Williams leads Jazz over 76ers 97-76

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - December 26, 2009

The Jazz held the Sixers scoreless for nearly nine minutes late in the second half and used an 11-0 run during Philadelphia's drought to pull away and end a two-game losing streak.

Mehmet Okur scored 16 and pulled down eight rebounds, while Williams had eight assists in Utah's first home game since Dec. 14.

Thaddeus Young scored 20 for the Sixers, who played much of the game without starting center Samuel Dalembert. Dalembert had three fouls midway through the first quarter and played just 16:24, but still managed to pull down nine rebounds.

The Sixers had just three field goals in the fourth quarter.

Wesley Matthews added 16 points and seven rebounds for the Jazz, who had lost three of four.

The Sixers, who lost their third straight and were without Allen Iverson for the fourth consecutive game, hung with Utah through the first three quarters, then fell apart in the fourth.

Philadelphia went scoreless from Royal Ivey's shot with 50 seconds left in the third until Young made a layup with 4:05 remaining in the game.

Ivey had pulled the Sixers within 72-64 entering the fourth, but the Jazz were able to slowly build up the lead as Philadelphia missed shot after shot. The Sixers were just 3 for 23 in the period and were outscored 25-12.

Philadelphia had another drought in the first half as the Jazz rallied from a brief deficit.

Young hit a 3-pointer to put Philadelphia up 19-15, then the Jazz scored the last 10 points of the first quarter and the first seven of the second period. Williams started the 17-0 run with a 3-pointer, followed by a no-look pass from Andrei Kirilenko to Boozer for a three-point play.

Williams also hooked up in the first half on a long-distance alley-oop to Ronnie Brewer, who finished it off with a reverse dunk.

NOTES: Utah beat Philadelphia for the sixth straight time. ... Philadelphia's Elton Brand went tumbling over the scorers' table late in the third quarter but was OK. ... Dalembert had three fouls within the first 6:41 of the first quarter, picked up another in the second and had five within the first minute of the third quarter.

Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.