SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Utah Jazz to a 114-99 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
Hassan Whiteside added 15 points and a season-high 18 rebounds for the Jazz. Jordan Clarkson chipped in 18 points, and Royce O’Neale added 14 and five assists. Udoka Azubuike finished with a career-high 12 points on 6-of-6 shooting in his fifth career start.
Utah won its fifth straight home game for the first time this season.
Wendell Carter Jr. scored 22 points and nine rebounds to lead Orlando. Mo Bamba added 16 points and eight boards, and Cole Anthony had 18 points and five assists.
Orlando led just once, but still pushed Utah into the fourth quarter. The Magic cut the deficit to 83-79 on a 3-pointer from Terence Ross with 9:54 left, but the Jazz did not let it get any closer. Clarkson fed Azubuike for back-to-back alley-oop dunks and then drained a 3-pointer to spark an 18-9 spurt that pushed Utah’s lead to 101-88 with 5:12 left.
In the first quarter, Mitchell scored three baskets and hit four free throws to fuel an 17-0 run that helped Utah carve out a 24-7 lead. The Magic made just five baskets and shot 24% from the field in the first quarter. They totaled 12 points in the first 12 minutes — a season-low for a Utah opponent.
Orlando finally got on track in the second quarter. Suggs bookended a 11-3 run with a pair of baskets and assisted two others that made it a two-possession game. His running dunk capping off the run trimmed Utah’s lead to 44-39 in the final minute before halftime.
The Magic erased the deficit entirely on a 3-point play from Carter that tied it at 54 apiece early in the third quarter. Trent Forrest and O’Neale answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to put Utah back in front 60-54. It was one of three outside baskets for O’Neale during the third quarter.
TIP INS
Magic: Mortiz Wagner (left rib contusion) missed his second straight game. … Suggs dished out four of his team-high seven assists in the second quarter. … Orlando fell to 0-22 when scoring fewer than 100 points this season.
Jazz: Rudy Gobert (left calf strain) and Rudy Gay (right knee soreness) were inactive. … Utah shot 3-of-23 (.130) from 3-point range in the first half … O’Neale tallied four steals before halftime. … Whiteside has collected 35 rebounds over Utah’s last two games.
UP NEXT
Magic: Visits Phoenix Suns on Saturday.
Jazz: Hosts Houston on Monday.
