Jazz overcome big Wemby performance to earn 2nd win of season

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama stuffed Kyle Filpiowski at the rim. And a moment later, he had John Collins sprawling trying to get a shot off

That late defensive stand by the 7-foot-3 phenom looked to be what would finally push San Antonio over the top on Saturday. It gave Wembanyama seven blocks and led to a dunk on the other end to cut Utah's lead to a single point with 47 seconds left.

The biggest player on the court came through for San Antonio. Then, the smallest came through for Utah.

Collin Sexton drilled a contested 3-pointer to help keep the Spurs at bay in a 111-110 Jazz win at San Antonio at Frost Bank Center. He added two clutch free throws with four seconds remaining to ice the game. It was Utah's second win of the season (and second of its four-game road trip) as the Jazz improved to 2-7 on the season.

Sexton led Utah with 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting to lead Utah. Lauri Markkanen added 20 points and six rebounds, Jordan Clarkson scored 11 of his 16 points in the final quarter and John Collins had 15 points and 10 rebounds in the back-and-forth affair.

There were 16 lead changes in the contest and 15 ties; neither team ever led by double digits. Jazz coach Will Hardy saw that as a good training ground for his young team — and he was pleased with how his team handled the situation. The veterans gave a good calming presence — no bigger than Clarkson's fourth-quarter run — and the rookies, for the most part, didn't play outside themselves.

"It was good for our team to feel that — you're up four, then you're down two; you're up six, then you're down one — it stayed in that area," Hardy said. "It's great for our team to feel that where every possession has this weight to it. I think anytime you can be in that environment, it helps your team grow."

The Jazz had five players reach double figures — and that doesn't include two solid performances from rookies Filipowski and Isaiah Collier.

After being left out of the rotation on Thursday, Filipowski played 25 minutes finishing with 8 points, six assists and five rebounds.

He had some rough moments late — he unwisely dribbled into a crowd and lost the ball, missed some free throws and then challenged Wembanyama at the rim when a safer play was available — but he probably proved he belonged in the rotation full-time. His six assists were a team-high and showcased his ability as a secondary playmaker.

"It's always great when you have bigs that can pass, gives you an added layer to your offense," Hardy said. "I thought that Kyle did a good job of that tonight. He's very comfortable with the ball in his hands. He's a good ball handler, and it gives us a lot of optionality on offense, especially when he's out there with John and Lauri."

Collier, meanwhile, finished with 7 points, six rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes starting in place of an injured Keyonte George. His quickness got him into the paint regularly where he made some strong reads, either getting himself a scoring chance at the rim or kicking it out for open teammates.

"He plays with really good tempo," Hardy said. "You can see the burst he has to the basket. You can see his pace in the full court. You also see moments where his vision and passing really stand out."

His one real blemish? He went 0-for-6 from 3-point range and the Spurs were even daring him to shoot at the end. Hardy shrugged that off, though, seeing it as a technical issue that will improve in time.

It was all good enough to help the Jazz overcome another gaudy stat line by Wembanyama. Wembanyama — who hung a rare 5-by-5 against Utah in Salt Lake City last week — had 24 points and 16 rebounds along with his seven blocks. He was 8-for-15 from the field and made six 3-pointers.

"We've got a lot of different lineups happening every night, and the guys are just kind of rolling with it," Hardy said. "So I'm happy for them."

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