Donovan Mitchell erupts for 51 points, and Utah Jazz hold off Denver Nuggets to take command of series

The Utah Jazz pride themselves on being a team that wins by moving the ball on offense and playing solid, position-oriented defense.

But in this 2020 NBA postseason, they’re also discovering that sometimes there is a simpler formula: give the ball to Donovan Mitchell and get out of his way.

The third-year guard racked up 18 of his 51 points in the fourth quarter Sunday, as the Jazz pulled off a pivotal, scratch-and-claw 129-127 victory that gave them a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets.

Shockingly, a team thought to be first-round cannon fodder following a season-ending injury to second-leading scorer Bojan Bogdanovic is now one win away from the Western Conference semifinals.

Mitchell hit 15 of 27 shots for the field and 17 of 18 free throws to become just the fourth player in NBA history to have multiple 50-point games in a single playoff series, along with Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and Wilt Chamberlain. He also added seven assists.

“He was terrific. He’s a terrific player,” said coach Quin Snyder. “The way that he answered everything that was going on, even early, the way he picked his spots — he’s playing with a level of confidence right now that’s very high.”

JAZZ 129, NUGGETS 127

• Donovan Mitchell racks up 51 points and seven assists as the Jazz take a 3-1 lead in their first-round series.

• Mike Conley adds 26 points in his second game back, while Jordan Clarkson contributes 24 off the bench.

• Utah makes 31 of 36 free throws, while Denver goes just 12 of 13 from the stripe.

Granted, he didn’t do it by himself.

Utah did, after all, post a 64-point first half in which it shot better than 58% from the field. And while those first 24 minutes were a brilliant display of isolation efficiency from Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson, the third quarter was perhaps even prettier, with Mitchell and Mike Conley operating the blender at peak efficiency, and some increased defensive intensity forcing a few more Denver misses and turnovers.

All of which precipitated a nail-biter of a fourth quarter in which they were ultimately able to withstand a Jamal Murray onslaught and an offensive-rebounding barrage from the Nuggets.

For the second time this series, Mitchell and Murray traded buckets down the stretch, as they replicated their Game 1 scoring battle.

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Mitchell again got the upper hand on the stat sheet, as Murray racked up a career-high 50; but more importantly, this time the Louisville product also earned the crucial victory.

Utah seized the momentum for good with 4 minutes, 2 seconds to play, when Conley knocked the ball away from Denver’s Jerami Grant. Mitchell got the ball and, as he threw the ball ahead to an unimpeded Conley, he was fouled by Paul Millsap.

The subsequent clear-path violation ruling turned into a crucial four points, as Mitchell hit the ensuing free throws, and Conley capitalized on the possession by burying a floater.

KEY MOMENTA clear-path foul at the 4:02 mark yields two Donovan Mitchell free throws and a Mike Conley bucket, turning a one-point lead to five.

BIG NUMBER51 • Mitchell’s latest big-scoring night makes him the fourth player in NBA history with multiple 50-point-plus games in a playoff series

UP NEXTThe Jazz will look to close the Nuggets out in Game 5 of their first-round series on Tuesday night.

Just like that, a one-point lead was a 113-108 advantage. And while the Nuggets didn’t go away, neither did they ever lead again.

While not quite a shocking result, given how easily the offense rolled in the first half, it was still an impressive one, given the adjustments the Jazz made throughout.

It was understood that, down 2-1, Denver would come out strong and take it to the Jazz. And they did, racking up 14 points in the paint in the first quarter, working the offensive boards. Still, the Jazz hung in there.

And as the game went along, they continued to get better. After posting only six assists in the entire first half, they racked up that many alone in the third quarter. Meanwhile, after another slow start from the 3-point line, they wound up hitting 14 of 29 beyond the arc (48.3%).

Still, while Conley had another efficient showing with 26 points on 8-for-13 shooting, and Clarkson contributed as well by hitting 9 of 13 and scoring 24, this game was denied by Mitchell’s aggression in getting to the hoop.

“He really attacked the basket. That’s something he’s worked on a lot,” Snyder said. “And as much as he got to the line, that makes him even harder to defend.”

JAZZ-NUGGETS SCHEDULEJazz lead best-of-seven series 3-1

Game 1 • Nuggets 135, Jazz 125 (OT)Game 2 • Jazz 124, Nuggets 105Game 3 • Jazz 124, Nuggets 87Game 4 • Jazz 129, Nuggets 127Game 5 • Tuesday, time and TV TBDGame 6 • Thursday, time TBD, ESPN*Game 7 • Aug. 29, time TBD, TNT**—if necessary