Jazz dampen Doncic’s return
Rudy Gobert gave Utah the lead with an alley-oop dunk with 11 seconds left and the host Jazz held off the Dallas Mavericks 100-99 on Saturday in Game 4 to tie the first-round series.
Spencer Dinwiddie missed a three-pointer at the buzzer for Dallas.
Utah held the Mavericks to 18 points in the fourth quarter after surrendering a double-digit lead in the second half. Dallas made just two baskets through the first seven minutes of the fourth and shot 33% overall in the quarter.
“This is the team we want to be,” Gobert said. “This is who we are.”
Dallas star Luka Doncic had 30 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in his return from a three-game absence because of a strained left calf.
“Getting my wind back,” Doncic said. “A little bit tired now but it felt great to be back.”
Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points for Utah and Donovan Mitchell added 23 points and seven assists. Gobert had 17 points and 15 rebounds — 10 off the offensive glass.
“We were down 12 at the half and we stayed the course, and it comes down to the last possession,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said.
After going 31⁄2 minutes without a basket, the Jazz took a 95-94 lead on Mitchell’s layup with 1:27 remaining.
Doncic answered with
back-to-back baskets to put Dallas up 99-95.
Mitchell converted a three-point play to bring Utah within one. Dwight Powell missed a pair of free throws with 19.8 seconds left, opening the door for Gobert’s winner.
at Minnesota 119, Memphis 118:
Karl-Anthony Towns roared back from two rough games with a career playoff-best 33 points and 14 rebounds, helping the
Timberwolves move past their Game 3 collapse to even the series at 2-2.
Anthony Edwards scored 24 points and former Trojan Jordan McLaughlin went four for four from threepoint range to pitch in 16 points as the Timberwolves relentlessly attacked the basket and went 31 for 40 from the foul line.
Towns hit 14 of 17 free throws and was the catalyst down the stretch with 13 points in the fourth quarter.
Desmond Bane scored 34 for Memphis.
Boston 109, at Brooklyn 103:
Jayson Tatum scored 39 points and Jaylen Brown had 23 as the Celtics took a 3-0 series lead over the Nets.
Boston again made it difficult on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving with suffocating defense.
Durant took only 11 shots, finishing with 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Irving was six for 17 and also had 16 points for the Nets, who have to decide if they will give Ben Simmons his debut on Monday in an elimination game.
The Celtics forced 21 turnovers that led to 37 points.
at Toronto 110, Philadelphia 102:
Pascal Siakam scored 15 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter and Gary Trent Jr. added 24 as the Raptors avoided a sweep.
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid started despite a right thumb injury that required him to wear a brace. He was seen shaking his hand in pain several times, occasionally doubling over as he held the area.
Embiid shot three for 10 in the first half and finished seven for 16 and scored 21 points in 39 minutes.
“It’s painful,” Embiid said. “In basketball you need to use your hand a lot.”
Before the game, 76ers coach Doc Rivers said Embiid is expected to undergo an MRI. The team has “concern” about his injury, Rivers said, but doesn’t believe it can get worse by playing.