Ace Bailey’s 33 points help Jazz beat Bucks to end skid
Rookie Ace Bailey scored a season-best 33 points and matched his high of seven 3-pointers to lead the Utah Jazz to a convincing 128-96 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night at Salt Lake City.
Elijah Harkless produced career bests of 23 points and 10 assists and Cody Williams also had 23 points as the Jazz (21-49) broke a four-game losing streak. The win was just the third in the past 15 games for Utah.
Kyle Filipowski had 16 points and eight rebounds and Blake Hinson added 14 points off the bench for the Jazz, who lost 147-111 to the Minnesota Timberwolves one night earlier.
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out his second straight game due to a hyperextended left knee as the Bucks (28-41) lost for the 10th time in their past 12 games.
Ryan Rollins scored 15 points and Cam Thomas added 14 off the bench for Milwaukee. Ousmane Dieng tallied 13 and Kyle Kuzma and reserve Bobby Portis each had 11 points.
Utah's Brice Sensabaugh, who scored 41 points in the loss to the Timberwolves, sat out due to illness.
The Jazz shot 53.9% from the field, including 18 of 48 from 3-point range, and led by as many as 37 points.
The Bucks made 40.5% of their attempts and were 15 of 44 from behind the arc.
Milwaukee trailed by 20 at halftime but pulled within 74-63 on Dieng's fastbreak layup with 7:32 left in the third quarter.
However, the Jazz responded with a 17-5 surge. Williams capped it with a dunk to give Utah a 91-68 lead with 2:17 left in the quarter.
The Jazz led 94-73 entering the fourth quarter and Bailey knocked down a 3-pointer 15 seconds into the stanza. The advantage reached 30 for the first time when Bailey and Hinson made treys to make it 109-79 with 7:46 remaining.
Williams scored 19 first-half points as the Jazz led 64-44 at the break.
Utah led 30-19 after the opening quarter before the Bucks whittled their deficit to four just past the midway point of the second period.
The margin was six before the Jazz ran off 13 straight points, with Hinson capping it with a trey to make it 61-42 with 1:33 left in the half.