Jazz 97, Nuggets 88
SALT LAKE CITY -- Forward Gordon Hayward scored 26 points and guard Trey Burke added 13 points off the bench to help the Utah Jazz pull away late for a 97-88 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
Forward Trevor Booker also chipped in 12 points off the bench, which included some key fourth quarter baskets, for the Jazz. Utah (11-14) snapped a four-game losing streak and recorded just its third victory since center Rudy Gobert suffered an MCL sprain.
Guard Will Barton scored 16 points and guard Jameer Nelson added 15 points to lead a balanced Denver offense. Center Joffrey Lauvergne added 12 points and 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to help the Nuggets (11-15) complete a fourth-quarter rally.
Denver had a 42-32 edge on points in the paint and a 13-8 advantage in second-chance points. The Nuggets also outrebounded Utah 44-39.
Hot outside shooting helped the Jazz jump out to a large lead early in the first quarter and stay ahead throughout the first half. Utah shot 58 percent (11-of-19) from the field and 71 percent (5-of-7) from the perimeter in the first quarter alone.
Guards Rodney Hood and Alec Burks, along with Hayward, made 3-pointers in succession to put Utah up 13-5. Hayward's second 3-point basket extended the Jazz lead to 23-12.
It wasn't enough to contain the Nuggets. Forward Danilo Gallinari drained a jumper and a pair of free throws to fuel a 6-0 spurt for Denver, cutting Utah's lead to 27-23 before the end of the quarter. The Nuggets had a tough time eliminating that four-point cushion. Utah eventually rebuilt a double-digit lead, going up 46-36 on 3-pointer from Burke.
Denver rallied once more before halftime. Guard Gary Harris and Nelson each made layups to help the Nuggets close the half on an 8-2 run and cut Utah's lead to 53-49.
The Nuggets finally erased what remained of the deficit in the third quarter. Denver took its first lead on a turnaround jumper from forward Kenneth Faried. The Nuggets eventually built up a five-point advantage, going up 70-65 on a driving layup from center Nikola Jokic.
Utah surged back in front 77-73 when Hayward made a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer to cap a 12-3 run. The two teams traded 7-0 runs to open the fourth quarter and the Jazz sneaked back out in front 93-88 when Booker and Hayward made back-to-back layups and then Booker canned a 3-pointer with 2:16 remaining.
NOTES: Denver G Emmanuel Mudiay missed his third consecutive game with a right ankle sprain. ... The Jazz led the NBA in points per game allowed in the paint (37.4). ... Nuggets F Kenneth Faried is the last player to reach 20 points and 20 rebounds against the Jazz. Faried had 24 points and 21 rebounds in a 101-94 win over Utah on April 12, 2014. ... In the past six games before Friday night, Denver had 10 different players averaging 8.0 points or more per game. They posted a 5-1 record. ... Jazz G Alec Burks ranked second among NBA players in bench scoring at 15.0 points per game.