Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz (Photo by Patrick Smith / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
LOS ANGELES – Utah guard Donovan Mitchell scored 12 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter on Friday as the NBA-leading Jazz eked out a 115-112 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
The Jazz, stung by a 131-122 loss to the Washington Wizards on Thursday, bounced back by the skin of their teeth as Raptors center Pascal Siakam’s potential game-tying shot dipped in then out at the buzzer.
It wasn’t the kind of dominance the Jazz displayed in winning 11 straight games in January and another nine in a row in February.
But they gradually heated up offensively, out-rebounded the Raptors 48-31 and made 35 of 41 attempts from the free-throw line to prevail.
In a fourth quarter that featured eight lead changes, Donovan made the difference, scoring eight straight points in the final minute and a half.
“Finding guys and also seeing where I can fit in and do my thing,” Donovan said of finding the right balance between facilitating his teammates and taking over.
“I forced a shot early in the game, but in the second half I was pleased with all the decisions I made.”
Jazz coach Quin Snyder thought Donovan, who added five rebounds and six assists, got it right as the Jazz became the first team this season to reach 30 victories.
“Toronto’s one of the best defenses in the league, particularly on the ball, and I thought Donovan showed a lot of resolve,” Snyder said. “There was a toughness that he had. Not only was he aggressive and forceful, he was also precise, and made really good reads.”
Nets bow to Magic
In the East, the Brooklyn Nets slipped half a game behind conference leaders Philadelphia with a 121-113 loss to the Orlando Magic.
Orlando’s Aaron Gordon scored 38 points and Evan Fournier chipped in 31 as the Magic fended off a late rally by Brooklyn.
Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic shoots during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Amway Center on March 19, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Orlando withstood a 43-point performance from Nets star Kyrie Irving, snapping Brooklyn’s six-game winning streak while ending their own nine-game skid.
The Nets trailed by 19 going into the fourth quarter, but opened the final period on a 16-1 scoring run.
A tip-in and a three-pointer by Gordon, however, helped the Magic turn back the challenge.
Irving scored just seven points in the fourth quarter and star guard James Harden scored just 19 points on four-of-15 shooting — his streak of 14 straight games of at least 20 points ending.
Warriors win without Curry
Golden State forward Andrew Wiggins stepped up in the absence of star Stephen Curry, scoring 40 points in the Warriors’ 116-103 victory over the Grizzlies in Memphis.
Curry was sidelined by a bruised tailbone suffered in a sideline fall on Wednesday.
Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors goes to the basket against Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half at FedExForum on March 19, 2021 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
But with a dominant offensive display from Wiggins and 25 points from second-year guard Jordan Poole — who got the start in place of Curry — the Warriors won for the first time in three games without Curry this season.