Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles combined for 10 three-pointers as the Utah Jazz overwhelmed the Houston Rockets from the perimeter in their 112-89 road victory on Wednesday, April 21 (Thursday, April 22, Manila time).
Clarkson fired 22 points off the bench on 4-for-9 three-point shooting while Ingles finished 6-for-10 from behind the arc for 21 points as the Jazz (44-15), first in the NBA in three-pointers made and attempted per game, went 17-for-46 from deep.
Utah outpaced the Rockets (15-44) in every conceivable manner but the three-point shooting resonated as Houston shot 10-for-49 on threes.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 14 points and hit three from beyond the arc while Georges Niang chipped in 13 points and three triples off the bench.
Niang was instrumental in the run that bridged the first and second periods that enabled the Jazz to reclaim control after Houston closed to 28-27 on a John Wall three-point play.
Clarkson and Niang hit threes to close the frame, part of a 14-0 run to a 42-27 lead.
When the Rockets fashioned a 9-0 run to cut what once was a 17-point deficit to 49-41 late in the second quarter, the Jazz capped the first half with a 12-2 spurt that featured 10 combined points from Ingles and Bogdanovic, both of whom drilled three-pointers during the surge.
Utah led 61-43 at the intermission as Ingles, Niang, and Clarkson shot a combined 9-for-16 from deep. The Jazz hit 11-of-25 three-pointers prior to the break before opening the second half with a 19-5 blitz that put the game out of reach.
Royce O’Neale and Ingles converted turnovers from Christian Wood and Wall into a dunk and three-pointer, respectively, and when Clarkson sank two free throws at the 5:39 mark of the third quarter, the Jazz led 80-48. Utah led by as many as 36.
Rudy Gobert wasn’t part of the three-point barrage for Utah but finished with 19 points, 18 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots.
Wall led the Rockets with 21 points and 6 assists while Wood chipped in 16 points and 8 boards. – Rappler.com
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