LOS ANGELES: Jordan Clarkson scored 15 of his 28 issues within the fourth quarter because the Utah Jazz thwarted Portland’s livid comeback bid to overcome the Path Blazers 118-113 in a duel of the NBA’s best Western Convention groups on Saturday. The unexpected Jazz stepped forward to 12-6 to transport a sport forward of Portland and the Memphis Grizzlies atop the West. It used to be a doubly disappointing night time for the Blazers, who noticed megastar guard Damian Lillard leave past due within the 3rd quarter after he irritated the correct calf harm that noticed him leave out 4 video games previous this season.
The Jazz misplaced guard Mike Conley to a knee harm within the 3rd quarter, and noticed an 19-point second-half lead erased sooner than pulling away for the win. Malik Beasley led the Jazz with 29 issues and Lauri Markkanen added 23 with 10 rebounds. The Path Blazers had taken a 108-107 lead with two mins last when Clarkson took regulate, draining a three-pointer, changing a three-point play and creating a pull up jumper to push the Jazz again to a 115-109 lead.
The Blazers whittled the space to 2 issues sooner than Beasley added a couple of grasp loose throws because the Jazz pulled out any other shut one an afternoon after their 134-133 win over Phoenix. Tight finishes had been the order of the day on Saturday. Tare Younger scored 33 issues and lofted a cross from midcourt to rookie AJ Griffin for the game-winning alley-oop layup on the buzzer within the Atlanta Hawks’ 124-122 extra time victory over the Toronto Raptors. It got here right down to the cord in Philadelphia, the place the Minnesota Timberwolves grew to become again a past due rate from the 76ers for a 112-109 victory.
The Indiana Pacers pulled out an in depth one, edging the Orlando Magic 114-113. Handiest the Los Angeles Clippers bucked the craze, trouncing the San Antonio Spurs 119-97. In Atlanta, Younger passed out 12 assists for the Hawks, who shook off a blowout loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday and avenged their defeat to the Raptors in October. In spite of a slew of damage absences that integrated key contributor Pascal Siakam, Toronto led 108-101 with 2:36 last within the fourth quarter.
The Hawks spoke back with a 10-0 run as they went to extra time. Griffin performed half-hour off the bench and scored 8 of his 17 issues in extra time. “He performs with numerous poise and made some giant pictures this night,” Hawks trainer Nate McMillan mentioned of the 19-year-old. They had been tied with 3.8 seconds left, however on an inbounds Younger were given the ball at 1/2 court docket and fired an arching cross to Griffin underneath the basket for a large open game-winner. “He noticed the finishing,” mentioned a beaming Griffin, who thrilled within the celebratory ice-water dousing he were given from his teammates after the win.
Embiid scare
In Philadelphia, the Timberwolves led through 20 within the first 1/2 and through as many as 17 within the 3rd quarter sooner than taking a 13-point lead into the overall body. However the short-handed 76ers, fueled through 32 issues from Joel Embiid and 27 from Shake Milton, trimmed the deficit to at least one level on De’Anthony Melton’s three-pointer with 29.1 seconds last.
Melton then got here up with a thieve from Anthony Edwards however overlooked a using layup and Edwards — who led Minnesota with 25 issues — prolonged the lead with a couple of loose throws. The 76ers had been with out megastar guard James Harden for a 7th sport as a result of a foot harm. Tobias Harris used to be once more absent with a sore hip and Tyrese Maxey overlooked his first sport since struggling a left foot fracture on Friday.
They were given any other scare past due within the fourth when Embiid tripped over teammate Georges Niang and hit the court docket, showing to show an ankle and favoring it the remainder of the sport. In Indianapolis, Aaron Nesmith made two loose throws with 9.6 seconds last and the Pacers thwarted the Magic on their closing ownership to take hold of the slim win. Tyrese Haliburton scored 22 issues and passed out 14 assists for the Pacers, who received their fourth directly. – AFP