Winning in Utah is never easy, even when your name is Phoenix and you’ve dominated in the West since the start of the season. Even without its two major players, and even led by 21 points after 12 minutes, the Jazz held off the NBA leader before cracking in the very last moments.
The Suns kicked off with a hot start and an already hot Devin Booker, notably on his dunk on the counterattack after a Bismack Biyombo block on Joe Ingles to fuel a 19-5 entry. On his way, the Phoenix guard was involved in the next 21 points for his team, with 16 units for his apple and two assists to Ishmail Wainright at 3-pointers and Jalen Smith. After 12 minutes, Utah was relegated to 21 lengths (18-39)!
Impossible mission ? Not for the Jazzmen who responded in stride, mainly thanks to shots from Jordan Clarkson and following an 11-2 past by the Bogdanovic-Ingles pair to end the first half (48-50). A new match began after the break, and Phoenix quickly regained control, with 9 points from the inevitable Devin Booker to recreate a gap of ten lengths (55-65), kept until the start of the fourth quarter (64 -74).
This time, it was the turn of Chris Paul and Bismack Biyombo to do the job to respond to the onslaught of the Conley-Clarkson pair and maintain a reasonable distance to score. Author of 15 of its 21 points in the last act, CP3 was able to establish its domination by aligning the decisive baskets, its trademark in the end of games at stake, especially when the Jazz returned to -2 three minutes from the start. late (92-94).
This was one and Phoenix showed up with the help of Devin Booker and his leader to go 10-2 at the best time and win with style on hostile ground (97-105 ).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– The turning point at the end of the match. Back in the game in the money-time, at home, facing a direct competitor for the first places, Utah definitely fell when Hassan Whiteside passed the offensive foul + technical foul combo when the score was 94-98. Devin Booker was responsible for registering the two free throws before killing the game with a shot at the buzzer of the next possession, bringing the score to 101-94.
– Utah uNBAlanced without Rudy Gobert. The absence of the French once again revealed the flaws of this Utah team, dominated on the rebound like Devin Booker’s 12 catches (career record) and struggling to defend his paint. An equation that allowed the Suns to control the match, practically from A to Z.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Devin Booker. The back burst the screen in the first act (21 points) but had kept some under the elbow for a possible end of the match in suspense. Upon arrival, Devin Booker made a high-ranking performance with his double-double at 43 points (16/28 shooting) and 12 rebounds.
✅ Suns axis 1-5. Chris Paul knows how to use the stature and physical dimension of Bismack Biyombo to make Phoenix shine. This night, the two players were still up to the task, the first (21 points, 5 assists) by guiding his team to victory in the last act, the second for having constantly weighed on the racket opponent, between his 12 points and his 6 rebounds without forgetting his 3 blocks.
⛔ Bojan Bogdanovic. The Croatian was the “negative” X factor of this evening since he did not seize the opportunity of the absence of two major players to raise his level of play. Worse, he even weighed on the attack of his team with his clumsiness (3/13) to get a good hole with 7 small points at the finish.
THE FOLLOWING
Utah (30-19): the Jazz continues with a big piece since the Salt Lake City players will be expected in Memphis this Friday
Phoenix (38-9): back home for the Minnesota reception this Friday
