Back
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points, Davion Mitchell added 19 points, and the Miami Heat outlasted the depleted Utah Jazz 115-109 on Tuesday night.
The Heat also got 14 from Pelle Larsson but needed late blocks from Klay Thompson and Bam Adebayo to secure their third win in their last four games.
Antetokounmpo iced his sprained right wrist in a heavy wrap when he was on the bench but it didn’t seem to bother him on the court. He shot 12 for 21 and grabbed 11 rebounds.
He now has 21,836 points and passed Gary Payton to become the 39th leading scorer in NBA history.
Despite the Jazz's ninth straight loss, Utah's two teenagers gave the Jazz hope for the future. Rookie Darryn Peterson nearly set his career high (26) for the second game in a row with 25 points and Ace Bailey scored 23.
Utah's Isaiah Collier, a notoriously poor shooter who had not made a 3-pointer this season, made four consecutive shots from behind the arc in the fourth quarter to cut Miami's lead to 101-93.
Then Svi Mykhailiuk made back-to-back baskets to cut the lead to 112-107 in the final minute but it was too late for the Jazz, who were missing four starters to injury — Lauri Markkanen (wrist), Keyonte George (ankle), Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), and Jusuf Nurkic (foot).
Antetokounmpo's shooting sparked the Heat to a 15-2 run in the third quarter to give the Heat the cushion they needed and send them home with a 3-2 record on their five-game road trip.
Larsson hit a 3-pointer with 6:58 left in the second quarter to cap a 13-1 run and make it 49-32 for Miami.
The Jazz, who have been hurt by turnovers all season, had 18 to just eight for the Heat.
Heat: Host Cleveland on Friday night to commence a five-game homestand.
Jazz: Host Orlando on Wednesday to complete the back-to-back set.