The Utah Jazz achieved a 131-128 victory over the Toronto Raptors during the NBA’s Wednesday night slate. Lauri Markkanen and Mike Conley combined for 28 points and 13 rebounds.
“Taking my time, having a little more patience, not just going right away and being a little bit stronger with the ball,” said Markkanen of finishing strong against the physical Raptors after a slow start.
With 34 points, a career-high 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, Fred VanVleet had a career-best triple-double for Toronto, but the Jazz overcame it by shooting 53 percent and making key plays down the stretch. The Jazz led 120-113 with 2:13 left after Conley’s three-point play, which led to Siakam’s sixth foul on a head fake.
“(Siakam) reached in but I was able to finish it. Really was the best of both worlds there. It was a big play and I think it got us going enough able to finish the game,” Conley said.
In spite of VanVleet making three shots from beyond the arc, Toronto was unable to complete the comeback.
“If we’re up three at the end of the night, then a lot of these stats look a lot better. We’d be celebrating … just got to find ways to win and that’s really all that matters,” VanVleet said.
NBA SCORES & NEWS: Lauri Markkanen, Mike Conley, Utah Jazz & Toronto Raptors Updates
In the last 12.2 seconds of the game, Conley hit two free throws to seal the win and the Jazz moved above .500 at 27-26.
“Mike has been such a steadying force for us late in games. He and I have developed a very good communication about what we would like to do and he does a good job communicating that to the team and getting them organized. His decision-making continues to be great late in games,” Utah coach Will Hardy said.
Utah won its fifth straight game with Jordan Clarkson scoring seven of its 23 points in the closing 1:39. Walker Kessler added 17 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocked shots.
“(Kessler) got seven blocks tonight and I don’t know how many more he affected. Guys just stopped going in on him at some point,” Markkanen said.
NBA SCORES & NEWS: Lauri Markkanen, Mike Conley, Utah Jazz & Toronto Raptors Updates
It was a season-high with 25 offensive rebounds for the Raptors as Siakam scored 21 points before fouling out. Gary Trent Jr. added 20 points.
“Obviously you saw a lot of those rebounds were off our own misses,” Toronto coach Nick Nurse said. “I thought we had some really good chances down there that we didn’t finish and those led out to some transition 3s.”
Kessler blocked six shots in the first quarter, tying the franchise record that Mark Eaton set in 1989. Eaton blocked six shots in the second and fourth quarters and had 14 overall.
A triple-double by VanVleet, who had 37 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds against the Jazz, recorded his first career triple-double.
As a result of failing to box out for rebounds, turning the ball over, and slowing down on defense, the Jazz made costly mistakes that led to 28 fast-break points for Toronto.
NBA SCORES & NEWS: Lauri Markkanen, Mike Conley, Utah Jazz & Toronto Raptors Updates
After the Jazz led by as many as 14 points in the first half, the Raptors cut it to 65-60 at halftime after 15 points were scored off Utah’s 11 turnovers and 15 offensive rebounds.
