Last season in the NBA, only two teams had their starting backcourt selected for the all-star game: Utah and Phoenix.
Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley Jr. showed tonight that they’re still among the league’s best — if not the best.
The duo combined for 66 points as Utah used another big fourth quarter from its stars to take down Sacramento 119-113 in front of a loud and raucous Vivint Arena.
“Those two defensively have really taken a step, they’ve raised their level,” head coach Quin Snyder said of his all-star backcourt. “I think it comes even more important to feel the game offensively. There are some things that we do that give them the opportunity to make those decisions on the fly on the court, based on matchups.”
6-1 feeling #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/bKTHqQyNpC
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 3, 2021
It started as a historic night for Conley as he passed Walt Frazier for 65th on the all-time assists leaderboard. He then added a much-needed scoring punch to complement Mitchell.
Conley finished with a season-high 30 points, adding in three rebounds and two assists. He was highly efficient on the court, shooting 11-of-19 from the field and 6-for-9 from beyond the arc.
But Conley was at his best in the fourth quarter when the Jazz needed him most. He scored 13 points in the final 12 minutes, including a personal 8-0 run that turned a one-point lead for the Jazz into a nine-point advantage early in the quarter.
“I think it was one of those games where me and Don had it going. … In those moments, you kind of have to go with what’s working,” Conley said. “We got into pick-and-roll situations, and I just tried to be aggressive.”
| @mconley11 with a 30-point performance #TakeNote | @ZionsBank pic.twitter.com/iGQOFMwlMC
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 3, 2021
Mitchell appears to be out of the shooting slump that plagued him the first five games of the year.
He finished with a season-high 36 points, shooting 14-of-30 from the floor and 5-for-12 from three-point territory. His ability to stay in constant attack mode despite Sacramento’s pressure helped open up the floor for the Jazz. He also added eight rebounds and six assists.
“I thought he was really precise with the ball,” Snyder said. “Creating space, hit gaps when they were open. … No one makes the right play every time but he made the right play a lot of times.
| @spidadmitchell was tonight with a season-high 36 points.#TakeNote | @ZionsBank pic.twitter.com/dHQLaFdfu3
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 3, 2021
Utah’s shooting struggles as a team aren’t completely over as the Jazz struggled beyond the arc, shooting 16% (4-for-25) from three-point territory in the opening half — 1-for-16 from players not named Mitchell or Conley.
With the shot from three-point territory not falling early on, Utah elected to attack the paint. The Jazz scored their first 20 points at the rim before Mitchell’s three-pointer with 3:31 left in the opening quarter.
“I don’t want to stop shooting,” Snyder said. “I think the minute that you stop that, those are the two you don’t take that go in and bump the game over. … I was glad we stayed aggressive because I do believe we pass up those shots. I think the more that we attack and attack the rim, we’ll keep generating opportunities.”
Mitchell and Conley caught fire in the third quarter, finishing with 25 of Utah’s 32 points. They shot a combined 10-of-15 from the field and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
But Sacramento kept fighting back.
Following Conley’s run early in the fourth quarter, the Kings went on their own run and tied the game at 104 with 4:26 to play.
As with any great team, Utah’s composure showed down the stretch. Starting with Bojan Bogdanovic’s three-pointer, the Jazz went on an 11-3 run to take the eight-point lead with just over a minute to play.
Once again, Sacramento wasn’t done.
The Kings rallied with six straight points to make it a one-score game before Mitchell’s two free throws with 14.5 seconds remaining sealed the victory.
Bogdanovic finished with 20 points, while Rudy Gobert had his sixth double-double of the season with 12 points and 20 rebounds. Hassan Whiteside, playing against his former team, finished with nine points and 12 rebounds.
| Three guys with 20+ & another 20-rebound game for big fella #podiumpostgame | @podiumhq pic.twitter.com/GpHyru37NN
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 3, 2021
Harrison Barnes led seven Sacramento players in double-figures with 23 points and six rebounds. Richaun Holmes had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Buddy Hield and Davion Mitchell added 19 and 18, respectively.
Utah is slated to begin another three-game road trip, starting Thursday night in Atlanta against Trae Young and the Hawks. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. MST.
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