Immanuel Quickley scored a season-best 34 points and the Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Utah Jazz 118-109 on Friday night.
Scottie Barnes added 22 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and three blocks for the Raptors, who have won three straight. Ja’Kobe Walter scored 14 points, but did not play in the second half because of a right quadriceps strain. Jared Rhoden chipped in 14 points and Jamison Battle added 11.
Walker Kessler had 18 points along with career bests in rebounds (25) and blocks (eight) for the Jazz, who have lost four straight overall and 11 consecutive on the road. Keyonte George also scored 18 and Kyle Filipowski and Collin Sexton added 17 apiece. Brice Sensabaugh added 11 and Cody Williams scored 10.
The Raptors used their speed and defensive pressure to race out to an early 12-point lead but Filipowski came off the bench to score 10 points and help cut Utah’s deficit to 28-27 after one quarter.
The Jazz tied the game early in the second quarter before the Raptors regained their composure and continued to apply pressure. Toronto led by 12 after Walter’s running jumper with 53 seconds remaining and led 57-46 at halftime.
The Jazz tried to ramp up their energy to deal with Toronto’s pressure and cut the lead to seven early in the third quarter. Toronto came back to lead by 11 with 6:54 left in the third after Rhoden scored four straight points. Barnes’ emphatic dunk bumped the lead to 14 with 2:05 left, then he followed with a layup after a Utah turnover. The Raptors led 92-78 after three quarters.
The Jazz used a 7-0 run to move to within six with 6:25 to play in the fourth quarter. However, Quickley hit two consecutive 3-pointers to increase the lead to 12 with 3:33 to play.
Utah was without leading scorer Lauri Markkanen (back), Jordan Clarkson (foot), John Collins (back) and Jaden Springer (back).
Toronto’s Jakob Poeltl and RJ Barrett were rested on Friday. Ochai Agbaji (ankle), Gradey Dick (knee), Jonathan Mogbo (nose) and Chris Boucher (tooth extraction) also were out.
–Field Level Media
