Jazz run away from Pistons
SALT LAKE CITY -- Rodney Hood scored a season-high 27 points, while going 7-of-8 from 3-point range, to help the Utah Jazz run away from the Detroit Pistons for a 110-77 victory on Friday night.
George Hill added 22 points and Gordon Hayward chipped in 20 to lead the Jazz. Hood, Hill and Hayward combined to shoot 26-of-39 (66.7 percent) from the field and 15-of-21 (71.4 percent) from the perimeter.
Utah (25-16) won for the third time in four games and snapped a two-game losing streak in the series with Detroit.
Tobias Harris scored 13 points, Marcus Morris added 11 and Andre Drummond chipped in nine points and 19 rebounds for the Pistons. Detroit (18-24) dropped its third straight game and gave up at least 100 points for the eighth time in their last nine games.
Utah dominated the glass, finishing with a 48-35 edge in rebounds. The Jazz also recorded 22 assists on 43 baskets.
Utah opened the game with a 10-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers from Hood and Hill. The Jazz did not stay in front for long. They missed 13 of 15 shots over the final eight minutes of the quarter, and shot just 6-of-24 (25 percent) through the first quarter.
It opened the door for the Pistons to rally. Detroit answered Utah with a 15-2 run of its own, featuring a go-ahead dunk from Andre Drummond, and took a 15-12 lead with 2:57 remaining in the first quarter. Harris hit a pair of baskets and made a pair of free throws to key the rally.
Utah snapped out of its funk early in the second quarter behind hot shooting from Hood. He scored a pair of 3-pointers and a go-ahead mid-range jumper to fuel a 10-2 run that put the Jazz ahead 24-23.
Detroit and Utah traded baskets before the Jazz sneaked ahead again on a 9-0 run to take a 45-40 lead with 31.8 seconds left in the half. Utah surged ahead on back-to-back dunks from Hood and Hayward. Then Hayward capped off the run with a corner 3-pointer.
Utah kept attacking and extending the lead in the third quarter. The Jazz went up double digits again when Hayward chased down a loose ball in the backcourt and fed Hill for a wide-open 3-pointer. That sequence offered the biggest highlight in a 17-4 run. Hayward finished off the run by converting a 3-point play to give Utah a 67-51 lead.
The Jazz buried Detroit for good in the fourth quarter. Utah led by as much as 31 points, going up 103-72 with 4:03 left after a Hill 3-pointer capped a 25-6 Jazz run.
NOTES: Pistons G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope did not play after suffering a left rotator cuff strain on Thursday at Golden State. An MRI did not reveal any significant damage, but there is no timetable for his return. Detroit F Jon Leuer (sore right knee) missed his third straight game. ... Jazz C Rudy Gobert shot 77.8 percent from the field in December, the highest monthly percentage by any NBA player (minimum 60 attempts) since Wilt Chamberlain shot 78.0 percent in March, 1973. Gobert averaged 14.3 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks through December. ... Detroit averages just 12.1 turnovers per game, which is the second least amount of turnovers among NBA teams. ... Utah has held opponents to 90 points or less 15 times this season. The Jazz currently lead the NBA in scoring defense (94.9), opponent field-goal percentage (.429) and opponent 3-pointers per game (8.1).