Sexton has season-high 25 points, Jazz beat Trail Blazers 118-113 in OT
By JOHN COON
Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Collin Sexton scored a season-high 25 points, Keyonte George had a career-high 21 points to go with six rebounds and six assists and the Utah Jazz beat the Portland Trail Blazers 118-113 in overtime Saturday night.
John Collins added 17 points, and Omer Yurtseven had a season-high 15 rebounds. Utah beat Portland at home for the second time this season.
Malcolm Brogdon and Shaedon Sharpe had 25 points each for Portland. Scoot Henderson added a career-high 17.
“Tonight, I felt like we had to buckle down and help one another, especially when Sharpe and Brogdon got it going in that overtime as well as before overtime,” Sexton said.
Brogdon bookended a 9-0 run with a layup and 3-pointer to cut Utah’s lead to 96-94 midway through the fourth quarter. Sexton stopped the spurt with three free throws.
Portland made another push and tied it at 106 on Brogdon’s 3-pointer with 41 seconds left in regulation.
“We gave ourselves so many chances to win the game,” Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “Our defense and our toughness and grit allowed us to stay within striking distance and then to get over the hump when we started hitting shots.”
Toumani Camara blocked Sexton’s potential winning layup at the buzzer to force overtime.
“I’m trying to make as many winning plays as possible,” Camara said. “It obviously wasn’t enough to win us the game but it was what I could do in the moment.”
Yurtseven put Utah back ahead for good in overtime when he threw down a putback dunk with 1:14 remaining, giving the Jazz a 115-113 lead.
“I think Omer is vital for us,” George said. “He stepped up to the plate. We all see it in practice. We all see how hard he works. We all see how vocal he is at times and how physical he is. He goes about his work in the right way each and every day.”
Utah never trailed during the second half after using a 29-9 run to take a 56-40 lead in the second quarter. Sexton scored five of Utah’s first six baskets in the quarter to help spark the go-ahead run.
Portland had a five-minute stretch during the second quarter where it did not score a basket and totaled just six field goals in the quarter.
“I thought the second quarter was huge for us,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “Our defense allowed us to play relatively comfortably on the offensive end where you’re not feeling like you have to score on every possession, so the game doesn’t get away from you.”
Jerami Grant exited to the Portland locker room with 8:25 left in the fourth quarter after hitting heads with Yurtseven. Grant did not return. Billups said he will be reexamined in Portland on Sunday to determine if he had a concussion.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: At Golden State on Wednesday night.
Jazz: At Dallas on Wednesday night.
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