{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Basketball Association
Utah 109, Indiana 100
When: 9:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 21, 2017
Where: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
Officials: #47 Bennie Adams, #32 Marat Kogut, #14 Ed Malloy
Attendance: 19911

SALT LAKE CITY -- If George Hill wanted to send a statement to his old team after being traded to Utah over the summer, he did a good job of masking his intentions. Hill constructed an emotional wall when he faced his old team for the first time this season.

He did not turn his thoughts to the five seasons he spent with the Pacers or reflect on the relationships he built with former coaches and teammates there. Nor did Hill come out on a mission to show them what they're missing out on this season.

Hill focused his vision on the present and not the past. While he ultimately produced a season-high 30 points in leading the Jazz to a 109-100 victory on Saturday night, Hill did not put any special meaning into the final result beyond getting another win for Utah.

"I don't think too much into it," Hill said. "It's just another game out there. (I'm) trying to win and compete and have fun doing it. It's fun to be out there with the guys that you made relationships with in five years, but it had nothing to do with the game today."

Hill shot 9-of-16 from the floor and 9-of-11 from the line. He produced several critical baskets at moments when Indiana tried to cut into Utah's lead.

For Hill, having his top offensive performance of the season meant more in terms of rounding back into the form he showed earlier this season before multiple injuries beset him. Jazz coach Quin Snyder credited Hill for playing within himself against the team where he spent five seasons.

"We just want him to play the way he's capable of playing and not overthink it," Snyder said. "This was one of the better games he's played since earlier in the year. He looked like he's starting to get his conditioning back. He didn't look as fatigued."

Gordon Hayward added 27 points while Rudy Gobert chipped in 19 points and 11 rebounds for Utah. The Jazz (29-16) won a season-best sixth straight game.

Paul George, Thaddeus Young and Jeff Teague scored 19 points apiece to lead Indiana. The Pacers (22-21) trailed wire to wire despite cutting Utah's lead to a basket at one point in the third quarter.

The Jazz hit all the right notes on offense and defense over four quarters. Utah had 24 assists on 39 baskets and scored 21 points off 17 Indiana turnovers.

"They kept the pressure on us," George said. "They were able to get to the line. They were able to get to the paint. They pretty much had everything."

Utah jumped out to an early 13-5 lead behind a pair of baskets from Hayward and back-to-back dunks from Gobert. Indiana briefly cut into the lead, drawing within 15-11 on a pair of baskets from Young and George.

Hayward kept the Pacers from getting closer in the first quarter. He drained a pair of long jumpers to bookend a short spurt that gave Utah its first double-digit lead at 23-13. Alec Burks and Hill hit a pair of 3-pointers to push the lead to 34-21 in the final minute of the quarter.

More of the same unfolded in the second quarter. After Indiana cut it to 34-26 on a basket from Aaron Brooks, Utah slammed the door on a first-half rally. The Jazz scored on four straight possessions, culminating in another Hill 3-pointer, to take a 43-27 lead.

"They do a good job at having multiple guys handling the ball in their pick-and-roll -- especially when they have 3-point shooters," Pacers coach Nate McMillian said. "If you are tight, they do a good job at getting the ball out to the perimeter. Their guys can bury you from the 3-point line."

Utah took a 60-50 lead into halftime before Indiana made another rally. George made back-to-back jumpers to fuel a 10-2 spurt to open the third quarter. Myles Turner capped the spurt with two more back-to-back baskets, cutting Utah's lead to 62-60.

The Jazz countered with a 12-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back baskets from Hayward, to stretch their lead back to 74-60. Hill finished off the spurt with a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws. He matched his previous season high of 25 points before quarter's end.

"It started on the defensive end for us," Hayward said. "We got some stops when we needed them. They made their run there in the second half and we kind of made one of our own and put the game away."

Utah led by as many as 18 points in the fourth quarter, going up 90-72 after Gobert and Hill scored baskets on consecutive possessions. Indiana's comeback efforts were hampered when George fouled out with 6:41 remaining in the game and was simultaneously ejected after picking up a technical foul.

NOTES: Jazz SG Rodney Hood missed his third straight game after suffering a bone contusion and hyperextended knee versus Orlando on Jan. 14. ... Indiana F Paul George leads the NBA in free-throw percentage (92.9). George entered Saturday's game with a streak of 23 consecutive made free throws, but did not attempt any against Utah. ... Jazz C Rudy Gobert is the first NBA player to have a 25-point, 25-rebound game this season after totaling career highs in points (27) and rebounds (25) against Dallas on Friday. Gobert is just the fourth player in Jazz franchise history to accomplish the feat. ... The Pacers are 8-3 this season when G Jeff Teague dishes out 10 or more assists in a game. He finished with seven dimes against the Jazz.
Top Game Performances
 
Indiana   Utah
Paul George 19 Scoring George Hill 30
Jeff Teague 7 Assists Joe Ingles 6
Thaddeus Young 9 Rebounds Rudy Gobert 11
Jeff Teague 6 Free Throws Made Gordon Hayward 9
Jeff Teague 3 Steals Joe Ingles 3
Al Jefferson 1 Blocks Derrick Favors 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Indiana 100 50.6 10-20 12-17 17 36 3 10 17
Utah 109 46.4 6-24 25-32 24 42 3 11 14
Upcoming Games
  • Utah will play their next game at home against Oklahoma City. The Jazz have a W/L % of .679 after a win and .588 after a loss.
  • Indiana will play their next game at home against New York. The Pacers have a W/L % of .409 after a win and .619 after a loss.