Spurs
Jazz's 60-Point Paint Attack Fends Off Late Spurs Rally, 119-109
The Utah Jazz beat the San Antonio Spurs 119-109 at the Delta Center, building a 26-point lead on a 60-34 paint advantage and 28 fast-break points. San Antonio clawed back with a 31-20 fourth quarter behind a 25-point night from bench guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie, but couldn't erase the damage from a 31-17 Jazz third quarter. Both teams are 0-0 this preseason, so the result carries no standings weight.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 9 d ago01The story of the nightFast Start, Third-Quarter BlowoutUtah built a 33-26 edge after one quarter, then held a 68-61 lead at the half.
Utah built a 33-26 edge after one quarter, then held a 68-61 lead at the half. The game turned in the third quarter, when the Jazz outscored San Antonio 31-17 to push the margin to 99-78 — a 21-point cushion built on interior scoring and transition buckets. San Antonio won the fourth quarter 31-20, but the deficit built over the first three frames was too much to climb back. Utah's biggest lead reached 26 points, and the Spurs never led at any point, a product of San Antonio struggling to find separation on defense all night.
02Bench Scoring Carries Both SidesSan Antonio's lone bright spot came off the bench, where Ja'Kobi Gillespie dropped 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting,…
San Antonio's lone bright spot came off the bench, where Ja'Kobi Gillespie dropped 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-8 from three, to lead all scorers. Harrison Barnes added 19 points, going 10-of-12 at the free-throw line, and Keldon Johnson chipped in 15. For Utah, no one scored more than Darryn Peterson's 14 points and 5 assists, but production was spread out: Keyonte George had 13 on 5-of-7 shooting, Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 13 on 6-of-8, and Isaiah Collier added 11 points, 5 assists and 5 steals off the bench.
03Won in the Paint and on the BreakUtah shot 51.7% from the field (45-of-87) against San Antonio's 39.3% (35-of-89), and the biggest gap came inside:…
Utah shot 51.7% from the field (45-of-87) against San Antonio's 39.3% (35-of-89), and the biggest gap came inside: the Jazz scored 60 points in the paint to the Spurs' 34, and added 28 fast-break points to San Antonio's 10. Utah's bench also outproduced San Antonio's, 57-47. The three-point line favored the Spurs, who made 15-of-42 compared to Utah's 9-of-23, and San Antonio had more steals and blocks combined, but neither team separated on turnovers — each committed 22. Those partial advantages weren't enough to offset Utah's efficiency and interior scoring.
04A Preseason Tune-Up for Both ClubsThis was a preseason game, so the result carries no standings weight, but it offered an early look at each roster.
This was a preseason game, so the result carries no standings weight, but it offered an early look at each roster. Utah got efficient production from a deep rotation — nine different players scored, led by Peterson, George and Jackson — a sign of the depth the Jazz will lean on. San Antonio got a loud answer at backup guard from Gillespie, who outscored every Jazz starter, but the Spurs' 22 turnovers and 39.3% shooting are the kind of mistakes they'll need to clean up before the games start counting.
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