Spurs snap Utah’s 8-game win streak on Lonnie Walker IV’s late bucket
Lonnie Walker IV #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the second half of a game against the LA Clippers at Staples Center on November 16, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images/AFP
Lonnie Walker IV made a sensational basket in the waning moments as the San Antonio Spurs stormed back to upset the Utah Jazz 128-126 Friday night in Salt Lake City.
Keldon Johnson scored 24 points and Derrick White added 22 for the Spurs, who trailed by 17 points in the second half before rallying for the victory, which snapped the Jazz’s eight-game winning streak.
Article continues after this advertisementWalker made the play of the game, driving into 7-foot-1 center Rudy Gobert, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and contorting his body with a high-arching fadeaway for the go-ahead score with 14.9 seconds left.
Walker finished with 19 points and was one of seven Spurs players in double figures. Dejounte Murray had a triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
Lonnie Walker IV with the TOUGH shot over the defense, for the lead! @spurs 128@utahjazz 126
2.1 left on League Pass. Jazz ball.https://t.co/wVIrg2Swvb pic.twitter.com/XaVIq4wdrj
— NBA (@NBA) December 18, 2021
Donovan Mitchell led the Jazz with 27 points, including several buckets in the final minutes when the teams exchanged leads. But his potential game-winning attempt at the buzzer was way off.
Jordan Clarkson contributed 21 points off the bench for the Jazz, while Mike Conley added 18. Gobert scored 16 with 14 rebounds, and Bojan Bogdanovic also totaled 16 points.
A Gobert dunk with 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter gave Utah a 78-63 lead.
San Antonio began its comeback with a Johnson 3. The Spurs used a 9-0 run moments later to trim the Jazz’s lead to one at 91-90 and then scored the final five of the third quarter for a 100-96 lead.
Johnson gave the Spurs their largest lead at 113-107 with 5:23 left. However, the Jazz clawed back into it, tying it at 117-117.
The teams took turns holding the lead. White hit a jumper followed by a Conley floater. Jakob Poeltl, the former University of Utah player who finished with 14 points, then scored a putback basket followed by a Mitchell layup and free throw.
White then made a bucket before the Jazz took their final lead at 126-125 on a Mitchell basket with 33.3 left, setting up Walker’s heroics.
