NBA: Jordan Clarkson posts the 1st Jazz triple-double since 2008
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Utah Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson (00) celebrates with Keyonte George (3) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
SALT LAKE CITY— Jordan Clarkson came off the bench to post the first regular-season triple-double by a Utah player since 2008, leading the Jazz to a 127-90 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night.
Clarkson had 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds — the first triple-double of his career — and the first for the Jazz in a regular-season game since Carlos Boozer had one on Feb. 13, 2008, a stretch of 1,256 games. Also, Clarkson’s triple-double was the first in more than 40 years for a Jazz player coming off the bench, dating to Feb. 5, 1983, when Mark Eaton had 12 points, 14 rebounds and 12 blocked shots.
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The 31-year-old Clarkson achieved the triple-double in his 685th regular-season game, and 728th game of his career. He was a second-round pick, 46th overall, in the 2014 draft by Washington before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018 and moved to the Jazz in 2019.
Jordan Clarkson secures his first career triple-double and becomes the first Jazz player with a triple-double since Carlos Boozer on 2/13/2008. pic.twitter.com/iItFL9Nwen
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2024
Simone Fontecchio paced the Jazz with 24 points. Lauri Markkanen added 17 points and John Collins chipped in 15. Walker Kessler had team-highs of 10 rebounds and four blocks, along with 11 points.
Utah won a fourth straight home game and avenged a 50-point loss to Dallas in December. The Jazz have won eight of their last 11 games.
Luke Doncic led the Mavericks with 19 points, 14 assists and six rebounds. Jaden Hardy hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points for Dallas.
READ: Jordan Clarkson relishes leadership role for Utah Jazz
Kyrie Irving returned to action after missing 12 games with a bruised heel and finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists as the Mavericks lost to the Jazz for just the second time in eight meetings.
The Jazz got an early spark from Fontecchio, who scored 12 of Utah’s first 14 points. He made five baskets overall in the first quarter — including three 3-pointers.
Fontecchio’s early scoring set the stage for a 16-7 run that put the Jazz up 37-26 going into the second quarter. Kessler and Clarkson punctuated Utah’s run by scoring a pair of baskets apiece over four straight possessions.
The Mavericks trimmed a 12-point deficit to 70-67 early in the third quarter after Derek Lively II dished to Hardy for a corner 3-pointer and followed with back-to-back baskets. Fontecchio and Markkanen threw down back-to-back dunks to stop the 9-0 Dallas run.
The Jazz pulled away for good behind a 16-4 run to extend its lead to 97-79 early in the fourth quarter. Clarkson scored or assisted five of six Utah baskets during the decisive run.
NEXT SCHEDULE
Dallas: Hosts Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.
Utah: Hosts Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
