Keyonte George scores a career-high 39 points as Jazz beat Grizzlies 130-126

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Keyonte George scored a career-high 39 points, including the final six points for Utah, as the Jazz beat Memphis 130-126 on Friday night in Ja Morant's return to the Grizzlies' lineup.

The score was tied at 126 with just under a minute left when George hit a 22-footer to put Utah ahead for good. He converted two more free throws with 6.8 seconds left for the final margin as the Jazz snapped a two-game skid.

Lauri Markkanen had 26 points and nine rebounds, and Kevin Love added 20 — including 13 in the third quarter — as the Jazz stayed within striking distance. George also had eight assists.

Santi Aldama scored 22 points to lead Memphis, and Morant — who missed the previous 10 games with a right calf sprain — added 21 points and 10 assists. Cam Spencer finished with 20, including making all six of his 3-pointers.

Memphis held a 64-61 lead at halftime despite George tallying 27 points. Neither team led by double digits in the first two quarters.

Memphis held double-digit leads in the third quarter, but a pair of 3-pointers by Kevin Love in the final minute of the third, part of him scoring 13 in the quarter. gave the Jazz a 103-97 lead entering the fourth.

Utah had lost seven of the last 10. The three recent losses were by at least 28 points.

Memphis entered the game at 11-13 and has feasted on sub-.500 teams. Of those 11 wins, only one — a 114-113 victory at Phoenix on Oct. 29 — came against a team above .500. Six of those teams are below the Grizzlies in the Western Conference standings.

Jazz: Host Dallas on Monday to open a three-game homestand.

Grizzlies: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.

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Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, top left, shoots ahead of Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells, left, drives against Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells, top, shoots over Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love (42) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) handles the ball against Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George, left, shoots against Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (23) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Down 15 with one quarter to play against one of the NBA's worst teams, Donovan Mitchell played with a bit of desperation in the final period.

“Be aggressive,” he said. “Can't really lose this game coming out of the break.”

Mitchell scored 24 of his 48 points in the fourth quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied to beat the Washington Wizards 130-126 on Friday night. With both teams coming off a five-day layoff, the Cavaliers shot just 15 of 53 from 3-point range. It would have been worse if not for Mitchell's 8 for 15.

The Wizards fell to 3-20 on the season.

Mitchell scored 11 points in about 2 1/2 minutes to start the fourth. He ended up with the highest-scoring fourth quarter in the NBA this season, surpassing the 22 points by Orlando's Jett Howard on Nov. 23 against Boston.

Mitchell is averaging a league-best 9.6 points per game in the fourth.

“You're playing a team that's 3 and whatever, and you're down 15, you can kind of tuck your tails and ... kind of give in, right?” Mitchell said. “But we found a way.”

The Cavaliers trailed by 17 during a third quarter in which they allowed 40 points. It was 100-85 entering the fourth. Mitchell finally tied the game at 122 with a 3-pointer, then scored inside with a minute remaining to give Cleveland the lead.

Then came a moment when the 6-foot-3 guard appeared overmatched — a jump ball between him and 6-foot-11 Marvin Bagley III. But both players mistimed their jumps, and the ball ended up with Cleveland's Lonzo Ball, who made two free throws with 30.9 seconds left that put the Cavs up by four.

So Mitchell could look on the bright side after the game, while understanding that the big deficit was concerning in itself.

“That can't happen. We can't be in that position,” he said. "We have to figure it out.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) splits the defense of the Washington Wizards to shoot during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell celebrates after his go-ahead basket late in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)