Jazz beat Suns to snap skid

Rockets win; McGrady hurt

Carlos Boozer had 21 points and 15 rebounds, Andrei Kirilenko added 19 points and two big blocks in the fourth quarter, and the Utah Jazz snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Phoenix Suns, 109-97, last night in Salt Lake City.

C.J. Miles scored a season-high 21 points and Brevin Knight had 6 assists and 12 points, going 6 for 7 from the floor as the Jazz got the Suns in foul trouble and pulled away in the second half.

Steve Nash and Shaquille O'Neal both drew their fourth fouls early in the third quarter, then the Suns couldn't shoot early in the fourth as Utah scored 13 straight during one stretch.

Amare Stoudemire led Phoenix with 30 points and 8 rebounds. Nash had 14 points and eight assists, but O'Neal finished with just 9 points and 1 rebound. O'Neal had back-to-back shots blocked by Kirilenko during Phoenix's slump in the fourth quarter.

Kirilenko had missed the last two games with a dislocated finger, but returned to his new role as Utah's sixth man and flourished again. He went 5 for 10 from the floor and made all eight of his foul shots, then topped off Utah's homecoming by swatting away two shots by O'Neal in the lane with about 5 minutes left.

The Jazz were playing without starters Deron Williams and Mehmet Okur, but stayed unbeaten at home after going 1-4 on a five-game road trip.

Rockets 100, Thunder 89 - Luis Scola scored 23 points, Yao Ming added 19 points and 12 rebounds, and visiting Houston made a second-half surge without injured seven-time All-Star Tracy McGrady to beat Oklahoma City.

McGrady left the game in the opening minute of the second half after aggravating his surgically repaired left knee, but the Rockets were still able to mount a 14-3 run powered by Scola and Yao.

Ron Artest added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Rockets, but was left clutching his right ankle after driving the lane in the final minute. He limped off the floor with help from team trainers to join McGrady on the bench.

Spurs 86, Clippers 83 - Roger Mason's 3-pointer with 8.4 seconds remaining lifted visiting San Antonio past Los Angeles for the Spurs' third straight victory.

Mason, who led the Spurs with 21 points, got away from Ricky Davis near the top of the key and had no trouble nailing his third 3-pointer of the game after the Clippers had rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final 6 1/2 minutes.

Baron Davis's 3-pointer as time expired didn't come close. Tim Duncan added 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 blocks.