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Jazz beat Magic in OT in crucial playoff-push game

Apr 22, 2012 - 6:25 AM Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - Al Jefferson had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Devin Harris added 21 points and seven assists as the Utah Jazz downed the Orlando Magic in overtime, 117-107, on Saturday.

Paul Millsap finished with 18 points and nine rebounds for the Jazz, who have won three in a row.

"Nothing is easy," Utah head coach Tyrone Corbin said. "This bunch of guys... I can't say enough about how they really gutted it out again tonight."

Utah is one game ahead of Phoenix and Houston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Suns lost to Denver on Saturday, while Houston topped Golden State.

The Jazz will host Phoenix on Tuesday and can clinch a playoff spot with a win.

Jason Richardson and Ryan Anderson tallied 21 points apiece for playoff-bound Orlando.

"We just cannot guard, we cannot," Orlando head coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I don't think it is that our guys are not trying, I don't know what it is, but we cannot guard anyone...Our defense is disturbing to say the least."

Trailing 95-90 midway through the fourth quarter, the Jazz went on a 9-3 spurt, which was capped when Harris threaded a pass underneath for Derrick Favors, who slammed it home for a 99-98 Jazz lead with 1:40 remaining in regulation.

Anderson nailed a triple from the left corner to give Orlando a 101-99 edge before Jefferson tied the contest with a jump hook in the paint with 21.4 seconds left.

Jameer Nelson's straightaway trey was blocked by Harris with 2.0 seconds to play, sending the contest into an extra session.

The Jazz dominated overtime.

With the game tied 103-103, Favors' jump shot followed by two Millsap free throws gave Utah a 107-103 lead with 3:09 remaining.

After Glen Davis' layup cut the deficit to two, Gordon Hayward swished a backbreaking triple from the right wing, giving the Jazz a 110-105 edge with 1:38 on the clock.

Harris' driving layup widened the gap to seven, and following two J.J. Redick free throws, Harris sealed the win with a trey for a 115-107 margin with 37.9 to go.

Orlando outscored Utah 36-23 in the opening stanza, but the Jazz battled back in the second to tie the game at 55-all heading into the locker room.

A 16-0 Magic run in the third quarter propelled them to a 78-67 lead midway through the frame before the Jazz responded by cutting the margin to 83-81 heading into the fourth.

Game Notes

Favors finished with 16 points and 11 boards...The Jazz had a 62-36 points in the paint advantage...Orlando was 15-of-38 from beyond the arc, while the Jazz finished 19-of-23 from the charity stripe.