Lauri Markkanen scored 21 points to help the Utah Jazz beat the Milwaukee Bucks 123-108 on Sunday night.
Collin Sexton has 19 points to help the Jazz break a three-game losing streak. Keyonte George had 19 points and 10 rebounds, while John Collins contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds.
During the fourth quarter, the Jazz outscored the Bucks 40-13.
Utah scored 15 points off 7 turnovers in the final 1½ quarters. In the final 12 minutes, the Jazz allowed only four baskets.
“We were getting stops, which kind of fed into the offense,” Markkanen said. “Offense and defense are often treated individually, although they actually work together. You get stops, you sprint, and then you get nice shoots.”
The Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 33 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds. Bobby Portis had 27 points, while Malik Beasley had 16. Milwaukee was without starters Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton, but Damian Lillard contributed 12 points, six assists, and a season-high two blocks.
The Bucks scored 19 points off 16 Utah turnovers and did not allow a single basket until late in the third quarter.
Everything fell apart in the fourth quarter, when Milwaukee couldn’t hit a shot for long minutes.
“I don’t think it was the energy; I think we need to make shots,” Antetokounmpo explained. “There were many wide-open shots that we didn’t take. Utah overcame a 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter by making one or two key shots. Kelly Olynyk and Markkanen hit back-to-back three-pointers to spark a 19-3 run that put the Jazz up 104-102 with 6:26 remaining. Markkanen completed the rally with a second go-ahead 3-pointer.
Milwaukee briefly regained a one-point lead on Antetokounmpo’s layup before the Jazz pulled away for good. Utah scored on six straight possessions, bookended by George baskets, to go up 123-108 with less than a minute left.
“We couldn’t script better shots,” Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “Every shot was wide open, but everything was front rim.”
The Bucks lost the second game of a back-to-back set for the second time this season. In the final minutes, they couldn’t match Utah’s depth.
“We do know they played last night, so we tried to up the tempo and up the pressure a little bit,” Sexton told ESPN.
AJ Green, Cameron Payne, and Jae Crowder combined for four 3-pointers to help Milwaukee open the second quarter with a 19-2 run. Antetokounmpo capped the outburst with a running layup that put the Bucks ahead 45-34. Utah missed 8 of 9 field goals and had four turnovers in the first five minutes of the quarter.
Milwaukee’s lead was increased to 61-42 before halftime when Antetokounmpo tipped in a layup to conclude a streak of six consecutive possessions in which the Bucks scored.
“The second quarter got away from us,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said, noting that Utah had nine turnovers in the period. “Our offense was so stagnant. We didn’t make any rapid ball judgments.”
Utah was able to rally in the second half, thanks in part to rim defense. Milwaukee had just 10 points in the paint in the second half, and the Jazz had a 52-32 rebounding lead.
