Aldridge has career-high 45 points, Spurs beat Jazz in OT
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- LaMarcus Aldridge had a career-high 45 points, helping San Antonio overcome Donovan Mitchell's 35-point performance for Utah in the Spurs' 124-120 overtime victory over the Jazz on Friday night.
The Spurs won their sixth straight and beat the Jazz for the first time in four meetings this season.
Utah's 12-game road winning streak came to an end, but only after Mitchell had 14 points in the fourth quarter, including three 3-pointers in the final two minutes to force overtime.
San Antonio remained sixth in the Western Conference with the same record as fifth-place New Orleans, a half-game behind Oklahoma City for fourth. Utah remained eighth in the West.
After free throws by Spurs guards Manu Ginobili and Patty Mills and a dunk by Jazz center Rudy Gobert put San Antonio up 114-111, Mitchell drained his third 3-pointer of the fourth with 3.6 seconds remaining to force overtime.
Mills, who finished with 23 points, had six points in overtime as the Spurs capped an undefeated six-game homestand.
Aldridge averaged 32.2 points and 9.0 rebounds during the winning streak, including two double-doubles.
Aldridge scored 28 points in the first half on 12-for-16 shooting, including a 3-pointer.
Utah missed its first six shots and was 4 for 14 as San Antonio grabbed a 19-8 lead midway through the first quarter. Mitchell settled the Jazz, scoring six points to cut the Spurs lead to 29-21 heading into the second quarter.
Mitchell was 14-for-35 shooting while falling six points shy of his season-high.
Derrick Favors added 22 points for Utah and Ricky Rubio had 20.
Ginobili finished with 18 points for the Spurs.
TIP-INS
Jazz: Utah had not lost to San Antonio since April 2, 2017. ... The starting lineup of Mitchell, Rubio, Favors, Gobert and Joe Ingles is 22-10 on the season ... Tony Bradley missed the game as part of the league's concussion protocol. It was unclear if Bradley suffered the concussion during practice or in the G League since he has only played one minute with the Jazz in March.
Spurs: San Antonio played its first overtime game of the season. ... Aldridge's 45-point effort his 44-point effort against Denver on Jan. 23, 2014. ... Aldridge's 28 points in the first half are the most by a Spurs in a half since Ginobili had 28 points against Cleveland in 2008.
UP NEXT
Jazz: Visit Golden State on Sunday night.
Spurs: Visit Milwaukee on Sunday night.
