0% (37-74) in the loss. Utah however suffered a loss of their own as forward Andrei Kirilenko was taken to the hospital via stretcher after being the recipient of a flagrant foul by Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki.

Utah was molten hot to start off the game and Dallas looked they needed a road map to find the basket. That combination led to the Jazz being up very quickly 25-6. Kirilenko was injured in the first quarter, as he went up for a layup and Nowitzki caught him with his arm across AK-47’s neck and shoulder, and knocked him to the ground. Kirilenko fell on his hip, and was writhing in pain on the court for several minutes. Kirilenko made his two shots at the line, and the was taken to the hospital. he returned to the court in a wheelchair in the second half. There was no word as we went to print the extent of Kirilenko’s injuries. Utah led at the end of the first quarter 37-24, and had a lead of 64-50 over the Mavericks as the game reached the half. Dallas would get as close as 4 points in the third quarter, but Utah held on and had a 87-81 advantage as the two teams went into the final quarter. The Mavericks took their first lead of the second half with 7:46 remaining in the game as Nowitzki hit an outside shot to put the Mavericks on top 90-89. But the lead was short lived as Deron Williams made 2 at the line with 4:11 left in the game giving the Jazz a lead of 100-92, and Dallas could not recover.

Carlos Boozer led Utah with 28 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, in the victory. Mehmet Okur recorded a double-double 20 points, 12 boards, 2 blocks, 2 assists, 1 steal, Deron Williams also registered a double-double with 17 points, 20 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks. Kyle Korver came off the bench and scored 17 points, 2 blocks, 1 rebound, Ronnie Brewer scored 15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal.

Josh Howard set the pace for Dallas as he scored 25 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists. Nowitzki scored 23 points, 7 boards, 1 assist, Jason Terry scored 21 points, 2 assists. Jason Kidd scored 19 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, Devean George scored 12 points off the bench, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block. Both Dallas and Utah after the game have identical records of 39-22.