NEW YORK (AFP) — Jordan Clarkson scored 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter as the Utah Jazz thwarted Portland’s furious comeback bid to beat the Trail Blazers, 118-113, in a duel of the National Basketball Association’s top Western Conference teams on Saturday.
The surprising Jazz improved to 12-6 to move a game ahead of Portland and the Memphis Grizzlies atop the West.
It was a doubly disappointing night for the Blazers, who saw star guard Damian Lillard depart late in the third quarter after he aggravated the right calf injury that saw him miss four games earlier this season.
The Jazz lost guard Mike Conley to a knee injury in the third quarter and saw a 19-point second-half lead erased before pulling away for the win.
Malik Beasley led the Jazz with 29 points and Lauri Markkanen added 23 with 10 rebounds.
The Trail Blazers had taken a 108-107 lead with two minutes remaining when Clarkson took control, draining a three-pointer, converting a three-point play and making a pull up jumper to push the Jazz back to a 115-109 lead.
The Blazers whittled the gap to two points before Beasley added a pair of clutch free throws as the Jazz pulled out another close one a day after their 134-133 win over Phoenix.
Tight finishes were the order of the day on Saturday.
Tare Young scored 33 points and lofted a pass from midcourt to rookie AJ Griffin for the game-winning alley-oop layup at the buzzer in the Atlanta Hawks’ 124-122 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors.
It came down to the wire in Philadelphia, where the Minnesota Timberwolves turned back a late charge from the 76ers for a 112-109 victory.
The Indiana Pacers pulled out a close one, edging the Orlando Magic, 114-113.
Only the Los Angeles Clippers bucked the trend, trouncing the San Antonio Spurs, 119-97.
