INDIANAPOLIS– If it were a race it would have been a photo finish.
The Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers came down to the wire on Sunday, but in the end, the Jazz couldn’t beat the best team in the NBA on their home court.
Utah (21-38) went back and forth with Indiana (46-13) and had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but a Gordon Hayward three-point attempt went off the back of the iron as the Pacers escaped with a 94-91 victory.
Hayward led Utah with 21 points in a return visit to his home state and Derrick Favors contributed a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Rookie point guard Trey Burke scored 16 points to go with five assists.
Indiana’s David West scored a game-high 25 points and All-Star Paul George added 22, leading the Pacers to their fifth consecutive win.
The Jazz have now lost the first two of a six-game road trip. Their next stop is at Milwaukee on Monday against the Bucks who have the worst record in the NBA.
