SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 Sports) – Down three starters, the Utah Jazz young players are getting a chance to shine these days.
After playing very well for three quarters, the Jazz ran out of gas in the fourth and lost to the Charlotte Hornets Wednesday night, 117-112.
Keyonte George led Utah with 26 points and six assists in his first game since January 4th. George missed the last five games with a foot injury. Brice Sensabaugh continued his torrid play, adding 19 points for the Jazz, but it wasn’t enough.
Mark Williams scored a career high 31 points and had 13 rebounds to help the Hornets pull away in the fourth quarter. Charlotte outscored the Jazz in the final period, 37-25.
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“It was nice to have Keyonte back and see him have a good offensive game,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said. “Brice gave us a big lift in the first half offensively. But the reality is, I just felt like some of the focus down the stretch wasn’t there. These are a lot of young guys that are all learning together and I could not be happier with the trend of our team’s play.”
LaMelo Ball added 27 points, nine assists and three blocks to help Charlotte snap a seven-game road losing streak. Miles Bridges had 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Brandon Miller finished with 20 points.
Sensabaugh made back-to-back baskets on both ends of a 19-2 run that erased an 11-point first-quarter deficit and put Utah up 26-20.
Charlotte trailed until the fourth before finally taking a 98-97 lead on back-to-back baskets from Bridges and Ball.
Utah went ahead again on back-to-back threes from Sensabaugh and George, but the Hornets pulled back in front for good behind a 9-0 run. Miller capped the spurt with a running layup, giving Charlotte a 111-105 lead with 2:50 left.
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Charlotte had four players finish with at least 20 points while shooting 53% from the field. The Hornets scored 37 points in the fourth quarter alone.
Jazz rookie point guard Isaiah Collier had a season-high 10 assists.
The Hornets scored four straight baskets, culminating in a dunk from Williams with 4:13 left, to take the lead for good.
The Jazz were without Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, John Collins and Jordan Clarkson.
Utah next hits the road at New Orleans Frida night.
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