Jazz dominate Kings 119-98 for seventh straight win

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Donovan Mitchell and Grayson Allen each scored 23 points to lead the Utah Jazz to their seventh straight victory with a 119-98 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.

Allen had his first career 20-point game while shooting 10 of 14 from the field. Mitchell had nine assists, Rudy Gobert added 17 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots and Joe Ingles also had 17 points in Utah’s 12th victory in 13 games.

Buddy Hield scored 17 points to lead the Kings, Marvin Bagley III added 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Yogi Ferrell also scored 13 as Sacramento lost to Utah for the third time this season.

Sacramento opened the first quarter by missing nine straight shots. Hield and Harrison Barnes finally broke the ice with back-to-back baskets.

It jumpstarted Utah to race out to a huge lead. Each Jazz starter made a basket to help them score the game’s first 13 points. The Jazz extended the lead to 18-3 on a layup from Mitchell and a pair of free throws from Gobert before Sacramento’s offense finally got on track.

The Kings cut the deficit to 20-12 after Bagley banked in a hook shot to cap a 9-2 run. That’s as good as it got for Sacramento.

Allen kept the Kings from making up more ground. He scored 19 points before halftime after going 8 of 8 from the field in just 10 minutes.

Allen scored Utah’s final three first-quarter baskets and opened the second quarter with back-to-back baskets to help the Jazz take a 39-20 lead. Once Utah regained a double-digit advantage, the Jazz did not ease off the gas pedal again.

Utah led by as many as 30 points before halftime. The Jazz went up 68-38 when Gobert converted a three-point play with 2:09 left in the second quarter.

TIP INS

Kings: De’Aaron Fox did not return after the first half because of a sore right foot. Fox played only eight minutes and finished with four points and three fouls. … Kosta Koufos did not play in the second half after straining his left calf. Koufos had six points and four rebounds in 12 minutes. … Sacramento outscored Utah 14-10 in second-chance points.

Jazz: Ricky Rubio suffered a left quad contusion in the first quarter and did not return. Rubio finished with four points and two rebounds in five minutes. … Allen has averaged 18.5 points per game in April after scoring 127 points in his first 33 NBA games. … Utah scored 25 points off 18 Sacramento turnovers.

UP NEXT

Kings: host Atlanta on Sunday.

Jazz: visit the Lakers on Sunday.