Suns lose late lead, rally but fall in final second
Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points, including the game-winning free throw with 0.4 seconds left, and the Utah Jazz rallied to beat the Phoenix Suns 96-95 on Monday night.
Mitchell took the ball in the backcourt in the final seconds and then drove through the lane, getting fouled by Devin Booker as he tried to make a layup. He made the first free throw before missing the second, and Frank Kaminsky III’s last-second heave was well short.
Bojan Bogdanovic led the Jazz with 29 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range.
Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 18 rebounds and made 11 of 12 free-throw attempts.
The teams were tied at 70 heading into the fourth quarter before the Suns pushed ahead with five straight points. The game was tied again when Bogdanovic scored on a fast-break layup and was fouled with 1:45 left. He made the free throw to push the Jazz ahead 95-92.
Phoenix (2-2) was led by Booker’s 21 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 18 and Jevon Carter had 15, including a 3-pointer that tied it at 95 with less than minute left.
Aron Baynes scored 12 points for the Suns, including a career-high three 3pointers. He made just 25 shots beyond the arc in his first seven seasons combined, including 21 last year.
Ricky Rubio faced Utah (3-1) for the first time since signing a free-agent deal with the Suns in the offseason. He finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Both teams struggled to make shots in the first half as the Jazz built a 46-39 lead. Bogdanovic led Utah with 14 points. one game with a left knee contusion. … Ty Jerome is out with a sprained right ankle. … Booker got a Flagrant 1 foul in the third quarter for hitting Gobert in the groin while fighting around a screen.