NEW YORK, 14 January 2005 — Mehmet Okur scored 21 points as the hosts Utah Jazz upset the Phoenix Suns 115-108 Wednesday, sending the NBA’s top team to only their fifth loss of the season.
Okur, whose game-winning shot helped the Jazz beat the San Antonio Spurs Monday to snap a nine-game losing skid, added a season-high 17 rebounds and 10 assists. He received plenty of assistance with Utah getting double-figure efforts from six players.
After defeating the Miami Heat in a clash of conference leaders Tuesday, the high-scoring Suns appeared to lack energy late in the contest as the Jazz brought Phoenix’s seven-game winning run to an end. Quentin Richardson had 24 points for the Suns while Steve Nash contributed a double-double in a losing cause with 22 points and 11 assists.
In Denver, Kenyon Martin notched 18 points and Carmelo Anthony 17 as the Nuggets downed the Los Angeles Lakers 95-83 in Kobe Bryant’s first appearance in Colorado since sexual assault charges against the All-Star were dropped. Bryant said the game was “not a big deal” but Denver fans booed him during introductions and every time he touched the ball.
The Lakers guard, who picked up 42 points the last time the teams met in Los Angeles on Jan. 2, was held to 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds this time round.
In Dallas, Tracy McGrady recorded 30 points and 11 assists to power the Houston Rockets to a 124-114 triumph over the Mavericks. The Rockets used a balance attack to earn their second consecutive win, four players scoring 20 points or more. Juwan Howard had 29 points while David Wesley notched 21 and Yao Ming 20.
In Oakland, Shaquille O’Neal and Udonis Haslem produced double-doubles to spark the Miami Heat to a 98-91 victory over the Golden State Warriors. O’Neal seized 26 points and 12 rebounds while Haslem added 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Heat avoided their first three-game losing skid of the season.
In Minneapolis, Hedo Turkoglu hit for 26 points and Grant Hill collected 20 as the Orlando Magic beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 87-80 to snap a seven-game losing skid on the road.
In Auburn Hills, Chauncey Billups grabbed 25 points and Richard Hamilton posted 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Detroit Pistons flattened the New Orleans Hornets 90-76 to give the NBA champions their eighth win in 10 games.
In Washington, Larry Hughes and Gilbert Arenas claimed 26 points apiece to guide the Wizards past the Portland Trail Blazers 104-100, the first time in two years they have strung together five straight victories.
In Los Angeles, Corey Maggette amassed 31 points and 10 rebounds as the Clippers beat the Seattle SuperSonics 103-92 to split a home-and-home series.
In Chicago, Ben Gordon collected 31 points and Eddy Curry 24 to help the Bulls trample the Philadelphia 76ers 110-78, their fifth successive win and 11th in 14 games. Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson, the NBA’s leading scorer, had an off-night, hitting for 21 points.
In San Antonio, Tim Duncan poured in 21 points and Tony Parker 20 as the Spurs cruised past the Milwaukee Bucks 94-79 to take their home record to an NBA-best 18-1.
In Toronto, Morris Peterson had a career-high 37 points to lead the Raptors to a 104-93 victory over the Boston Celtics, their seventh win in eight home games.
