Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kevin Jones (left) battles for a loose ball with Miami Heat’s Jarvis Varnado during the fourth quarter of their NBA basketball game in Cleveland, yesterday.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota: Utah kept their play-off hopes alive as Al Jefferson scored 22 points and had eight rebounds to lead the Jazz to a 96-80 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves yesterday.
Mo Williams finished with 15 points and seven assists while Randy Foye chipped in 14 points for Utah, who have won four of their last five National Basketball Association contests.
The Jazz are now one game behind the the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference play-offs.
Utah must win today’s game at Memphis and hope that Los Angeles loses to Houston today in order to make it to the postseason. Utah holds the tiebreaker over the Lakers by virtue of winning the season series.
Derrick Williams scored 18 points for the Timberwolves, who were looking to finish over .500 at the Target Center for the first time since the 2005-06.
Dante Cunningham and J.J. Barea came off the bench to score 12 and 11 points, for the ‘Wolves who have lost four of their last five.
The Jazz 16-2 run to open the contest. They gave up the first basket of the game but never trailed after that.
Minnesota cut the deficit to 26-18 by the end of the first quarter but the Jazz led by eight, 49-41, at the half.
The Jazz’s third quarter was highlighted by two runs. They opened the third with a 8-2 run then Utah had another 10-2 run late in the quarter to lead 71-60 entering the fourth. Leading 77-68 with just over eight minutes left in the fourth, Foye drilled a three-pointer to start a 15-2 run and the Jazz had a 92-70 lead with less than three minutes to go.
The Jazz have swept the four-game season series with Minnesota and have won five straight and seven of eight from the ‘Wolves. Minnesota has taken two of four against Utah at home.
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder clinched home court advantage throughout the Western Conference play-offs by beating Sacramento 104-95 yesterday behind a 29-point effort from Kevin Durant.
“We were just trying to get some deflections and use our length a little bit to get out and score,” Durant said. “I think we did a good job of finishing.”
Durant also had eight assists and seven rebounds for the Thunder who scored 62 points in the paint compared to just 46 for the Kings in front of a crowd of 18,203 at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Russell Westbrook finished with 21 points and eight assists, while Serge Ibaka had 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in the National Basketball Association win.
Isaiah Thomas was the lone starter to reach double figures for the Kings as he finished the match with 16.
Travis Outlaw had 15 points while Cole Aldrich posted a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
The Thunder’s victory also means they completed the sweep of Sacramento in the season series.
Oklahoma City extended its lead to 24 points on two different occasions but the Kings refused to quit and Aldrich made it a 14-point game with an offensive rebound and jumper on their final possession of the third quarter.
Reggie Jackson finished off a driving layup to send the Thunder into the fourth quarter with an 83-67 lead.
“Just getting some defensive stops,” Jackson said when asked about the keys to victory.
“That’s how we try to start the game. Who knows how the playoffs are going to go, every possession matters. We just got some key stops. Our guys did a good job pushing the lead again and just letting us finish.” AFP
