Trail Blazers 89 - 93 Jazz
Final
  for this game

Utah outlasts Portland in comeback win

Jan 31, 2012 - 5:37 AM Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - Gordon Hayward came up big on the defensive end late in regulation and hit the clinching free throws in the waning seconds, as the Jazz came back and defeated the Trail Blazers, 93-89.

Paul Millsap finished with 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Jazz, who came back from an 11-point second-half deficit despite being without injured starters Al Jefferson (ankle) and Raja Bell (right adductor).

C.J. Miles chipped in 15 points off the bench, while Devin Harris and Josh Howard contributed 13 and 11 points, respectively, in Utah's second straight win.

"I'm really proud of this entire group," Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin said. "There's no quit in this group of guys."

Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge scored a game-high 25 points, but netted just two in the fourth quarter. Nicolas Batum had 15 points but limped off the court after turning the ball over in the final minute.

The Jazz took their first lead of the second half, 80-79, on Millsap's mid- range jumper near the midway point of the fourth quarter.

The basket was part of a 13-0 run that Miles capped with a free throw for an 87-79 cushion with 4:13 remaining.

A bucket by Aldridge and a three-pointer by Batum cut the deficit to three, and Portland appeared to get closer with Jamal Crawford streaking in for a layup with two minutes remaining.

But Hayward soared for a critical block, and Millsap used a spin move on right block to pad the lead.

Crawford responded with a runner following a Batum free throw to pull within 89-87, and Portland got the ball back when Batum picked Millsap's pocket.

Batum, though, lost the ball with time winding down and appeared to suffer a knee injury in the process. Hayward made 3-of-4 free throws in the final 13.4 seconds -- the last two coming off an offensive rebound -- to seal the win.

"We simply got outworked," Blazers head coach Nate McMillan said. "That team wanted it more than we did. It showed in their play."

Utah shot just 30 percent from the field in the first half and trailed 26-20 at the end of the opening quarter and 45-39 at the break.

The Blazers led by as many as 11 in the third, but Utah scored 10 straight late in the frame to pull within 63-62. Portland was on top 70-69 heading to the fourth.

Game Notes

Hayward was 0-for-8 in the first half but finished with 12 points...The Blazers fell to 3-8 on the road this season...Utah had 24 second-chance points to Portland's 11...Crawford finished with 14 points in defeat.






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