SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Al Jefferson and Gordon Hayward scored 25 points apiece and the Utah Jazz defeated the Phoenix Suns 103-88 on Wednesday night to stay within a game of the eighth-place Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference playoff battle.
Utah (36-36) used a 10-0 run to open the fourth quarter and led by as many as 19 while outscoring Phoenix 56-32 in the paint.
Jefferson finished 12 of 23 with nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Jefferson had 27 points combined in the previous two games, but picked up his game with Wednesday’s injury to second-year backup Enes Kanter, who dislocated his left shoulder early in the second quarter.
Wesley Johnson had 22 points and Luis Scola 20 to lead the Suns (23-49), who dropped their fourth straight.
