|
 All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points, and center Jonas
Valanciunas added 18 points and nine rebounds as the Raptors earned
a rare win at EnergySolutions Arena, beating the Jazz 94-79.
The Raptors, two games into a five-game Western trip, improved to
26-22 after winning in Utah for just the second time in nine visits
since 2006.
"When you play the Utah Jazz, it's a brand of basketball that's very
difficult. You're going to have to grind it out," Toronto coach
Dwane Casey said. "You're going to have to earn every inch, every
yard in this place, and we did tonight."
Center Amir Johnson added 11 points and 11 rebounds, guard John
Salmons scored 13 points and point guard Greivis Vasquez tallied 12
points as the Raptors won the season series for the first time since
2004-05.
"There is not a bad man on this team. Everybody gets along
together," Johnson said. "We all just kind of click. You usually
don't find that. Everybody usually has their own vendetta. We don't
have that on this team. It's pretty cool."
Forward Marvin Williams scored a season-high 23 points and grabbed
eight rebounds, and guard Alec Burks contributed 20 points off the
bench for Utah. It wasn't enough to keep the short-handed Jazz
(16-32) from losing for the third straight outing.
"I thought we showed some fight," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said,
"but I don't think it was a 48-minute effort that we can be
satisfied with."
Utah, which started 1-14, lost more than two in a row for the first
time since a four-game losing streak from Dec. 4-9. Monday also
marked the third consecutive game the Jazz played without Derrick
Favors. The starting center, Utah's second-leading scorer and top
rebounder, continues to suffer from right hip inflammation.
In addition, the Jazz played without forward Jeremy Evans, who
missed his second game in a row because of soreness in his tailbone
and elbow.
"We've still got some hurt players, so when they come back, I think
we'll be much better," Jazz center Enes Kanter said after scoring 10
points and grabbing three rebounds. "Derrick is a defensive-minded
guy, and we really needed him tonight."
Toronto, which outscored Utah 31-17 in the second quarter to gain
control of the game, played the final quarter without Kyle Lowry.
The starting point guard, who had only two points on 1-of-8
shooting, injured his right knee late in the third quarter and
didn't return after heading to the training room.
[to top of second column] |
That spoiled the good news Lowry received earlier Monday when he was
named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. He averaged 25.0
points, 8.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds as Toronto went 3-1 from Jan.
7-Feb. 2, and he became the fifth Raptor in franchise history to
earn the award.
The Jazz trailed 73-62 early in the fourth quarter when an offense
that struggled most of the night came to life. Guard Brandon Rush
drained a 3-pointer, and then Burks made back-to-back circus layups
and a free throw.
That 8-0 Utah spurt helped the Jazz trim Toronto's lead to 73-70.
The Raptors responded with two free throws from forward Patrick
Patterson and an inside bucket by Valanciunas. DeRozan then scored
six points in the final six minutes to help Toronto win for only the
fifth time in Salt Lake City in 14 trips.
The Jazz only shot 41 percent, including 3-for-17 from beyond the
arc. Utah also only had 10 assists as a team, a season low.
"It wasn't the ball movement. We missed shots," Corbin said. "I
thought we had great shots. We missed some really good looks that we
have been making."
The Raptors shot 41 percent from the floor and hit six of 21 3-point
attempts.
NOTES: Jazz F Malcolm Thomas, claimed off waivers on Jan. 25, was
selected to play in the D-League All-Star Game, which will take
place Feb. 15 in New Orleans. Thomas will only be eligible to play
in the showcase event if he is on a D-League assignment at the time.
... Toronto coach Dwane Casey proudly sported a Seahawks Super Bowl
XLVIII hat at shootaround Monday, which isn't surprising for the
Seattle native and friend of Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. Casey was
impressed with Seattle's defensive performance in the Seahawks' 43-8
win over Denver. "I told our players, relentless defense wins in any
sport," Casey told the Toronto Star after the Raptors' morning
workout. ... Jazz F Marvin Williams, a Washington native and
lifelong Seahawks fan, didn't gloat to mostly pro-Denver teammates
about his favorite NFL team's Super Bowl victory Monday. "I haven't
said much at all. A lot of people are disappointed in the game that
it was, but thankfully I came out on the better end of it." ...
Raptors G Terrence Ross won the NBA Dunk Contest in 2013, edging out
the defending champion, Jazz F Jeremy Evans. ... G Kyle Lowry joined
former Raptors Chris Bosh, Vince Carter, Mike James and Jalen Rose
in earning player of the week honors with Toronto.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
