Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose, looses control of the ball as the Utah Jazz’s Derron Williams, left, and C.J. Milles defend during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Salt Lake City, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011. The Bulls beat the Jazz 91-86. (AP Photo/George Frey)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Derrick Rose scored 29 points and former Jazz players Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer made key plays late Wednesday night to lift the Chicago Bulls to a 91-86 victory over Utah in a game that marked the return of Carlos Boozer to Salt Lake City.
Boozer, who played five seasons for the Jazz but signed as a free agent with Chicago after last season, finished with 14 points and six rebounds for Chicago.
Korver sank a 3-pointer with 2:17 remaining to give the Bulls an 87-83 lead. The Jazz cut it to 87-86 on free throws by Al Jefferson and Andrei Kirilenko, but Rose sank two more free throws to put Chicago ahead by three again with 13 seconds left.
Brewer, drafted by the Jazz in 2006, then stole the ball from Deron Williams and sank two free throws for the final margin.
Jefferson led the Jazz with 28 points, while Paul Millsap added 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Boozer was a two-time Western Conference All-Star in Utah, but there were always questions about team chemistry with him in Salt Lake. He made it be known he wanted out, and eventually signed as a free agent with Chicago after last season.
His first game back in Utah elicited the most media attention surrounding the Jazz since the NBA playoffs.
There were signs every, with one proclaiming “Carlos Whozer?” and he was booed during introductions every time he touched the ball.
He also got a rude welcome from Millsap, who blocked his first shot, knocked the ball out of his hands twice in the first four minutes and got Boozer to dribble it off his own foot.
Boozer had just six points at halftime on 3-of-9 shooting. Millsap, meanwhile, was within one rebound of a double-double by halftime with a team-high 13 points.
The Jazz won the rebounding battle 48-41 and outshot the Bulls, but Utah also was only 8 of 11 from the free throw line while the Bulls made 20 of 26.
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