Gobert sets dunk record, Jazz cruise despite Booker's 59

Rudy Gobert scored a season-high 27 points and set the single-season NBA dunk record to fuel the Utah Jazz to a 125-92 victory Monday night over the Phoenix Suns, who got 59 points from Devin Booker.

Booker topped his previous season high of 55, set in December in a triple-overtime loss to Washington. The fourth-year guard made five 3-pointers and shot 19 for 34 despite drawing several double-teams as the Jazz sought to prevent him from reaching 60 points. He also made 16 of 17 free throws.

Derrick Favors and Ricky Rubio each had 18 points and Joe Ingles added 14 as the Jazz won for the seventh time in their last eight games.

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) dunks over Phoenix Suns' De'Anthony Melton (14) and Mikal Bridges (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 25, 2019, in Salt Lake City. (AP PhotoRick Bowmer)

Gobert's alley-oop off a lob from Donovan Mitchell in the second quarter was his 270th dunk of the season. The 7-foot-1 center's 275 dunks are the most in the NBA since the statistic started being tracked in 2000, besting Dwight Howard's 269 slams in 2007-08.

Gobert had six dunks in the game — he missed a no-look reverse attempt in the third period — and averages 3.7 per contest. Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo had 262 dunks entering the night.

Thanks to Booker's shotmaking the Suns were only down 14 entering the final quarter, but Utah's dunk-fest continued, even though Gobert was on the bench. Favors had two jams around a rare dunk by Ingles and the Jazz cruised from there.

Phoenix Suns guard Jimmer Fredette (32) shoots as Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 25, 2019, in Salt Lake City. (AP PhotoRick Bowmer)

Still, some of the loudest cheers of the night were for a Suns player. Jimmer Fredette, the Naismith Award winner at nearby BYU, went 1 for 10 for six points in 14 minutes in his second game back in the NBA after completing his season in China.

After a tight first quarter, the Jazz scored 14 unanswered points, capped by Mitchell's 3-pointer, to open a 40-23 lead in the second quarter. Booker scored 18 second-quarter points but the balanced Jazz outscored Phoenix 36-22 in the period to take a 62-43 halftime advantage.

The Jazz had the most difficult schedule in the NBA at one point but are now capitalizing on facing a host of teams outside the playoff race. This win was the first game of a four-game homestand against teams well below the .500 mark.

Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (22) defends against Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 25, 2019, in Salt Lake City. (AP PhotoRick Bowmer)

The Suns have lost six of seven and four in a row.

Beyond Booker, the Suns were missing most of their firepower due to injury. T.J. Warren (18.0 points), Kelly Oubre Jr. (15.2), Josh Jackson (11.0) and Tyler Johnson (10.9) forced some players to be more aggressive offensively and Booker to carry a heavy load despite a lot of defensive attention.

TIP-INS

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) prepares to shoot as Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles (2) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 25, 2019, in Salt Lake City. (AP PhotoRick Bowmer)

Suns: Richaun Holmes got two quick technical fouls and was ejected after getting whistled for a rebound foul just before halftime. ... The Suns didn't run a complicated offensive system as they mostly screened for and passed to Booker but still committed 22 turnovers. ...

Jazz: Utah outscored Phoenix in the paint, 70-32. ... Gobert's previous season best was 26 against Oklahoma City on Feb. 22. ... The Jazz had 31 assists and made 10 of 21 3-pointers.

UP NEXT

Suns: Return home to play Houston Wednesday, the first game of a five straight at home.

Jazz: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Orlando Magic handed Cleveland the worst playoff loss in franchise history, winning 121-83 on Thursday night to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game. They earned their first playoff victory since 2019 and the first on their home floor since April 26, 2011.

They can even the series with a victory at home Sunday.

Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 39% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range. Caris LeVert added 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists.

76ERS 125, KNICKS 114

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-shifting third quarter to lead Philadelphia to a win over New York in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Embiid boldly stated “we’re going to win this series” after the 76ers dropped Game 2.

With one of the finest postseason efforts of his career, Embiid became the third player to ever score 50 points against the Knicks in the postseason and kept the hope of a Philadelphia series comeback very much alive.

The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor overall, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers.

NUGGETS 112, LAKERS 105

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Gordon had 29 points and 15 rebounds, Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Denver moved to the brink of the second round with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their first-round series..

Jamal Murray scored 22 points as the defending NBA champion Nuggets won their 11th consecutive meeting with LeBron James and the Lakers in dominating style.

Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points for Denver, which took control in the third quarter and cruised through the final minutes to its fifth straight road win over Los Angeles, starting with its sweep of last season’s Western Conference finals.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Los Angeles. No NBA team has ever rallied from an 0-3 playoff deficit.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) makes a shot as he gets past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)