Anthony Edwards scored 36 points and had 11 assists as the Minnesota Timberwolves stretched their winning streak to five games with a 138-113 win over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Thursday.
Edwards shot 12 of 18 from the field, including 6 of 9 from 3-point range, and blocked three shots.
The Timberwolves shot a remarkable 61.3 percent from the field and hit 21 of 38 (55.3 percent) from 3-point range.
Despite shooting 50.6 percent, Utah couldn’t keep pace with Minnesota in the second half and lost its eighth straight game.
Keyonte George led six Jazz players in double figures with 23 points, making all seven of his shots from the floor and 7 of 8 free throws. Collin Sexton added 19 points, and John Collins and Jordan Clarkson each scored 16.
Minnesota rookie Rob Dillingham, the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft, contributed a career-high 19 points and eight assists in a reserve role. Luka Garza also had a season-high 16 points, shooting 6-of-7 from the field.
Former Jazz players Rudy Gobert and Nickeil Alexander-Walker both had strong performances in their return to Utah. Gobert finished with 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and four blocks, while Alexander-Walker had 15 points and five assists.
Minnesota’s Julius Randle left the game with right groin soreness after playing 10 minutes and scoring six points. He did not return.
Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves overcame an early 15-point deficit to take a 57-53 lead at halftime. Edwards led the way in the third quarter with 16 points as Minnesota outscored Utah 44-22 in the period to take control of the game.
Utah came out strong, with Lauri Markkanen, who finished with 15 points, hitting a 3-pointer to start the game. He helped the Jazz open with a 25-10 run, including another 3-pointer, while Minnesota looked tired after playing the night before in Phoenix.
However, the Timberwolves finished the first quarter on a 12-4 run to cut the deficit to 31-27.
In the second quarter, Minnesota took the lead after an 18-2 run, led by Naz Reid, who hit three 3-pointers.
Utah closed the half strong, with Sexton hitting a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to trim the Timberwolves’ lead to four points at halftime.
After the Phoenix Suns’ win over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, where they showed consistency, Saturday’s game presented another opportunity for a dominant victory. However, this time, they didn’t succeed in delivering a convincing blowout.
Against the 9-27 Utah Jazz, who were missing several key players, the Suns had the chance to secure their second win of the season by more than 12 points. Though Phoenix won 114-106 and never trailed, the game didn’t feel as secure as it should have been.
Head coach Mike Budenholzer described it as a “good win” but also mentioned the Suns had chances to take control of the game, a point Devin Booker agreed with, knowing another game was coming the next day.
Phoenix led by as much as 16 points in the first half, but Utah managed to cut the lead to just one midway through the third quarter. The Suns pulled the lead back to double digits and were up by eight heading into the final quarter.
However, after missing back-to-back corner 3-pointers, Phoenix started the final period with a turnover that led to a transition layup. Kevin Durant then missed a relatively easy shot, and a Jazz offensive rebound allowed them to score a free throw, reducing the Suns’ lead to five points with 10:49 remaining.
The Suns were able to extend their lead, but Utah cut it to three points two minutes later. Back-to-back turnovers by Utah guard Svi Mykhailiuk allowed Phoenix to stretch the lead back to nine before Utah’s starters re-entered the game after a long rest.
Grayson Allen hit two consecutive 3-pointers, and a dunk from Booker pushed the lead back to 14 with just under five minutes left. Utah never made a serious push, unlike the Hawks’ desperate attempt the previous game, but they did reduce the lead to nine points with 1:59 left, keeping Phoenix’s main players on the court.
The Suns’ inability to pull off a blowout wasn’t due to lack of effort. Booker and Durant were moving with purpose, but issues like turnovers, poor rebounding, and defensive breakdowns allowed Utah to get open shots. These issues will continue to haunt the Suns unless they string together a series of wins to find their rhythm and start addressing these weaknesses.
Whether the Suns will improve enough to become a strong team remains uncertain, but Saturday’s win marked their first winning streak in a month, a small step forward.
Utah has struggled all season. They started with a six-game losing streak and now have six streaks of at least three losses. The Jazz ranked 20th in offense and 27th in defense coming into the game, but their strong offensive rebounding and free-throw rate were concerns for Phoenix.
Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz
The Suns did well to avoid fouling (13-for-19 free throws for Utah), but they struggled with offensive rebounding, as the Jazz grabbed 21 offensive boards and scored 19 second-chance points.
Booker had an impressive start, making his first seven field goals and four 3-pointers for 22 of his 34 points. Durant finished with 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Together, they combined for 11 assists and eight turnovers.
While Bradley Beal and Allen didn’t have standout games like they did against the Hawks, they contributed solidly off the bench, which has been a strength for the Suns this season.
The Jazz, despite a strong effort in recent seasons, have clearly shifted toward rebuilding this year, especially with multiple key injuries. Taylor Hendricks, the 2023 No. 9 overall pick, is out for the season with a fractured fibula, while veteran Jordan Clarkson has been sidelined multiple times with plantar fasciitis.
John Collins has missed most of the last few games due to a hip issue, and young guard Keyonte George has also been out recently with heel inflammation.
Even someone like Brice Sensabaugh, a late first-round pick in 2023 who averages 17.5 minutes per game, was a big loss for the team. In his last two games, Sensabaugh scored a combined 61 points, showing just how important he had become.
Star player Lauri Markkanen has started to look more like himself after a slow start to the season when he appeared to be playing through an injury. In his first 20 games, he averaged 18.6 points per game on 12.8 shots. But as of Saturday, he was averaging 22.8 points per game on 18.5 field goal attempts, hitting 40% of them.
To show why the Suns should have won by a larger margin, at one point, Utah had a lineup of Elijah Harkless, Micah Potter, Patty Mills, Drew Eubanks, and Svi Mykhailiuk. Harkless was making his NBA debut, Potter had only 131 career points, and Mykhailiuk, Mills, and Eubanks are veterans trying to find roles at the end of the bench.
Utah’s best player, Colin Sexton, played only 29 minutes, while Markkanen played 31. It’s clear Utah had a tough time.
The Jazz struggled from three-point range, hitting only 9 of 42 attempts (21.4%). If a few of Mykhailiuk’s odd stretches were avoided and some of those 3-pointers off second chances had gone in, the game could have gotten interesting.
Jusuf Nurkic didn’t participate in warm-ups for the second straight game. This gave us a hint that the center rotation might change depending on the matchup, especially with Utah’s strong offensive rebounding numbers. Phoenix even played without a center for two minutes in the first half when Utah had a lineup of three players who could play the center position.
Suns Hand Lakers First Loss of Season with Stellar Performances from Durant and Booker
Royce O’Neale was still out for Phoenix, as he’s past the 10-day re-evaluation period for his left ankle sprain and was listed as doubtful for this game. This is concerning as the Suns head into Sunday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets, with O’Neale possibly returning on Tuesday in Atlanta.
The Suns’ performance in the 3-point battle against Utah was close. Phoenix made 13 of 37 three-pointers (35.1%). Allen and Booker accounted for 22 of those 37 attempts.
This marked the 13th straight game where the Suns didn’t take 40 or more three-point attempts, which is the longest active streak in the NBA. When asked about balancing the goal of getting more 3-point shots with maintaining good shot quality, Booker explained, “That’s a great question.
I still push for more 3s and I think just the overall tempo of the game, just playing faster. Obviously, that starts with getting a stop and securing the ball but I feel like we’re at our best when we get a rebound and we kick it ahead. And that’s how you find individual coverages.
You don’t let the defense set up and guard us. We say play random, play fast, but it’s a controlled random that at times we’re really good with and at times we slow down a bit.”
The Orlando Magic will be missing several key players when they face the Utah Jazz on Sunday, creating a big chance for rookie Tristan da Silva.
Da Silva, 23, impressed in Orlando’s 106-97 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday, scoring a career-high 25 points and going 5-for-7 from 3-point range. The Magic will be hoping for another strong performance from him against Utah, which recently ended a five-game losing streak with a 136-100 win over the Miami Heat.
Da Silva, who was picked 18th overall in the NBA draft last June, is averaging 9.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 32 games, with 25 starts.
Magic coach Jamahl Mosley praised Da Silva’s work ethic, saying, “He’s definitely not getting enough recognition as a rookie. But he’s doing it just because he’s playing the right way…He’s willing to take on all challenges and is going to continue to improve as this team goes.”
The Magic’s injury list grew longer when Jalen Suggs sustained a lower back strain during the game against the Raptors. Cole Anthony stepped up, starting the second half in place of Suggs and finishing with nine points and a career-high 11 assists.
Suggs will miss the game against Utah, and Gary Harris will sit out his second straight game with a left hamstring strain. Anthony Black, who has missed the last three games due to a low-back injury, is listed as questionable.
Utah Jazz (NBA)
Despite having the lowest 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA (31.0%), Orlando made a season-high 19 3-pointers in the victory and will look to keep that success going against Utah.
The Jazz are coming off their biggest win of the season, leading Miami by as many as 43 points. Brice Sensabaugh, in his second year, led the Jazz with a career-high 34 points, shooting 12-of-18 from the field and 7-of-11 from beyond the arc.
Jazz coach Will Hardy praised Sensabaugh’s work ethic: “He’s continued to work on his game…There are moments where his talent really shines through. Brice is a really, really good young player.”
Sensabaugh, a Florida native, will return home for the game. He attended Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando and was named Florida Mr. Basketball in 2021-22.
Utah also got a boost from John Collins, who returned after missing five games with a hip injury. He scored 24 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and added three blocks. Additionally, Walker Kessler had 14 points and 16 rebounds in the win over Miami.
The New York Knicks knew Jalen Brunson wouldn’t be able to play. Then they got another surprise when the player who was supposed to replace him couldn’t play either.
Without their top scorer and with their third-choice point guard starting, the Knicks beat the Utah Jazz 119-103 on Wednesday night, claiming their ninth consecutive win.
Brunson was ruled out about 40 minutes before the game due to right calf tightness. Deuce McBride was expected to start in his place. However, McBride developed left hamstring tightness and was removed from the game just before it began.
“Probably like right before they called the lineups,” said Cam Payne, who was then told he would start. “Halfway thought they weren’t going to call my name. I thought they were going to call Deuce and I was going to have to run out there, honestly. That’s how close it was to the lineups.”
Utah Jazz (NBA)
Payne finished with eight points and nine assists. The Knicks turned to rookie Tyler Kolek to back him up for 12 minutes off the bench.
Kolek had already played 40 minutes in a G League game earlier in the day, scoring 36 points and adding 11 assists in the Westchester Knicks’ overtime win against Indiana. He played just 12 minutes against Utah, finishing with two points and four assists.
Brunson scored a season-high 55 points in a win at Washington on Saturday, but then struggled in a 6-for-17 shooting performance two nights later in the rematch.
Brunson, who leads the Knicks with 25.2 points per game, was a key player for them last season, but they often struggled offensively when he had an off night. On Wednesday, without him, the team finished with 31 assists, including 12 from Josh Hart, who recorded his second straight triple-double. The Knicks shot 55% from the field.
“It just shows a difference between last year and this year,” Hart said. “Last year, him out, not sure how that would have went.”
Josh Hart recorded his second straight triple-double, and Karl-Anthony Towns had at least 30 points and 10 rebounds for the third game in a row on Wednesday night, as the shorthanded New York Knicks defeated the visiting Utah Jazz 119-103.
The Knicks stretched their winning streak to nine games, despite being without star point guard Jalen Brunson (calf), who missed his first game of the season, and backup guard Miles McBride, who was expected to start in place of Brunson but was ruled out due to a tight left hamstring.
Hart didn’t score until the final moments of the first half, but he finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists. Towns contributed 31 points and 21 rebounds, becoming just the third player in Knicks history—joining Hall of Famers Bob McAdoo and Patrick Ewing—to record 30 points and 10 rebounds in three consecutive games.
Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 25 points each. Utah took an early 18-8 lead but suffered their fifth straight loss. Lauri Markkanen posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, though he struggled with his shooting, going 6-for-22 from the field and 1-for-10 from beyond the arc.
Kings 113, 76ers 107
Malik Monk made key plays down the stretch to help Sacramento overcome a shorthanded Philadelphia team missing Joel Embiid. Monk’s goaltended layup with 33.8 seconds left gave the Kings the lead, and they finished the game with a 15-0 run. Monk and DeMar DeRozan combined for four clinching free throws.
De’Aaron Fox led Sacramento with 35 points, making 13 of 16 shots. Domantas Sabonis added 17 points, 21 rebounds, and seven assists. Eric Gordon contributed 14 points, Caleb Martin had 12, and Andre Drummond scored 10 points while grabbing nine rebounds for the 76ers.
Sacramento Kings and Philadelphia 76ers
Raptors 130, Nets 113
Scottie Barnes led Toronto to a 130-113 win over Brooklyn with 33 points and 13 rebounds, ending an 11-game losing streak. Immanuel Quickley, back from an elbow injury, scored 21 points and added 15 assists. Gradey Dick finished with 22 points and three steals.
D’Angelo Russell, in his first game with the Nets after being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers, scored 22 points off the bench. Cameron Johnson had 24 points, and Keon Johnson scored 17 for Brooklyn, who lost their third straight game.
Nuggets 139, Hawks 120
Nikola Jokic recorded his 14th triple-double of the season with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 15 assists, leading Denver to a 139-120 win over Atlanta. Russell Westbrook added 16 points and 11 assists, while Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray each contributed 21 points.
Trae Young led the Hawks with 30 points and nine assists, but Atlanta’s four-game winning streak came to an end. De’Andre Hunter scored 20 points in the loss.
Rockets 110, Mavericks 99
Cam Whitmore came off the bench to score 18 points, and Alperen Sengun contributed 23 points and five steals to lead Houston past Dallas. Sengun and Whitmore teamed up in a big second-quarter run to put the Rockets in control. Jalen Green added 22 points, and Dillon Brooks contributed 19 points and six rebounds.
Klay Thompson scored 16 points for the Mavericks, and Kyrie Irving had 16 points and seven rebounds. Dallas, already without Luka Doncic (calf), lost P.J. Washington to a knee injury, and he didn’t return for the second half.
Houston Rockets and Dallas Maverick
Wizards 125, Bulls 107
Jordan Poole returned from a two-game absence due to a hip injury and scored 30 points to lead Washington past Chicago. Justin Champagnie added 15 points, while Carlton Carrington scored 11 points, hitting all three of his 3-pointers. Rookie Alexandre Sarr posted 11 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.
Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 32 points on 12-of-20 shooting. Coby White scored 17 points, and Nikola Vucevic added 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Heat 119, Pelicans 108
Tyler Herro scored 32 points to lead Miami in their win over New Orleans, sending the Pelicans to their 11th straight loss. Bam Adebayo added 23 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds, while Jimmy Butler, returning from a five-game absence due to illness, finished with nine points in 25 minutes.
Trey Murphy III scored 34 points, one short of his season-high, and CJ McCollum added 22 points for the Pelicans, who dropped their 20th game in their last 21.
Pistons 105, Magic 96
Jaden Ivey scored 22 points before leaving the game with a serious leg injury, as Detroit defeated Orlando. Ivey was injured when Cole Anthony dived for a loose ball and collided with Ivey’s leg early in the fourth quarter.
Cade Cunningham had 19 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Jalen Duren contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons, who have won four of their last five games.
Jalen Suggs led the Magic with 24 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 21 points and Wendell Carter Jr. added 15 points and eight rebounds for Orlando, who has lost three of their last four games.
Josh Hart recorded his second consecutive triple-double, and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds for the third game in a row as the shorthanded New York Knicks defeated the Utah Jazz 119-103 on Wednesday night.
The Knicks extended their winning streak to nine games, despite being without star point guard Jalen Brunson (calf) for the first time this season, and backup guard Miles McBride, who was expected to start in place of Brunson but was ruled out due to a tight left hamstring.
Hart didn’t score until the final moments of the first half but still ended with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists. Towns had 31 points and 21 rebounds, becoming only the third player in Knicks history — joining Hall of Famers Bob McAdoo and Patrick Ewing — to record at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in three straight games.
New York’s Mikal Bridges added 27 points, while OG Anunoby contributed 22 points. Precious Achiuwa came off the bench to score 12 points and gave the Knicks the lead for good at 26-25 when he dunked to start the second quarter.
New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs
Rookie Tyler Kolek, who had 36 points and 11 assists earlier in the day for the G-League Westchester Knicks, played 12 minutes for the main squad, contributing two points and four assists after being called up due to the injuries to Brunson and McBride.
For the Jazz, Collin Sexton and reserve Jordan Clarkson each scored 25 points, but Utah lost their fifth straight game. Lauri Markkanen recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, though he struggled, shooting 6-for-22 from the field and 1-for-10 from three-point range. Keyonte George added 15 points, and Johnny Juzang scored 10.
The Knicks took control in the second quarter when Towns scored 10 points, helping them build a 13-point lead. The Jazz closed the gap to 77-73 on a Clarkson three-pointer with 3:01 left in the third quarter. However, New York responded with an 18-6 run bridging the third and fourth quarters and eventually led by 20 points as the game came to a close.
The New York Knicks, under steady head coach Tom Thibodeau and team leader Jalen Brunson, are focused on one goal for 2025: winning their first NBA title in over 50 years.
The Knicks will begin their push for a successful 2025 on Wednesday night when they play the Utah Jazz in their final regular-season meeting. Both teams had a break on New Year’s Eve after playing Monday night. The Knicks won 126-106 against the Washington Wizards, while the Jazz lost 132-121 to the Denver Nuggets.
The win against the Wizards was the Knicks’ eighth straight, and they finished 2024 strong. The team went 56-27 in the regular season during the year and made it to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. This was the Knicks’ deepest playoff run since 2000, when they reached the Eastern Conference finals.
New addition Karl-Anthony Towns, who joined the Knicks in October from the Minnesota Timberwolves, recorded 32 points and 13 rebounds in the win.
OG Anunoby, celebrating his one-year anniversary with the team after being traded from the Toronto Raptors, added 18 points and 8 rebounds. Mikal Bridges, another key addition from the Brooklyn Nets, contributed 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Utah Jazz (NBA)
Brunson and Josh Hart also continued to play well, with Brunson scoring 18 points and adding 6 assists, and Hart posting a triple-double with 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists.
“We have a game plan, we just want to win, and we know we have a lot of weapons,” Brunson said. “That’s the goal, to win the game.”
On the other hand, the Jazz are struggling with injuries, which have interrupted their rebuilding efforts. Utah is 7-24 and on track for one of their worst seasons in franchise history. The Jazz’s worst season was in 1974-75 when they won just 23 games.
John Collins missed his fourth consecutive game on Monday due to a left hip injury. The Jazz were outscored 34-23 in the third quarter against the Nuggets and have now lost four straight games, all by 11 points or fewer. This season, they’ve lost 13 games by that margin.
“For whatever reason, our energy faded as the game ended, and that’s something we can control,” said Jazz head coach Will Hardy. “But I’m proud of some of the progress from our guys.”
Keyonte George, who had missed the previous four games with an ankle sprain, played 28 minutes and scored 7 points with 6 assists.
The Philadelphia 76ers will look to keep up their recent strong play when they visit the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.
Philadelphia has had a few days of rest since earning a solid 118-114 victory over the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day. That win was their eighth in the last 11 games, bringing back optimism for the season.
“We got a high ceiling,” said 76ers star Joel Embiid after scoring 27 points and grabbing nine rebounds against the Celtics. “It’s all about us putting it together. I don’t think that was close to our best basketball, but we got a pretty good chance. So it’s all about looking for some luck, and staying healthy.”
After a tough 3-14 start, the Sixers have been on a roll, winning two in a row and four of their last five games.
The game against the Celtics was only the sixth time this season that Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey were all available to play together. Since they’re just 1 1/2 games out of play-in contention as of Friday, they’re confident in their chances if they can keep their key players healthy.
Maxey had 33 points and 12 assists against Boston, and Caleb Martin added seven 3-pointers and 23 points.
Maxey said the 76ers are “a lot different” from a month ago when they were near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
“But I said it back then, just give us some time. It was difficult because guys were in and out and we finally thought that we were going to have everybody playing. I got hurt. That sucks. You know what I mean?” Maxey said.
Utah Jazz (NBA)
“I had a little rhythm going a little bit and then I get hurt and then we got to restart, figure it all out. I come back, Joel gets hurt. We got to figure it all out again.
“I think the biggest thing that we’ve really done is we’ve come together a lot more,” Maxey added. “I feel like we had a lot of new guys. I don’t know how many new people we have, like seven or something like that, and it’s difficult. You don’t know how you want to play. You don’t know what combinations go with each other. I think we’re finally figuring that out.”
The Jazz have only won three of their last 13 games, the same stretch in which Philadelphia has turned things around, but they see progress in their rebuilding efforts.
After winning back-to-back games for the first time this season, they ended a five-game road trip with tough losses to Cleveland and Portland. They were competitive in both games. Utah was tied with Portland late in Thursday’s game after Lauri Markkanen hit a late 3-pointer, but Portland’s Scoot Henderson made a game-winning shot with just a tenth of a second left.
Jazz coach Will Hardy had positive words about Markkanen, who scored 25 points against Portland, and the contributions from the team’s three rookies: Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier, and Kyle Filipowski.
“The most important thing for me is building those foundational habits of competitiveness every night,” Hardy said. “I’m happy with all their progress.”
Scoot Henderson made a game-winning step-back jumper with just one-tenth of a second left, giving the Portland Trail Blazers a 122-120 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. This clutch shot helped Portland secure only their second win in 10 games, overcoming a 15-point deficit in the second half.
Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen tied the game with five straight points in the final 40.2 seconds. Deni Avdija scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, while Shaedon Sharpe added 12 of his 27 points in the same period. Deandre Ayton finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, contributing to the Blazers’ comeback win. Henderson recorded 18 points and 10 assists.
Markkanen led the Jazz with 25 points, as they ended their road trip with a 2-3 record. Collin Sexton had 19 points and 11 assists, Svi Mykhailiuk added 18 points with six 3-pointers, Drew Eubanks scored 15, and Johnny Juzang finished with 14 points in the loss.
Avdija had a strong finish to the game, helping Portland go up 118-112. He blocked a Jazz shot, grabbed two rebounds, scored two baskets, and made three free throws in a personal 7-0 run.
Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers
Sharpe extended the Blazers’ lead to 120-115 with a layup, but Markkanen tied the game with two free throws and a 3-pointer in the final 40.2 seconds.
The Jazz came out strong in the second half, with Sexton and Mykhailiuk leading a 16-0 run. Sexton scored seven points, while Mykhailiuk hit three 3-pointers in a span of 82 seconds, giving Utah a 70-55 lead. Jerami Grant ended the Blazers’ drought with three free throws nearly four minutes into the third quarter.
Juzang pushed Utah’s lead to 94-84 early in the fourth, but the Blazers quickly shifted the momentum with three straight 3-pointers from Anfernee Simons, Grant, and Sharpe, along with a tip-in by Donovan Clingan to give Portland a one-point lead after an 11-0 run.
The Utah Jazz will look to repeat their biggest win of the season when they play the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. This game marks the end of a five-game road trip for the Jazz, who defeated the Blazers by 42 points, 141-99, in Portland on December 6.
In that game, Johnny Juzang stepped up for the Jazz, scoring 22 points while Lauri Markkanen was sidelined due to a back injury. Walker Kessler also had a strong performance with 13 points, 17 rebounds, and five blocks. Utah led by as many as 46 points, which caused Blazers fans to boo their team on their own court.
“That’s a really good team win start to finish,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said after that victory. “I hope the guys feel good about it. They continue to work hard, they continue to stick together. We’ve had some tough moments, and they work through those. I hope they enjoy (the win), because they played really, really hard.”
Since that game, the Jazz lost three in a row but have won two of their last three, keeping it close in a 124-113 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. In that game, the Jazz were just one point behind in the final minutes, but the Cavaliers finished strong.
Utah’s top players — Jordan Clarkson (27 points), Markkanen (26), and Collin Sexton (24) — all played well against Cleveland. The Jazz had momentum after winning back-to-back games against the Detroit Pistons (126-119) and Brooklyn Nets (105-94).
Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings
“The competitiveness, the togetherness that our group is showing has risen a ton in the last two weeks,” Hardy said after the Cleveland game. “I think it sets the environment up for real improvement to happen.”
Walker Kessler was a key player in the game against the Cavaliers, contributing nine points, 16 rebounds, three blocks, and three assists. Hardy praised Kessler for his ability to impact the game even without scoring many points.
“Walker has gotten so much better,” Hardy said. “His ability to impact winning without scoring a lot of points continues to grow.”
The Trail Blazers, meanwhile, are returning home after two losses in Texas, including a 114-94 defeat against the San Antonio Spurs and a 132-108 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Portland has dropped eight of its last nine games, with its only win in that stretch coming at home.
Deandre Ayton, who led the Blazers with 16 points against Dallas, mentioned that the team is still focusing on improving their fundamentals and communication.
“Our defense is what really creates our offense, and gets us moving and grooving,” Ayton said. “We just need to make shots.”
Portland has struggled recently, losing their last six games and 12 of their last 14 against Dallas.
Brooklyn Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe during the first half of an NBA basketball game
Cameron Johnson is having the best season of his six-year career, delivering performances that not only help the Brooklyn Nets win games but might also boost his trade value.
With rumors surrounding Johnson’s future, his next chance to shine comes Saturday night when the Nets take on the Utah Jazz, the second-worst team in the Western Conference.
Johnson is averaging 19.2 points per game, shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 43.1 percent from beyond the arc. These stats would all be career highs. He has scored 20 or more points in five of his last six games, with an average of 24.2 points on 49.4 percent shooting during that stretch. He has been shooting 50.9 percent in his last 21 games.
Johnson scored 22 points in Brooklyn’s 130-101 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, which came after Dennis Schroder was traded to the Golden State Warriors for three second-round picks.
He then followed up with a 33-point performance in a 101-94 win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. In that game, Johnson’s effort stood out as the only player on the team to score more than 12 points while the Nets shot just 40.2 percent, their third-lowest mark of the season.
Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers
“Just really trying to win the game is really what it comes down to,” Johnson said after also grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out six assists. “We didn’t have a good feeling after that Cleveland game, so we wanted to make sure we came out here and got a dub. To get a win like this (is big).”
However, the Nets have lost six of their last eight games.
The Jazz, with a 6-20 record, currently have better lottery odds than the 11-16 Nets, as they are among the worst teams in the NBA along with the Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans.
Utah started the season with six straight losses and is now 6-14, looking for back-to-back wins for the first time since April 11-12 of last season.
After giving up 144 points in a 37-point loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles on Monday, the Jazz managed to win 126-119 on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday. That victory brought their record to 5-6 when allowing fewer than 120 points.
However, the win wasn’t as comfortable as coach Will Hardy would have liked. The Jazz had a 48-19 lead over Detroit after the first quarter but ended up making the game closer by committing 24 turnovers in the final three quarters, marking their 10th game this season with 20 or more turnovers. Utah’s win also saw Jordan Clarkson ejected for shoving Paul Reed in the third quarter.
“It was super physical, chippy, ugly, nasty,” Hardy said. “There’s turnovers, there’s fouls, there’s fights, there’s a level of tension in the game and in the arena that we really haven’t seen this year.”
Collin Sexton scored a season-high 30 points, ending a streak of seven games where he scored under 20. The Jazz are also getting stronger performances from second-year guard Keyonte George, who has been averaging 18.1 points over his past seven games and scored 28 in Detroit.
Devin Booker scored 34 points, leading all players, while Kevin Durant made his return from injury to add 30 points, helping the Phoenix Suns win 134-126 against the Utah Jazz on Friday in Salt Lake City.
Tyus Jones contributed 19 points and 11 assists, and Royce O’Neale, a former Jazz player, added 17 points. This win helped the Suns break a three-game losing streak on the final game of their four-game road trip.
Jordan Clarkson led Utah with 23 points, while John Collins scored 22 points, grabbed six rebounds, and had six assists. Lauri Markkanen finished with 19 points, and Keyonte George posted 18 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. However, the Jazz lost their seventh game in their last eight.
Utah struggled despite making 22 out of 39 three-pointers (56.4%) and shooting 55.8% from the field. Phoenix matched Utah’s 22 three-pointers, shooting 45 attempts and making 52.8% of their field goals.
Durant returned after missing three games due to an ankle injury, and the Suns have had a tough time without him this season, with only one win in 10 games. Jusuf Nurkic also came back after missing five games with an ankle sprain and thigh injury. He contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks.
Devin Booker (NBA)
Phoenix had a 12-point lead in the third quarter, but Utah responded with a 15-5 run, narrowing the gap to just two. The Suns went into the final quarter with a 112-105 lead and kept the Jazz from getting closer than four points in the last 12 minutes.
Durant, who made all 12 of his free throws, extended the Suns’ lead to 126-119 with 3:08 left. In the closing minutes, Booker and O’Neale hit key three-pointers to secure the win.
The Jazz led 39-38 after a fast-paced first quarter. The Suns scored 38 points in the second quarter, taking a 76-71 lead at halftime. Booker and Durant combined for 41 points in the first half, with both players finishing with eight assists.
