SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Keyonte George scored 31 points and hit a floater in the lane with 2.1 seconds remaining as the Utah Jazz snapped a four-game losing streak with a 131-129 win over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.
Cade Cunningham, who had 29 points and 17 assists, missed a contested shot at the buzzer and then had a long conversation with the officials before leaving the court. Cunningham had a personal-best 13 assists in the first half.
Lauri Markkanen scored 30 points and Brice Sensabaugh equaled his season high of 20 points filling in for Ace Bailey, who missed the second half with a hip injury.
Tobias Harris had 16 points for the Pistons, who lost for just the second time in their last nine games despite shooting 52.2% from the field and making 18 of 37 from 3-point range.
George stole a backcourt pass and threw down a breakaway dunk to give the Jazz a 129-125 lead with 1:14 remaining. Caris LaVert blocked George and Cunningham stole the ball. Cunningham’s free throws tied the game at 129-129.
Utah’s largest lead came with 2:34 left in the third quarter, 104-89, after Kevin Love’s three free throws. Love had 11 in the period as the Jazz outscored the usually stingy Pistons 44-35.
Detroit rallied in the fourth quarter but couldn’t stop George on the decisive possession.
The Eastern Conference-leading Pistons have the second-best defensive rating in the league behind Oklahoma City, but they had a difficult time staying with Markkanen and George as they ran off multiple screens.
The Jazz have yielded an average of 134.4 points in their last five games but had a block, three steals and some pressure defense down the stretch to clinch the win.
Up next
Pistons: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday as they continue their nine-day road trip.
Jazz: At San Antonio on Saturday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
