Carlos Boozer celebrates a big play in the third quarter as the Jazz lead the Spurs, in NBA action, Utah Jazz vs. The San Antonio Spurs, in Salt Lake City, Wednesday, November, 5, 2009 (Rick Egan / The Salt Lake Tribune)

Just when the Utah Jazz needed it, Carlos Boozer put together his best performance of the season.

During the Jazz's 113-99 win over San Antonio on Thursday night, Boozer finished with 27 points, 14 rebounds and three assists.

He was also active defensively, helping Utah hold the Spurs to 41 percent shooting.

Boozer started quickly.

He played the first 7:21 of the opening quarter and scored four points while assisting on another field goal.

Defensively, Boozer opened on three-point specialist Matt Bonner but quickly switched onto Tim Duncan.

Almost immediately, he tied up Duncan on a move across the lane.

Less than two minutes later, Boozer blocked one of Duncan's shots.

By the end of the half, Boozer had a team-high 13 points in 19 minutes. He also grabbed eight rebounds -- one shy of his season average.

It was a far cry from Tuesday's 96-85 loss at Dallas, where Boozer finished a 24-minute performance with 12 points and two rebounds.

Meanwhile, Duncan wasn't a huge factor.

The Spurs' perennial All-Star managed six points, eight rebounds and three blocks. But the Jazz were able to inside and score 38 of their 60 points in the paint.

Boozer didn't slow down in the third quarter, when he scored 10 points, grabbed five rebounds and handed out two assists.

Boozer's first two field goals were tough baseline jumpers. The second gave Utah a 72-57 lead.


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With 41/2 minutes left in the period, Boozer rebounded a miss by Deron Williams and scored a put-back that stopped a 5-2 mini-run by San Antonio and bumped Utah's lead to 78-64.

Another Boozer jumper made it 86-72 with 2:42 left before the Jazz power forward made one of his best plays of the game.

On a pick-and-roll with Williams, he took a pass in the lane. As the Spurs collapsed, Boozer kicked the ball to Wesley Mathews in the corner

The Jazz rookie buried the three-pointer, which assured Utah of a cozy 13-point lead heading into the final 12 minutes. Boozer didn't start the fourth quarter, but he capped his night with a 10-footer from the lane that made it 103-88 with 5:38 left.

Moments later, he jumped in front of Tony Parker and helped force a turnover that resulted a clinching breakaway layup by Mathews.

luhm@sltrib.com