De’Aaron Fox (31) delivers in clutch as Spurs slow Jazz
De'Aaron Fox hit four threes in the fourth quarter and had a game-high 31 points as the San Antonio Spurs overcame a triple-double by Jusuf Nurkic and defeated the Utah Jazz 126-109 on Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
Ace Bailey, a rookie out of Rutgers, had a career-high 25 points for Utah, while Nurkic posted 17 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds. Nurkic became the first player in franchise history with consecutive triple-doubles since Pete Maravich with the New Orleans Jazz in 1975.
Victor Wembanyama had 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Spurs, who have win four of five and hold the second-best record in the Western Conference. Utah has lost five of its last six.
A soaring dunk by Bailey made the score 99-all with 10:29 to go, but the Spurs responded with a game-defining 10-0 run started by a layup by Keldon Johnson (21 points) and ending with a three by Fox.
After six points in a row by Utah, Fox nailed back-to-back threes, one from the wing and one from the corner to push the Spurs up 10 at 115-105 with 4:20 left. Fox added another three at the three-minute mark as San Antonio ended the game on a 9-0 run.
Meeting for the second time in four days, the teams were tied 31-all at the end of the first quarter. Utah started the second quarter cold and San Antonio built a 15-point lead at 48-33 with 7:48 left. The Spurs led 65-53 at halftime.
The third quarter included four-point plays for both teams within a one-minute span. Wembanyama performed the trick after being fouled by Nurkic on a three with 8:55 left, and 46 seconds later, Keyonte George (23 points) was fouled on a three by Stephon Castle and also made his subsequent free throw.
The Jazz pulled even at 81-all on a baseline dunk by Cody Williams with 4:15 left in the third, but the Spurs closed the quarter strong, taking advantage of a technical foul on Jazz veteran Kevin Love to lead 97-92 entering the fourth.
San Antonio won two of the teams' three meetings this season.