Okur, a soccer fan proud of RSL's title

SALT LAKE CITY -- Above everything else, Mehmet Okur is a basketball player. A 6-foot-11, 273-pound basketball player.

But the native of Turkey is also a soccer fan.

He grew up playing the game and he admits he's still a "big fan" today, even though he makes his living on the court.

Earlier in the week, after Real Salt Lake won the Major League Soccer championship by beating the Los Angeles Galaxy on penalty kicks, Okur said he was proud of his local soccer club.

Well, sort of.

"I heard, I didn't follow it," he said. "But I saw highlights. That's good, man. I'm a big soccer fan, so I'm glad they won."

When asked, tongue-in-cheek, if he considered RSL to be the world champions, Okur smiled and said, "Not really, it doesn't work like that."

Okur also was asked to compare soccer and basketball, specifically what it might be like if the NBA championship was decided on free throws, after an overtime period, much like the way last Sunday's MLS Cup was decided.

"I don't know, it would be tough," he said. "Imagine yourself on the free throw line shooting two free throws. Everything would be on you. It would be tough."

Okur might not have too much trouble. He went into Thursday's game with the Chicago Bulls as a career 80-percent free throw shooter.

GAME 15 JAZZ 105, BULLS 86

* BEST PLAY: With 7:14 left in the second quarter, Andrei Kirilenko zips a pass from the wing inside to Ronnie Brewer, who rises up and slams a no-look, reverse dunk to put the Jazz ahead 45-28.

* BEST LINE: Boozer finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots for the Jazz.

* KEY STAT: The Jazz sizzle the nets for 65 percent shooting in the first quarter, then pull ahead for good.

* MILESTONE: When Andrei Kirilenko blocked Joakim Noah's layup with 5:41 left in the second quarter he tied Greg Ostertag for second on the Jazz's all-time shot-blocking list (1,253).

* HISTORY LESSON: Thursday marked the ninth anniversary of the night Jazz great John Stockton appeared in is 1,271st NBA game, all in a Utah uniform. Stockton surpassed Celtic great John Havlick for the most career games played for one team.

Later, Stockton said of Havlicek: "I have such great respect for John Havlicek, I can't even express it."

* INJURY REPORT: No Kyrylo Fesenko (stomach virus), Ronnie Price (left big toe, stomach virus), C.J. Miles (left thumb) or Kyle Korver (left knee) for the Jazz. ... No Kirk Hinrich (left thumb) for the Bulls.

* ETC.: Marv Albert, Reggie Miller and Cheryl Miller comprised TNT's broadcast crew for Thursday's game. ... At halftime, Boozer was 7-for-7 from the field, 2-for-3 form the line and he had 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and a blocked shot. ... The Jazz got the lead up to 17 points in the first half. ... Boozer had hit 20 consecutive free throws before missing an attempt in the second quarter.

* UP NEXT: The Jazz will play host to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.