Field Level Media
Feb 6, 2019
Donovan Mitchell scored 21 points, and Rudy Gobert added 16 points and 12 rebounds as the Utah Jazz had more than enough Wednesday to beat Phoenix 116-88 in Salt Lake City and hand the short-handed Suns their 12th consecutive defeat.
Royce O'Neale and Joe Ingles added 15 points each for the Jazz, who have just two victories in their past four games but are 11-3 over their past 14 contests dating to Jan. 9. Ingles had 11 assists.
Josh Jackson scored 27 points for the Suns, picking up the slack in the backcourt in the absence of Devin Booker, who did not play because of a tight right hamstring.
Jackson has scored at least 25 points in three consecutive games and four times in his past eight games after not reaching that number in any of his first 48 contests.
After a tight first quarter, the Jazz went on an 11-0 run to open the second quarter to take a 41-24 lead.
Phoenix did not score its first field goal in the second quarter until Jackson delivered a reverse layup 4:34 into the period, and Utah went on to grab a 56-46 halftime lead. Without Booker, the Suns went 0-for-9 from 3-point range in the first half, and were 3-for-17 from long distance for the game.
The Jazz carried an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter before going on 13-5 run early in the final period to open a 97-78 edge. Utah outscored the Suns 37-17 in the fourth quarter.
Derrick Favors scored 14 points and Ricky Rubio added 13 with nine rebounds for the Jazz.
Deandre Ayton scored 20 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 16 for the Suns, who have not won a game since defeating the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 12. It won't get any easier for the Suns, who return home Friday to face the Golden State Warriors.
It was the 12th consecutive game the Suns' defense has allowed at least 110 points.
Booker, who has missed time this season with a left hamstring injury as well as back spasms, tweaked his right hamstring late in the Suns' loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday.
--Field Level Media