By Matthew Coles
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Lauri Markkanen scored 34 points, Collin Sexton made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and the Utah Jazz beat the New York Knicks 121-106 on Saturday to end a four-year skid matches.
Sexton finished with 25 points and John Collins finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Jazz.
OG Anunoby scored a season-high 27 points, Jalen Brunson scored 23 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Knicks, who shot 39 percent from the field and lost for the first time in five matches.
New York cut the lead to eight in the fourth quarter, but the Jazz responded with 10 straight points, capped by Johnny Juzang’s 3-pointer to make it 104-86 with 6:16 to play.
New York’s Miles McBride is out with a knee injury.
TAKE AWAY
Knicks: The Knicks are one of the league’s best teams offensively, but when the shots aren’t falling, they are hampered by a bottom-10 ranking in most defensive metrics. They were slow on changes and rotations until playing inspired defense at times in the second half, but it was too late.
Jazz: Rookie Kyle Filipowski was out with a sore ankle, but regular starting center Walker Kessler returned to the lineup and had 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. He was disruptive in the paint, changing shots and forcing tough passes.
Key moment
In the final minute of the second quarter, the Knicks missed three jumpers as Markkanen made a 3, Kessler made a quick layup and Keyonte George hit a floater just before the buzzer to give the Jazz a 1-2 lead. 66-51 at halftime.
Key statistic
Towns was shooting 50 percent from 3-point range this season, but he went 0 of 7 against the Jazz, the first time he hadn’t made a 3 in nine games.
To be continued
The Knicks continue their five-game road trip Monday night in Denver. Utah hosts San Antonio on Tuesday night.
