Williams, Millsap lead short-handed Jazz past Hornets, 106-86

Williams, Millsap lead Jazz past Hornets

SALT LAKE CITY — Paul Millsap had 22 points and 15 rebounds, and Deron Williams added 17 points and 11 assists to help the short-handed Utah Jazz beat the even-more- depleted New Orleans Hornets 106-86 on Saturday night.

C.J. Miles scored 19 points for the Jazz, who were without two injured starters and missed Carlos Boozer for much of the game because of foul trouble.

Utah was still better off than New Orleans, which hasn’t had point guard Chris Paul since he had knee surgery in February. The Hornets also lost forward David West when he was called for a flagrant foul late in the first quarter.

The Jazz pulled away with a 17-1 run at the end of the second quarter and led by 35 in the second half.

Marcus Thornton led New Orleans with 19 points. Emeka Okafor added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Aaron Gray had 11 rebounds for the Hornets, who outscored Utah 29-15 in the fourth quarter and still lost by 20.

It was the Hornets’ 10th loss in 12 games.

The Jazz, blown out the night before at Phoenix, got some much-needed rest in this one. Boozer only played 15:44, scoring 10 points, and Williams played only 30:37 before sitting out the entire fourth quarter.

Every starter for Utah scored in double figures and every reserve who got in the game had at least one field goal. Center Kyrylo Fesenko tying his season high with 11 points and adding eight rebounds.

The Jazz were without forward Andrei Kirilenko (strained left calf) and Mehmet Okur, who was home with a stomach illness.

The Hornets were without Paul for the 25th straight game as he recovers from knee surgery and also didn’t have Peja Stojakovic, abdominal strain. New Orleans lost West when he was called for a flagrant foul as Utah’s Kyle Korver drove for an open layup and took a forearm from West across his head with 1:50 left in the first quarter.

The Jazz capitalized on the Horents’ woes by outscoring them 33-16 in the second quarter. The Jazz closed out the second period on a 17-1 run, scoring the final 12 points while building a 63-38 halftime lead. Fesenko started the final run with a hook shot and rookie Othyus Jeffers made a steal and took it in for a dunk that put the Jazz up 61-38.

Williams added a little entertainment in the third quarter when he took a steal in for a layup while drawing a foul with 2:19 left in the third. Williams stumbled in to the front row of seats and put his arms around two fans while catching his breath in the front row.

NOTES: Utah was still waiting word from the NBA on whether coach Jerry Sloan would be punished for making contact with an official late in Friday night’s game at Phoenix. … The Jazz outscored the Hornets 60-46 in the paint. … Millsap’s 15 rebounds were a season high.