FILE – Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz celebrates a play during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 26, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Alex Goodlett/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Alex Goodlett / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Donovan Mitchell scored 42 points and the Utah Jazz became the first team in the NBA to reach the 40-win mark with a 128-112 victory Saturday night over the Sacramento Kings in Salt Lake City.
Mike Conley added 26 points and Joe Ingles contributed 20 off the bench, with both players sinking five 3-pointers, to help the Jazz overcome a double-digit deficit en route to a rout of the Kings.
It was Utah’s 24th straight win at home and the team’s 11th win in 13 games.
Mitchell didn’t have the most efficient shooting night. He only hit 12 of 31 field goals, including 3-for-12 from 3-point range, but he made up for it at the free-throw line by sinking 15 of 17 foul shots.
The two-time All-Star, who’s playing like an MVP right now, became the first Jazz player since Hall of Famer Karl Malone to score 35 points in three consecutive games.
🎵 30 2nd half PTS (42 overall)
🎵 3rd in a row with 35+ PTS
🎵 24 straight home wins for Utah@spidadmitchell x @utahjazz pic.twitter.com/eJvNJsTamn— NBA (@NBA) April 11, 2021
De’Aaron Fox scored 30 and Richaun Holmes poured in 25 points for Sacramento, but the Kings couldn’t hold on to an early 11-point lead.
This game got away from the Kings late. Sacramento used an 11-1 run midway through the fourth quarter to get back into it — after a 17-1 run by the Jazz — and actually went up 105-104 on a Harrison Barnes dunk with 6:05 remaining.
But Jazz backup forward Georges Niang then hit a 3-pointer to signal the beginning of the end for Utah. With Mitchell and Conley taking over, the Jazz used a 19-4 surge, including a 12-0 spurt, to turn the game into a blowout in the final moments.
Utah outscored Sacramento 69-47 in the second half.
Rudy Gobert and Royce O’Neale only combined for 11 points, but O’Neale had a team-high 14 rebounds and Gobert hauled down 11 boards with two blocked shots.
All five Kings starters scored, with Buddy Hield adding 19 points and Barnes and Maurice Harkless combining for 22 points.