UTAH – Rudy Gobert scored on a go-ahead basket as Utah Jazz turned back Dallas Mavericks, 100-99, in Game 4 of their NBA Western Conference first round series on Saturday night (Sunday in the Philippines) at the Vivint Smart Arena in Salt Lake City.
Trailing 95-99 following a triple by Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, the Jazz trimmed the deficit to 98-99 with under a minute to go on a three-point play by Donovan Mitchell.
Utah then took advantage of two missed free throws by Dwight Powell to take a 100-99 lead via an alley-oop dunk by Gobert. Dallas still had a chance to snatch the win by Spencer Dinwiddie misfired at the buzzer.
Filipino-American guard Jordan Clarkson top-scored with 25 points, including three triples, while Mitchell added 23, while Gobert had double-double 17 points and 15 rebounds as the Jazz tied their best-of-seven series at 2-2.
Doncic made his return from three-game injury absence to finish with double-double 30 points and 10 rebounds as Jalen Brunson contributed 23 markers for the Mavericks.
Minnesota Timberwolves, meanwhile, nearly suffered another meltdown as they escaped with a 119-118 win over Memphis Grizzlies in Game 4 of their West series, which is now tied at 2-2.
Ahead 115-108 with over a minute left after a conversion from D’Angelo Russell, the Grizzlies came up with three straight baskets, including a Dillon Brooks triple, to cut the deficit to 115-117.
Karl-Anthony Towns converted two crucial free throws to make it 119-115 for the T’Wolves before Grizzlies’ Desmone Bane hoisted a buzzer-beating triple for a one-point defeat.
Towns bounced back from a subpar Game 3 with double-double 33 points and 14 rebounds, Anthony Edwards added 24 markers, while Patrick Beverley and Jalen McDaniels contributed 17 and 16, respectively.
In other results, Boston Celtics cruised to a 3-0 series lead with a 109-103 win over Brooklyn Nets, while Toronto Raptors trimmed the series deficit to 1-3 after a 110-102 beating of Philadelphia 76ers./PN
