Field Level Media
Mar 16, 2019
Rudy Gobert totaled 23 points, 17 rebounds and three blocked shots, and the Utah Jazz took control late in the first quarter and early in the second en route to a 114-98 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night in Salt Lake City.
Gobert recorded his 55th double-double. He shot 9 of 12 from the floor and had six more dunks, increasing his league-leading total to 249.
Gobert recorded his sixth double-double in the past seven games, and his latest dominant showing helped the Jazz to a 65-44 rebounding edge and a 48-38 margin in the paint.
Donovan Mitchell led Utah with 24 points and added six rebounds and four assists. The Jazz shot 42.9 percent from the floor and led by double digits for the final 34:57.
Derrick Favors collected 13 points and 12 rebounds as the Jazz also won for the 20th time in 28 games and moved a season-high 11 games over .500.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 22 points off the bench, but the Nets dropped to 0-2 to start a season-High, seven-game road trip that continues Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
D'Angelo Russell added 20 points but shot 8 of 25 for Brooklyn. The Nets shot 34.7 percent from the floor on a night when Allen Crabbe (sore right knee) sat out.
Brooklyn shot under 35 percent for the third time this season and second time against the Jazz. The Nets also shot 34.9 percent against Utah in a 101-91 home loss on Nov. 28.
The Nets took a 19-11 lead on a 3-pointer by rookie Rodions Kurucs with about five minutes left in the first quarter but went ice cold, and Utah capitalized. While the Nets missed eight straight shots, Utah exploded for a 17-2 run and built a 28-21 lead to end the first quarter.
The Nets' drought extended to 12 straight missed shots before Kurucs hit a reverse layup with 9:52 left in the half, but Utah's lead was up to 33-23. The Jazz took their first 20-point lead at 55-35 on a layup by Mitchell with three minutes left, and they led 59-42 at halftime.
The Jazz expanded the lead to 75-49 on a jumper by Mitchell that capped a 14-2 run about midway through the third quarter.
Brooklyn made a slight dent, getting within 79-64 on Dinwiddie's 3-pointer with 97 seconds left, and Utah took an 83-64 edge into the fourth.
--Field Level Media