The Utah Jazz are returning to the playoffs.
The NBA Summer League playoffs, that is.
Playing mighty shorthanded, the Jazz came back from eight points down to start the fourth quarter on Friday night and beat the Phoenix Suns 97-93 to remain undefeated at 4-0 in Las Vegas and advance to the semifinals.
Semifinal games will be played Sunday afternoon. Utah will face the Houston Rockets at 4 pm MT. Those two teams and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the only ones to be undefeated so far (the Cavs will face the Brooklyn Nets in the other semifinal).
Entering Friday night needing a win to advance (otherwise their summer league would be over), the Jazz knew they would be without all three of their recent first-round draft picks — Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh — because of injuries.
Then just a short time before the game began, Ochai Agbaji was ruled out as well. Utah trailed by four at halftime and then eight entering the fourth quarter but started the frame on a 7-0 run to get right back in it.
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With 6:38 remaining, the Jazz took a 78-77 lead on a 3-point play by point guard Colbey Ross, which was part of an 8-0 run that ultimately saw Utah lead by four.
The teams went back-and-forth for a few minutes before the Jazz went on a 9-0 run to take a 93-87 advantage with 2:22 to play.
The Suns got back to within two at 95-93 with 39 seconds to go and had a chance to tie or take the lead but couldn’t convert, and Utah did just enough at the free throw line to seal the deal.
Jazz two-way player Johnny Juzang led the way with 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and Luka Samanic — an addition late last season — scored 22 points with six rebounds and four assists.
Micah Potter (11) and Ross (10) also finished in double figures scoring.