Donovan Mitchell leads Jazz to first OT win since 2018

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Donovan Mitchell drops 37 points, 10 assists as Jazz win first OT game since 2018

By Jordan Wolf | Last updated 3/3/22

Donovan Mitchell played at an electric level Wednesday night, and in the process helped the Jazz do something they haven't done in more than four years.

Mitchell racked up 37 points and 10 assists to carry his team to a 132-127 win over the Rockets in overtime. According to StatMuse, it was Utah's first overtime victory since January 2018.

The Jazz controlled the game early, as the Rockets quickly took a 9-4 lead but saw it evaporate minutes later. Utah led 25-20 at the end of the quarter, and then jumped out to a 66-53 lead by the end of the half.

The Rockets brought it back to a 10-point game by the end of the third quarter and ramped things up even further in the fourth. They chipped away and away at the deficit until finally Christian Wood brought them within one score with just over two-and-a-half minutes left to play.

Kevin Porter Jr. tied the game with a layup with 30.1 seconds to go, but Mike Conley hit a big three with 8.3 left on the clock to put Utah up. After a timeout, Houston inbounded to Porter, but he was defended tight. He dished to Wood, who hit a clutch triple at the horn to send the game to overtime.

Christian Wood sends it to OT pic.twitter.com/bvergTZcl4
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 3, 2022

Houston went up four to begin overtime, but Mitchell would quickly put a stop to that. He scored six straight points in 30 seconds to reclaim the lead for Utah, but the Rockets took it back shortly after. Just a few moments later, however, Conley mimicked Mitchell by scoring six points in 31 seconds to go up five.

A Conley free throw put the Jazz up six with 14.3 to play, but rookie sensation Jalen Green buried a three to make it a one-score game. Conley continued to flex his clutch gene, though, as he hit two free throws to ice the win for Utah.

Mitchell's 37 points led all scorers. Rudy Gobert added 27 points and 17 rebounds. Conley logged 15 points, eight assists and four steals.

Green led the Rockets with 27 points. Wood racked up 24 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals, and Porter logged 16 points and 12 assists.

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