Utah Jazz vs Phoenix Suns Match Player Stats On Oct 25, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 26, 2017

PHOENIX -- TJ Warren scored 20 of his 27 points in the second half, and the Phoenix Suns recorded their second win in as many tries under interim coach Jay Triano, a 97-88 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

Alex Len (13 points, 13 rebounds) and Tyler Ulis (13 points, five assists) led a strong bench effort for the Suns (2-3).

Devin Booker added 17 points for Phoenix, which was blown out twice while losing its first three games. The Suns are 2-0 since coach Earl Watson was fired on Sunday and point guard Eric Bledsoe was sent home after saying he didn't want to be in Phoenix anymore.

The Phoenix bench outscored Utah's reserves 38-9, including 26-1 in the first half.

The Suns lost forward Marquese Chriss to a sprained left ankle in the fourth quarter.

Guard Rodney Hood returned from injury to score 22 points for Utah, which had beaten the Suns seven straight times but never led Wednesday. Rudy Gobert added 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Jazz (2-3). Derrick Favors and Ricky Rubio scored 15 points apiece, with Rubio contributing 11 assists.

As in their Monday win over the Sacramento Kings, the Suns came out strong. The defense forced seven early turnovers, and an early 10-2 Phoenix lead grew to 23-13 at the end of one quarter.

The Phoenix bench pushed the lead to 17 with an 11-2 run early in the second when a Ulis layup made it 34-17 Phoenix.

Utah's starters returned and answered with a 14-3 run. Hood followed a 3-pointer -- the only one Utah made in 12 first-half tires -- with three free throws to pull the Jazz to within 43-40 with 2:32 to go. The Suns led 48-41 at the break.

The Suns used an 18-5 run to take control in the third quarter, forcing seven more Jazz turnovers. A Josh Jackson slam with 3:04 left stretched the lead to 71-51 with 3:04 left.

Utah crawled back with 89-81 with three minutes left, but a Booker 3-pointer with 1:29 to go ended the late threat.

NOTES: Jazz G Rodney Hood (left leg strain) returned to action and started, with G Donovan Mitchell moving back to the bench. ... At his first full practice Tuesday, Suns interim coach Jay Triano installed some new offensive plays and made some defensive tweaks, stressing the team continue to push the tempo but play more under control to cut down on turnovers. "We added some plays that I've kind of been sitting on and saved for a year," he said. "(The turnovers) were more fatigue and laziness than anything."... Triano became the 11th of 18 Suns coaches in franchise history to start his tenure with a win when Phoenix beat the Sacramento Kings 117-115 on Monday. ... Utah had won seven straight games over the Suns, its longest-ever streak in the series.