Jazz Hold Off Rockets, 133-125, Behind Markkanen and George. Lauri Markkanen scored 29 points, and Keyonte George added 28 to lead the Utah Jazz to a 133-125 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday in Salt Lake City.

Jusuf Nurkic contributed 18 points and a team-high nine rebounds for Utah in a rematch of Houston’s 129-101 win in Salt Lake City on Sunday. George also led the Jazz with eight assists, while seven players scored in double figures to help Utah secure its second win in three games.

For the Rockets, Kevin Durant led with 32 points and nine rebounds. Alperen Sengun added 31 points and 14 assists, and Amen Thompson chipped in 23 points. Despite their efforts, Houston could not extend its five-game road winning streak. The Rockets have won eight of their past 10 games overall.

Houston made a late push in the third quarter with a 12-0 run, cutting a 21-point deficit to single digits. The Rockets got within 114-113 with 5:12 remaining after back-to-back baskets from Durant, including a dunk and a three-pointer.

However, George and Markkanen answered with consecutive three-pointers, keeping the Rockets from completing the comeback and pushing Utah’s lead to 120-113 with 4:21 left. Sengun drove for a layup to narrow the score to 126-123 with 52.7 seconds remaining, but George sank 5 of 6 free throws and came up with a key steal to seal the Jazz victory.

Utah came out stronger than the day before, quickly recovering from a first-quarter deficit. The Rockets held a four-point lead four times early, the last on Thompson’s dunk to make it 26-22. Houston trailed much of the second quarter after Walter Clayton Jr. made a three-point play to put the Jazz ahead 40-37. Utah eventually extended the lead to 68-57 by halftime, scoring just one basket over the final 2:58 of the first half while George added two baskets and two free throws to build a double-digit advantage.

The Jazz continued to dominate in the third quarter. Back-to-back baskets from George and Kevin Love sparked a 16-7 run that extended Utah’s lead to 98-77, capped by Nurkic’s hook shot. -Field Level Media/Reuters