Utah Jazz Team Report - March 6

(Basketball News) - The Utah Jazz were defeated by the Indiana Pacers, 96-88, on Friday at the Delta Center.

Andrei Kirilenko had 19 points, nine rebounds and five blocks for the Jazz, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Raja Bell scored 17 points and Carlos Arroyo chipped in 13 points in the setback.

Utah made only 39 percent of its shots (32-of-82) and 22-of-30 from the charity stripe (73 percent).

The Pacers led by six after three quarters, but Utah fought back and eventually tied the score at 86-86 on two free throws by Maurice Williams with 3:41 left in the game.

Indiana gathered itself, though, and reeled off nine straight points over the next three-plus minutes en route to the victory.

Ron Artest scored four straight points to put Indiana ahead 90-86 with 2 1/2 minutes left. After a series of misses and turnovers by both teams, the Pacers distanced themselves even more as Reggie Miller’s three-pointer with 24.9 seconds remaining gave Indiana a 93-86 edge.

Jermaine O’Neal then capped the 9-0 run with two free throws with 17.6 seconds left to seal the win. Tom Gugliotta did get a putback for the Jazz in the closing seconds, but Utah quickly fouled and Fred Jones hit one foul shot for the final margin.

Indiana swept the season series and has claimed seven of the last 11 meetings with the Jazz.

The Jazz visit the Portland Trail Blazers tonight. It will be the fourth and final meeting of the season between the two teams. The clubs split a pair of contests at the Delta Center, while Utah defeated the Blazers, 86-81, on February 10th at the Rose Garden.

Kirilenko has scored in double digits in nine straight contests. He has averaged 21.4 points in that span.