Mike Conley Scores 25 Points, Jazz Beat Celtics 99-94
BOSTON (AP) — Mike Conley made six 3-pointers and scored 25 points, Jordan Clarkson added 17 and the Utah Jazz beat the Boston Celtics 99-94 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory.
Donovan Mitchell added 11 points, and Rudy Gobert had nine points, seven rebounds and three blocks. The Jazz won their third straight at Boston, capitalizing on the short-handed Celtics' shooting woes. Boston has lost three of four and three straight at home.
The Celtics were without injured forwards Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward.
Marcus Smart led Boston with 29 points. Jayson Tatum added 18 points, Kemba Walker had 13 points and seven assists, and Daniel Theis finished with 12 points and nine rebounds.
Boston couldn't overcome Utah's torrid shooting that the Jazz rode to a 16-point lead in the second quarter. Utah made 17 of 45 3-pointers.
The Jazz led 62-49 at halftime after shooting 60.5 percent (23 for 38) in the first two quarters. Utah hit 13 of 21 3-pointers in the half, going 8 for 11 from long distance in the second quarter.
The Celtics opened the third quarter on an 11-3 run that got Boston right back in it, but only briefly. Tatum's free throw after a technical foul on Mitchell pulled Boston to 66-61, but O'Neale answered with a 3-pointer — the first of the second half for the Jazz — and Utah quickly pushed the lead back up to double-figures, taking a 79-66 lead into the final period.
A three-point play by Wanamaker pulled Boston within 87-78 with 6:54 remaining, but Boston never threatened and a 3-pointer by Smart just before the final buzzer made the outcome seem closer than it was.
TIP-INS
Jazz: Closed the first quarter on a 14-2 run and led 30-29 entering the second period. … Utah's three straight wins at Boston are the most for the Jazz since winning seven in a row from 1992-99. … Mitchell was called for a technical foul with 6:21 left in the third after complaining about a call.
Celtics: Brown (right hamstring strain) and Hayward (right knee contusion) were both out of the lineup for the second straight game with injuries. … Smart, fined $35,000 by the NBA Thursday for confronting officials after Tuesday night's overtime loss to Brooklyn, turned 26 on Friday. … Smart was called for a technical foul with 9:01 left in the fourth.
UP NEXT
Jazz: Wrap up a four-game trip at Detroit on Friday night.
Celtics: Host Oklahoma City on Sunday night.
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