Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap carry Utah Jazz over Toronto Raptors in a triple overtime thriller: NBA Recap
Paul Millsap scored 7 of his 34 points in the third overtime while Al Jefferson scored 24 and grabbed 17 rebounds as Utah Jazz got their first road win of this season, beating Toronto Raptors 140-133 in triple overtime on Monday
night. It was Raptors’ eighth straight home loss against Utah Jazz.
Utah were down by 11 in the fourth quarter before a late charge by them took the game to overtime. Al Jefferson had scored only one three point shot in his entire 9 year career up till this game but tonight he nailed one in from
downtown with just two seconds on the regulation to tie the score and take the game to overtime.
Raptors led for most of the regular time but could not keep up with the Jazz in the final quarter which allowed Utah to come back in the game.
The Raptors were up 97-86 with only seven minutes on the clock. Jazz started cutting the margin and a Millsap layup cut the deficit to 101-102. Johnson tipped one in to put Toronto up by 104-101 with only 16 seconds on the clock.
The Raptors fans almost started celebrating before Jefferson fired a three pointer to extend the game.
Utah were up 108-104 early in the first overtime before Dominic McGuire tipped one in to cut the deficit to 109-110. DeMar DeRozan’s dunk shot put the Raptors up 115-113 before Jefferson once again came to the Jazz rescue as he
fired a hook shot in the final moments to tie the score n.
The intensity of the game can be judged from the fact that again in the second overtime both teams scored an equal number of points. Marvin Williams’ free throws put the Jazz up by 125-122 with only 11 seconds on the clock but
John Lucas III drained a three pointer to tie the score in the closing moments of the second overtime.
A Jose Calderon three pointer early in the third overtime put the Raptors up 130-129, but Jazz kicked off a 7-0 run that put them up 136-130, with only 90 seconds on the clock. Jefferson banked one in to cement the Jazz lead at
138-131. McGuire fouled to gift two additional points to Jazz which Millsap took gladly as Jazz went up 140-133. They then defended well in the final moments of the game to emerge victorious 140-133.
Mo Williams had 17 points and 14 assists, Randy Foye and Marvin Williams chipped in with 20 and 17 points respectively as Jazz avoided going 0-5 down on the road. Utah Jazz shot 53.8 percent from the three point range compared
to 33.3 percent by the Raptors.
DeMar DeRozan equalled his career high 37 points , Jose Calderon fetched 20 points and 17 assists , Amir Johnson managed 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds while Linas Kleiza scored 20 points and hauled in 7 rebounds for the home
side.
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