SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Walker Kessler had a go-ahead dunk with 9.7 seconds left to help the Utah Jazz beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-116 on Friday night, snapping a six-game losing streak in the series.
John Collins scored a season-high 29 points and 12 rebounds for Utah, Brice Sensabaugh added 17 points ande Isaiah Collier had a career-high 14 assists.
Naz Reid had 27 points and 11 rebounds, and Jalen McDaniels added 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who played without leading scorer Anthony Edwards while he served a one-game suspension for technical foul accumulation.
Utah opened the third quarter with a 27-4 run and seized an 83-71 lead. Collins started the second-half rally with back-to-back baskets and then made two straight field goals again to put the Jazz in front. They scored baskets on six straight possessions to cap the run.
Minnesota used a 10-2 run to regain the lead late in the fourth quarter, going up 116-115 on Donte DiVincenzo’s 3-pointer with 1:31 remaining.
Takeaways
Timberwolves: Minnesota, coming off a 111-102 loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Thursday night, missed 12 of 14 shots over the first 6 1/2 minutes of the third quarter to squander an 11-point halftime lead.
Jazz: John Collins and Collin Sexton both returned to the lineup following long absences. Sexton sat out 11 games with a left ankle sprain and Collins missed three games with low back soreness.
Key moment
Kessler’s game-winner was the lone basket for Utah over the final 4:23.
Key stat
The Timberwolves had only one turnover in the first half.
Up next
Timberwolves visit Phoenix on Sunday, and Jazz host New Orleans.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
John Coon, The Associated Press
