BOSTON (AP) – Deron Williams had 26 points and 14 assists, Carlos Boozer added 24 points and 14 rebounds, and the Utah Jazz beat the Boston Celtics for the first time in nearly three years with a 107-100 victory Friday.

Mehmet Okur added 23 points for the Jazz, who snapped a four-game losing streak to the Celtics. Utah was swept by Boston the past two seasons by an average of 11.8 points and last beat the Celtics on Dec. 19, 2003.

The Jazz won their first four games before a 98-89 loss at New Jersey on Wednesday. Utah (5-1) started 6-1 in 2004-05, but ended up 26-56.

The Jazz, who averaged 92.4 points last season, shot 53 percent from the field to score at least 100 points for the fifth time in six games. Utah didn’t score 100 until the 12th game last year.

Paul Pierce scored 30 points and reserve Rajon Rondo had 13 points for the Celtics, who are 1-4 for the first time since 1997-98. Point guard Sebastian Telfair left in the first quarter with shortness of the breath and was taken to the hospital for further evaluation.

After Pierce’s 3-pointer tied it at 56 early in the third quarter, Okur and Andrei Kirilenko combined for 11 points to spark a 15-0 Utah spurt that gave the Jazz the lead for good.

Following Williams’ jumper, Okur hit back-to-back 3-pointers. Kirilenko then closed out the run by blocking Ryan Gomes’ layup, hitting a 3-pointer on the other end and making a layup to make it 71-56 with 6:48 remaining in the quarter.

Kirilenko scored nine points and blocked five shots.

Boston led by as much as seven late in the first quarter, but Utah went on a 10-0 spurt spanning the first and second quarters. Williams made all four of his shot attempts in the second period to help Utah outscore Boston 25-17 and take a 52-48 lead.

Notes: Utah guard Gordan Giricek missed the game after returning to Utah on Thursday to get an MRI on his right leg. Doctors found a spot on his Achilles’ tendon, and Giricek is expected to at least miss Saturday’s game in Milwaukee. … For the first time this season, the Celtics used the same starting lineup in consecutive games. … After failing to score in consecutive games, Jazz guard C.J. Miles had just two points in 18 minutes.

AP-ES-11-10-06 2213EST


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