Markkanen scores 21, Jazz rally in fourth quarter to beat Bucks 123-108
Sun, Feb 4, 2024
NBA News (AP)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Lauri Markkanen scored 21 points to lead the Utah Jazz to a 123-108 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday night.
Collin Sexton scored 19 points to help the Jazz snap a three-game losing streak. John Collins added 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Keyonte George had 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 33 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds. Bobby Portis added 27 points and Malik Beasley had 16. Damian Lillard added 12 points, six assists, and a season-high two blocks as Milwaukee played without starters Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton.
The Bucks scored 19 points off 16 Utah turnovers and did not give up a point off a turnover until late in the third quarter.
After trailing by 19 points, Utah erased the deficit in the fourth quarter. Kelly Olynyk and Markkanen made back-to-back 3-pointers to start a 19-3 run that put the Jazz up 104-102 with 6:26 left. Markkanen capped the rally with a second go-ahead 3-pointer.
Milwaukee briefly retook a one-point lead on a layup from Antetokounmpo before the Jazz pulled away for good. Utah scored on six straight possessions - bookended by baskets from George - to extend its lead to 123-108 with less than a minute left.
The Jazz outscored the Bucks 40-13 in the fourth quarter.
AJ Green, Cameron Payne, and Jae Crowder combined to knock down four 3-pointers to fuel a 19-2 Milwaukee run to open the second quarter. Antetokounmpo punctuated the spurt with a running layup that gave the Bucks a 45-34 lead. Utah missed 8 of 9 field goals and committed four turnovers over the first five minutes of the quarter.
Milwaukee extended its lead to 61-42 before halftime after Antetokounmpo tipped in a layup to cap a string of six straight possessions where the Bucks scored.
UP NEXT
Bucks: At Phoenix on Tuesday night.
Jazz: Hosts Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
"