Fri Dec 28 12:45:13 2007

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Jazz are struggling

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(Sports Network) - After starting the season by winning 12 of their first 17 contests, the Utah Jazz have gone 4-9 and sit in third place in the Northwest Division.

Utah (16-14) trails the first place Denver Nuggets by two games and is one behind the second place Portland Trail Blazers.

All-Star forward Carlos Boozer leads the Jazz in scoring (24.6 ppg) and rebounds (11.6 rpg), while star point guard Deron Williams, who is second on the team in scoring (19.8 ppg), has handed out a club-high 8.8 assists per game.

Boozer is averaging 23.5 points and 11.4 rebounds in his last 10 outings and has registered seven double-doubles during that span. He is shooting an impressive 55.9 percent from the floor and 73.5 percent from the charity stripe. The Duke product has collected 22 double-doubles this season.

The Jazz are 12-6 when they score more than 100 points this season, and are 4-10 when their opponents reaches the century mark. They have score over 100 points in just two of their last nine contests.

The streaking Los Angeles Lakers play the second of a five-game homestand, as they host the Jazz Friday at the Staples Center. It is the third of four meetings between the clubs this season. Utah is scheduled to host the Lakers on March 20, 2008 at EnergySolutions Arena.

The teams split the first two contests, as both clubs picked up a win on its homecourt. Utah has lost three straight and four of its last five at the Lakers.

Utah tries to win back-to-back contests for the first time since winning three in a row from November 28 to December 3. Boozer scored 21 points and pulled down nine rebounds in Utah's 99-90 victory over the Mavericks on Wednesday at EnergySolutions Arena.

Williams contributed 17 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists for the Jazz, who beat Dallas for just the fourth time in the last 13 meetings. Andrei Kirilenko also had 17 points and came up with some key defensive plays, including three steals for Utah, which moved to 10-2 at home this season.

The Jazz are 6-12 on the road this season. After Friday's game, they return home for a three-game stand versus the Boston Celtics, Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers.