FILE–Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz. Chris Gardner/Getty Images/AFP
Donovan Mitchell blew up for 25 of his game-high 37 points in the third quarter to lead the Utah Jazz to a 125-110 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday in Salt Lake City.
Mitchell sank nine 3-pointers, seven of them in the third period.
Rudy Gobert amassed 14 points, 20 rebounds and four blocked shots, and the Jazz bench — led by Jordan Clarkson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker — gave the team a huge lift as Utah rebounded from a home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.
Clarkson scored 26 points, hitting 11 of 18 field-goal attempts, and Alexander-Walker contributed 16 points and played a key role in a game-clinching, 14-0 run in the fourth quarter. Utah’s bench outscored Chicago’s reserves 49-22.
Zach LaVine scored 33 points with five 3-pointers, DeMar DeRozan added 25 points, seven assists and five rebounds and Nikola Vucevic totaled 11 rebounds and 10 points as the Bulls fell for the seventh time in their past nine outings.
🔥 Donovan Mitchell's 3rd Quarter 🔥
25 PTS (8-13 FGM)
7 3PM (7-9 3PM) pic.twitter.com/DgNsSMvmIX— NBA (@NBA) March 17, 2022
The score was tied at 58-58 in the third quarter when Mitchell erupted.
Mitchell, who finished 12-for-22, began his sensational spurt with a layup and then responded to a LaVine 3-pointer with a deep shot of his own. His next six buckets were treys, with two made free throws thrown into the mix.
That eight-minute explosion lifted Utah to an 89-81 lead after three quarters.
Alexander-Walker scored six points early in the fourth as the Jazz took a 97-84 lead.
LaVine responded with 11 points in the ensuing 2:21, and the Bulls whittled their deficit down to 103-99 with 6:52 to go.
The Jazz then used a 14-point burst, sparked by Mitchell and Alexander-Walker, to go up 117-99 with 4:20 remaining. Alexander-Walker had eight points with two 3-pointers in that stretch.
Clarkson scored nine points in the second quarter to boost Utah to a 54-49 halftime lead after the teams finished the first quarter knotted at 27-all.
Mike Conley wound up with 14 points and seven assists for the Jazz, who have alternated wins and losses over their past nine games.