|
 Backup guard Alec Burks scored 26 points, including nine in a row
in the final two minutes, to lead the Jazz to a 105-100 victory over
the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena.
Burks hit 6 of 10 shots and 13 of 14 free throws for his game-high
scoring night, and shooting guard Gordon Hayward contributed 17
points, seven rebounds and seven assists as the Jazz won their third
game in a row.
"It feels good," Jazz point guard Trey Burke said. "Coming off that
(four-game) losing streak about a week ago, now being our third win
in the last five days, it feels real good."
This is the first time Utah (19-33) won more than two consecutive
games all season. The Jazz's last winning streak came when they won
five in a row from March 25-April 1 last season.
Despite his team's improved play of late, Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin
believes some down time is just what his streaking team can use
right now.
"We need the break, but we needed to win this game first," Corbin
said. "It wasn't our best game execution-wise, but we had enough
resiliency to win the ballgame so that's the most important thing
right now."
Small forward Evan Turner scored 21 points for the 76ers (15-39),
who dropped their eighth straight game heading into the All-Star
break.
Point guard Michael Carter-Williams and power forward Thaddeus Young
each scored 19 points for Philadelphia.
"We battled. We competed. Once again, it's all about trying to be
consistent," Turner said. "We did some good things tonight and gave
ourselves a chance."
The 76ers, who lost their previous two games by a combined 88
points, looked like they were on their way to another blowout loss.
Utah went ahead 89-75 with nine minutes remaining in the fourth
quarter on an Burks jumper.
The Jazz, however, did not score again for six and a half minutes as
the 76ers went on an 11-0 surge. Carter-Williams tied the game at 91
with a three-point play at the 2:10 mark.
"I feel like to get humbled the way we have the last few games and
to be down points on the road in a loud building, I'm proud of what
we did," Sixers coach Brett Brown said.
[to top of second column] |
Burks responded with his own nine-point run to help seal the win for
the Jazz. His two-handed dunk with 22.1 seconds remaining put Utah
ahead 100-91.
"I was just being aggressive, playing the game I play and trying to
get to the trim," Burks said.
Guard James Anderson scored nine of his 15 points from deep in the
final 18 seconds to make things interesting, but it wasn't enough to
prevent the 76ers from losing their ninth straight and 23rd of 25
outings in Utah.
Burke, considered to be one of Carter-Williams' biggest threats for
Rookie of the Year award, only scored seven points on 3-of-12
shooting with just two assists.
Carter-Williams hit 6 of 13 shots and totaled eight assists, five
rebounds, three blocks, two steals and three turnovers in the
head-to-head battle.
"I thought Michael played with great poise," Brown said. "He could
have handled this particular matchup in different ways. I thought he
grew tonight. I thought that he played with a level of
sophistication and pace and poise."
The Jazz bench outscored the 76ers' subs 56-10.
Forward Marvin Williams was one of six Jazz players in double
figures, finishing with 13 points and a season-high 14 rebounds.
The Jazz played the final three quarters without starting center
Derrick Favors, who strained his right hip. Favors recently missed
three games with hip inflammation.
Sixers forward/center Lavoy Allen left the game with left knee
soreness.
NOTES: Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin was asked to weigh in on the Rookie
of the Year debate between Utah G Trey Burke and 76ers G Michael
Carter-Williams. "I like our guy, but I can't vote on my guy anyway.
That's not fair," he said, smiling. "They're both having good years
for rookies so we'll see where it ends up." ... Burke and
Carter-Williams will be teammates in the Rising Stars Challenge on
Friday in New Orleans during All-Star Weekend. ... The 76ers played
every team in the NBA except for Memphis. ... Philadelphia has not
swept a season-series against the Jazz since 1987-88 and has not won
in Utah since Jan. 5, 2005.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
