Jazz defeat Heat, run winning streak to four
SALT LAKE CITY — Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 26 points, and Bojan Bogdanovic added 22 points, leading the Utah Jazz to a 116-101 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.
Jordan Clarkson had 21 points off the bench for the Jazz, who have won four straight games. The Jazz improved to 20-5 at home, including 9-0 against Eastern Conference teams.
Jazz center Rudy Gobert, a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, added 16 points, two blocks and a game-high 20 rebounds. Gobert and Mitchell, both first-time All-Stars this year, were honored before the game by the Jazz.
Miami, which finished a 1-4 road trip, was led by Jimmy Butler’s 25 points.
Duncan Robinson scored all 18 of his points by making six 3-pointers in 13 attempts. He became the first player in Heat history to make at least five three-pointers in four consecutive games.
Miami’s Jae Crowder, who played 107 games for the Jazz from 2017 to 2019, got a big ovation from Utah’s fans when he entered the game in the third quarter. Crowder finished with 15 points.
Miami was without two members of its rotation due to ankle injuries: starter Meyers Leonard and rookie reserve Tyler Herro. Together, they average 19.2 points, including 13.1 by Herro.
Utah was without starting point guard Mike Conley, who missed his second straight game due to an illness. He is averaging 13.5 points.
However, the Jazz improved to 17-5 without Conley, a testament to their depth.
Miami led 28-25 after the first quarter, closing the period on a 10-2 run. The Heat stretched their advantage to 52-47 at halftime.
Utah, thanks to eight points from Mitchell and seven from Bogdanovic, surged on top in the third, taking a 79-74 lead by the end of the quarter.
The Jazz took their largest lead of the game up to that point on a Clarkson 3-pointer that put them up 96-85 with 8:10 left in the fourth. Utah cruised from there.
The Jazz shot 48.2 percent from the floor, including 14-of-36 on three-pointers (38.9%).
Miami shot 43.2 percent from the floor, including 13-of-39 on 3-pointers (33.3%).
JAMES’ TRIPLE-DOUBLE HELPS LAKERS EDGE NUGGETS IN OT
LeBron James had 32 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds, Anthony Davis finished with 33 points and 10 rebounds, and the visiting Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 120-116 in overtime on Wednesday night.
It was the 12th triple-double of the season for James, tying him with the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic for the NBA lead.
Dwight Howard had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Alex Caruso and Avery Bradley scored 10 points each for the Lakers, who have won 17 straight road games against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles is 5-1 in its past six games overall.
Jamal Murray had 32 points and 10 assists, Nikola Jokic scored 22 and added 11 rebounds, and Jerami Grant had 15 points for Denver. The Nuggets had their four-game win streak snapped.
Gary Harris scored 13 points and Monte Morris added 12 for Denver, which lost both home games to Los Angeles this season.
Davis scored seven points in overtime, including a 3-pointer to put the Lakers ahead 119-116 with 2:41 left. The Nuggets missed their last five shots and had a turnover in the final three minutes of the extra period.
Los Angeles led 97-94 after a James dunk, but Grant hit a short jumper, Harris had a pair of free throws and Murray drained a 3-pointer and Harris sank a shot during a 9-0 run put the Nuggets up 103-97 with 4:16 left in regulation.
The Lakers scored six straight to tie it and took a 109-105 lead when James fed Caruso for a layup with 1:43 left.
Jokic hit two free throws and passed to Grant for a layup to get Denver within 111-109, and Harris hit a layup with 23.9 seconds left to tie it again. James missed a jumper in the final seconds to send the game to overtime.
The Lakers ended the first half on a 25-6 run to take a 61-55 lead at the intermission. Los Angeles then scored the first five points of the second half for its biggest lead of the night.
Denver came right back with 11 straight points, tying it on a 3-pointer by Jokic. Later in the period, the Nuggets scored seven straight to go up 85-80, and the hosts took an 87-84 lead into the fourth.
GORDON HELPS MAGIC GET PAST PISTONS IN OT
Aaron Gordon had 25 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, and Nikola Vucevic hit the go-ahead shot in overtime as the Orlando Magic held off the visiting Detroit Pistons 116-112 on Wednesday.
Markelle Fultz supplied 22 points and 10 assists, while Vucevic contributed 19 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Evan Fournier added 19 points for the Magic.
Christian Wood led the Pistons with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Thon Maker had 18 points, Markieff Morris scored 14, Reggie Jackson added 12 and Langston Galloway chipped in 11 for the Pistons, who have lost four straight. — Reuters
