Paul Millsap stars as Utah Jazz overpower Denver Nuggets 106-96 - NBA Recap (Part 1)
The last time Utah Jazz met the Denver Nuggets in this shortened season on 28th December 2011, it resulted in absolute carnage and the Jazz were literally steamrolled.
On Sunday night, both teams met for the second time and on this occasion, Jazz turned out to be the better team and successfully avenged their defeat by subduing the Nuggets 106-96, improving their record to 8-4.
Apart from the last 10 minutes of the game in which the Jazz took complete control, it was an exciting encounter.
The Nuggets were only behind by 2 points 79-81 in the first two minutes of the last frame but what followed next was a 10-2 burst by the Jazz, capped by star of the night Paul Millsap, and it turned the game completely in the favour of Utah.
The Nuggets, stunned by the attack, failed to recover and lost the game by a double-digit margin at the end.
"We controlled the tempo of the game by executing our offense, which didn't allow them to get out in transition," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "For the most part, we really controlled the tempo of the game."
Millsap was phenomenal and led the Jazz with a game high 26 points on 12-for-19 from the floor and 12 rebounds. He attacked right from the word go and continued penetrating the opponents D until the end.
"I just found a rhythm, just found a zone," Millsap said. "My teammates did a great job of finding me. There was a mismatch and we tried to expose it. Our team is very unselfish and they find the guy with the mismatch. You get in a zone like that, you get
hot and start feeling it, guys just start looking for you."
Gordon Hayward registered 19 points while Al Jefferson had a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Devin Harris and the reserve Alec Burks accumulated 10 points apiece.
Jazz were accurate from the floor, shooting a healthy (44-85) 51.8% from the region, and held the upper hand in assists as well, outmatching the opponents (27-21).
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