Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang (33) brings the ball up courtroom within the second half throughout an NBA summer season league basketball recreation towards the Memphis Grizzlies Thursday, July 6, 2023, in Salt Lake Metropolis. (AP Photograph/Rick Bowmer) AP
The Utah Jazz are returning to the playoffs.
The NBA Summer time League playoffs, that's.
Taking part in mighty shorthanded, the Jazz got here again from eight factors down to start out the fourth quarter on Friday night time and beat the Phoenix Suns 97-93 to stay undefeated at 4-0 in Las Vegas and advance to the semifinals.
Semifinal video games might be performed Sunday afternoon. Utah will face the Houston Rockets at 4 p.m. MT. These two groups and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the one ones to be undefeated up to now (the Cavs will face the Brooklyn Nets within the different semifinal).
Coming into Friday night time needing a win to advance, the Jazz knew they might be with out all three of their current first-round draft picks — Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh — due to damage.
Then simply a short while earlier than the sport started, Ochai Agbaji was dominated out as nicely. Utah trailed by 4 at halftime after which eight getting into the fourth quarter however began the body on a 7-0 run to get proper again in it.
With 6:38 remaining, the Jazz took a 78-77 lead on a 3-point play by level guard Colbey Ross, which was a part of an 8-0 run that noticed Utah finally lead by 4.
The groups went back-and-forth for a couple of minutes earlier than the Jazz went on a 9-0 run to take a 93-87 benefit with 2:22 to play.
The Suns acquired again to inside two at 95-93 with 39 seconds to go and had an opportunity to tie or take the lead however couldn’t convert, and Utah did simply sufficient on the free throw line to seal the deal.
Jazz two-way participant Johnny Juzang led the way in which with 24 factors, seven rebounds and 4 assists, and Luka Samanic — an addition late final season — scored 22 factors with six rebounds and 4 assists.
Micah Potter (11) and Ross (10) additionally completed in double figures scoring.