Field Level Media
Feb 14, 2018
Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points and Royce O'Neale added a career-high 19 points to lift the Utah Jazz to their NBA-leading 11th straight win, a 107-97 decision over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday in Salt Lake City.
Derrick Favors had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Rudy Gobert added 14 points and 17 rebounds for Utah. Mitchell and Joe Ingles (13 points) each dished out six assists as the Jazz won their second straight against Phoenix.
Gobert earned his 16th double-double of the season, while Favors notched his 14th double-double.
Devin Booker had 28 points and Josh Jackson added 22 points for the Suns. Phoenix's Elfrid Payton chipped in his ninth career triple-double, finishing with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. The Suns lost their seventh consecutive game.
The Jazz started strong on offense in the first quarter, carving out a 16-6 lead behind a trio of 3-pointers from Ingles and Mitchell. Phoenix soon rallied and cut the deficit to 18-17 on a 3-pointer from Booker.
Jackson took over early in the second quarter, scoring four baskets. The rookie guard cut to the basket for a layup and then a dunk on back-to-back possessions to tie it at 36-36. Then O'Neale took his turn being dominant in the final minutes of the half. O'Neale scored four baskets over the final 3:44 -- capped by a step-back jumper to beat the buzzer -- that gave Utah a 50-41 halftime lead.
Phoenix rallied again in the third quarter and twice took a one-point lead on baskets from Alex Len, the second time going up 60-59. Mitchell answered with a go-ahead 3-pointer on the other end, and Utah eventually reclaimed a 70-62 lead on a step-back jumper from the rookie.
Phoenix pulled ahead one more time early in the fourth quarter, taking a 75-74 lead on back-to-back baskets from Marquese Chriss and Jackson. Jae Crowder got to the line on two straight possessions to fuel an 8-0 run that put Utah back in front 85-77.
The Suns cut it to 98-95 on a 3-pointer from Payton, but Crowder answered with back-to-back layups to give the Jazz a 102-95 lead with 1:58 left.
--Field Level Media