Gobert, Bogdanovic Carry Jazz To Comeback Victory Over Wizards

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA – Rudy Gobert and Bojan Bogdanovic led a Donovan Mitchell-less Utah Jazz team to a second half comeback and win over the Washington Wizards.

The Jazz began a three-game road trip by defeating the Wizards 127-116 in the nation’s capital on Sunday, January 12.

Gobert continued his all-star play against the Wizards and recorded a spectacular in the fourth quarter. He didn’t 5 personal fouls prevent him from playing the final 6:07 minutes of the game with force.

After committing his fifth foul, Gobert threw down three critical dunks during the final minutes of play to help Utah close out the game. He also buried two shots at the foul line in clutch time.

Gobert finished the game with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 assists. Five of his boards came on the offensive end of the floor. Gobert shot 8-10 on field goals and added 2 blocks in 38 minutes of play. He posted a team-high +15 plus-minus rating in the win.

Rudy Gobert had 2 points and 6 assists in the 1st half against the Wizards. He finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds in the 127-116 win. Here is the best of his dominant 2nd half. #TakeNote #NBA #NBAAllStarVote pic.twitter.com/IN1CmhYxWy

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) January 12, 2020

The Jazz were without starting guard Donovan Mitchell who missed the game due to illness.

Utah started the game by turning to forward Bojan Bogdanovic to fill the void left by not having Mitchell’s 24.2 points per game.

Bogdanovic scored 22 points in the first half to keep the Jazz in the game. He finished the game with 31 points on 12-23 shooting. He added 3 rebounds and 3 assists in 36 minutes of play.

With Donovan Mitchell out sick Bojan Bogdanovic stepped up with 31 points in the Jazz win over the Wizards. Bogey now has 8 30-point games this season. #TakeNote #NBA pic.twitter.com/5pLahypKuh

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) January 12, 2020

The Jazz trailed the Wizards by 11 points at the break.

Utah rallied in the third quarter by outscoring the Wizards by 13 points in the first 12 minutes after halftime.

The Jazz maintained their advantage in the final 12 minutes of the game to complete the second half comeback for an 11-point victory.

Team Is Everything

Every Utah starter finished the game with 10 or more points.

Emmanuel Mudiay, who started in place of Mitchell, finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.

🗣No quit! pic.twitter.com/naMivVzcae

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 12, 2020

Joe Ingles added 20 points and 9 assists.

Royce O’Neale scored 10 points.

Jordan Clarkson led Utah’s second unit with 23 points. Clarkson’s total is the most points by a bench player for the Jazz this season.

Jordan Clarkson had just 6 points on 3 of 9 shooting in the 1st half against the Wizards. In the 2nd half he was 7 of 13 from the field, scored 17 points and dished out 3 big assists in the Jazz 9th straight win. The Jazz are undfeated since the Clarkson trade. #TakeNote #NBA pic.twitter.com/80iJWAUpsU

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) January 12, 2020

Woeful Wizards

The Wizards were led by Bradley Beal’s 25 points. Beal entered Sunday’s contest having missed Washington’s last five games.

Washington moved to 13-26 on the season with the loss.

Nine Straight

Sunday’s win was the ninth in a row by the Jazz. It was also Utah’s eighth consecutive victory over the Wizards dating to 2016.

The Jazz improved to 27-12 on the season and 12-9 on the road.

As of the final, Utah sat in second place in the Western Conference standings. The Jazz are currently five games behind the first place Los Angeles Lakers.

#TakeNote#TakeNote#TakeNote#TakeNote#TakeNote#TakeNote#TakeNote#TakeNote#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/pHeGIcrYTU

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 12, 2020

Up Next

Utah continues a three-game road trip against the Brooklyn Nets. The Jazz and Nets tip-off at the Barclays Center on Tuesday, January 14 at 5:30 p.m. (MDT).

Brooklyn will likely have star guard Kyrie Irving available to play. Irving returned to the Nets’ lineup on Sunday, January 12 after missing nearly two months and 26 games with a shoulder injury.