Spurs 91, Jazz 82
SALT LAKE CITY -- Guard Tony Parker scored 22 points and forward Boris Diaw had 17 off the bench as the San Antonio Spurs overcame a double-digit deficit en route to a 91-82 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday night at EnergySolutions Arena.
Utah led by as many as 15 points in the first half but only scored 36 after halftime to fall for the ninth time in 10 games this season.
Forward Derrick Favors had 20 points and a career-high 18 rebounds for the Jazz, who were coming off their only win of the season, a 111-105 victory over New Orleans on Wednesday.
Parker scored 16 of his game-high 22 in the second half to lead the Spurs (9-1) to their eighth straight win.
Forward Tim Duncan didn't have a great shooting night, hitting only 7 of 16 from the field, but finished with 14 points after going a career-worst 1-for-12 from the floor in a win over Washington on Wednesday night.
The Jazz (1-9) were held to 38.5 percent shooting from the field and 16 assists.
Momentum shifted quickly in the fourth quarter.
With the Spurs trailing 67-60, Diaw began the quarter by hitting a 3-pointer. Guard Danny Green then made two deep shots and Parker had a sensational layup and hit a layup as the Spurs surged past the Jazz with a 12-2 run.
As has happened so many times this season, Utah's offense was all but nonexistent in crunch time. The Jazz went 3 1/2 minutes without scoring at one point as the Spurs took their first double-digit lead at 85-75 after two Manu Ginobili free throws with 3:33 left.
Utah only scored 15 points in the fourth quarter.
The Jazz, perhaps sparked by their only win of the season on Wednesday, had a strong start. Utah went ahead by as many as 15 points in the first 12 minutes and led 29-16 heading into the second quarter.
Utah maintained a 46-41 halftime lead despite shooting just 41.7 percent from the field and scoring only 17 points in the second quarter.
All five Jazz starters scored in double figures, including first-time starter Alec Burks. The third-year shooting guard had 12 points and four assists in his new point guard role, stepping in for previous starter John Lucas III.
Shooting guard Gordon Hayward added 15 points and nine rebounds for Utah.
Forward Marvin Williams suffered a broken nose during the game but continued to play with a face mask.
NOTES: Hall of Fame PG John Stockton is visiting Utah during the weekend on a book tour for his recently released autobiography, "Assisted." Stockton said he wrote every word in the book on college-ruled paper and then typed it up to give to his junior coach/book co-author Kerry Pickett. "It doesn't surprise me that I did the book," Stockton said. "It surprised me that we published it and then therefore I have to do this (press tour). It's kind of an added benefit." ... The Spurs have four days off leading up to their next game on Nov. 20. Coach Gregg Popovich's plans? "I'm going to sleep, watch as little film as possible, go to dinner, read. Then on Sunday or Monday I'll start thinking about basketball again." ... Stockton believes it might be a good thing for Jazz rookie Trey Burke, sidelined with a broken right index finger, to sit out at the beginning of his first NBA season. "(Trey) has a great opportunity to learn where he's not forced into the action," Stockton said. "Being hurt might actually be a positive for him because it gives him a chance to sit there. I know my first years sitting on the bench largely behind Rickey Green was a great learning tool for me. (I) would recommend that for young guards, especially if teams can manage to do it."
