National Basketball Association
Utah 121, Milwaukee 108
When: 9:00 PM ET, Saturday, November 25, 2017
Where: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
Officials: #52 Scott Twardoski, #20 Leroy Richardson, #25 Tony Brothers
Attendance: 17298

SALT LAKE CITY -- Milwaukee Bucks coach Jason Kidd knew his team would have to limit the Jazz from the 3-point line to leave Vivint Smart Home Arena with a win on Saturday night.

"I think the big thing is we have to execute our game plan," said Kidd. "We got to take the 3 away no matter if it's from the corner or the top or the slot. Everyone is shooting a lot of 3s. That's what the game is right now and we've got to do a better job of defending it."

That was easier said than done as the Jazz connected on 18 of 32 attempts from deep as they raced home with a 121-108 win over the Bucks.

"We didn't play any defense, when you give up that many points," said Kidd. "I think both teams were in a shootout offensively and they won that by shooting the three at a very high clip."

Donovan Mitchell was the catalyst in that 3-point shooting barrage as he hit 6-for-10 from beyond the arc on his way to a team-high 24 points.

Joe Ingles also shot the ball well from deep, hitting on 5 of 9 from distance as the Jazz won their second game in a row. He also provided a number of key assists as Utah made the Bucks pay from the outside and at the rim.

"A lot of it comes down to the other guys being spaced the right way," said coach Quin Snyder. "When we know where each other are on the floor, those just become the right plays. Usually when you make the right plays you get rewarded, both the guy getting the shot and the guy that is making the pass."

Rodney Hood had a strong shooting night from beyond the arc as well, finishing with 21 points on 3-for-6 from deep, but his aggressiveness going to the basket is what stood out.

"There's sometimes when I go to the rim and I try to finish instead of going to get fouled, said Hood. "Tonight, I was going to get fouled and I just happened to get to the rim."

That aggressive play led to two emphatic dunks that help to spark a Jazz offense to its second-best scoring output of the season.

Utah found its range from distance early on hitting its first four 3-point shots to take an early 18-10 lead. The Bucks used some strong shooting of their own from the bench combo of Tony Snell and Malcolm Brogdon to keep the game close. The two combined to make eight straight field goals as Milwaukee hung tight with the Jazz, trailing by seven heading into the intermission.

The Bucks answered with a strong start to the third quarter to take a two-point lead midway through the quarter before the Jazz found their rhythm again. Thabo Sefolosha keyed a 16-4 run with seven points as Utah took a 10-point lead into the final period.

Milwaukee made one final push early in the fourth as they closed the gap deficit to six before the Jazz went on an 11-2 run to close the door.

"If you don't let them get good looks early, it helps us," said Buck center John Henson. "Mitchell got hot. Ingles hit a couple ones early, started feeling it. Even Rubio, kind of ... when it rained it poured on us tonight and we couldn't overcome it."

Giannis Antetokounmpo led five Bucks in double figures with 27 points to go with 13 rebounds and five assists.

Brogdon added 19 points on the strength of 4-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc, and Eric Bledsoe and Snell chipped in with 18 points apiece.

Up next for Milwaukee is a matchup with the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday in the third game of a four-game road trip.

The Jazz also return to action on Tuesday as the Denver Nuggets come to town.

NOTES: Jazz SG Rodney Hood scored in double figures for the 12th straight game since going scoreless against the Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 1. In those 12 games, he is averaging 19.4 points. ... Jazz SF Joe Ingles set a career high with nine assists. His previous high of eight came in a 120-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves late in the 2016-17 season. ... Bucks G/F Tony Snell had one of the best shooting nights of his NBA career, making 8 of 10 from the field. ... Bucks SF Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his ninth double-double of the season.
Top Game Performances
 
Milwaukee   Utah
Giannis Antetokounmpo 27 Scoring Donovan Mitchell 24
Eric Bledsoe 7 Assists Joe Ingles 9
Giannis Antetokounmpo 13 Rebounds Derrick Favors 6
Giannis Antetokounmpo 7 Free Throws Made Derrick Favors 4
Eric Bledsoe 2 Steals Alec Burks 2
DeAndre Liggins 2 Blocks Derrick Favors 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Milwaukee 108 53.2 8-21 18-23 19 40 6 5 17
Utah 121 56.8 18-32 11-19 31 30 2 8 10
Upcoming Games
  • Utah will play their next game at home against Denver. The Jazz have a W/L % of .444 after a win and .455 after a loss.
  • Milwaukee will play their next game on the road against Sacramento. The Bucks have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .500 after a loss.