Carlos Boozer

Trusting the age-old advice of getting a few “easy,” at-the-rim shots in order to shake free of an early-game shooting slump, Carlos Boozer rapidly found himself settling into a third quarter offensive rhythm that wouldn’t be easily slowed. For the Washington Wizards’ All-Star guard — a man known in NBA circles by the nickname “Agent Zero” — such developments led to a scenario of the worst possible case. Sprinting the floor in transition as the final boulder rolling downhill during the Utah Jazz’s four-on-one fastbreak edge, the two-time All-Star rewards his teammates’ stampede by elevating into an authoritative facial over Gilbert Arenas, alongside a foul. Boozer’s ferocious jam served as arguably the most memorable sequence of his 20-point, one-miss quarter out of halftime, prompting celebratory “BOO” chants from the Salt Lake City crowd. Boozer’s career-best scoring output helped Utah inch closer to securing a spot in the 2007 NBA Playoffs, an environment that would eventually encourage a Western Conference Finals appearance. Through his smooth, trademark over-the-head release and physicality when needed, Boozer erupted for 41 points (on 15-of-21 shooting), alongside 16 rebounds, two assists, and the franchise’s first 40-point game since 2000.

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