The Utah Jazz ended their five-game skid in emphatic fashion Saturday night, crushing the Miami Heat 136-100. Rookie forward Brice Sensabaugh spearheaded the Jazz’s offensive explosion with a career-high 34 points, while John Collins added 24 in a game that saw Utah thoroughly dominate from start to finish.
After a tightly contested first quarter, Utah surged ahead in the second with a 13-2 run, capped by a Collins layup. The Jazz outscored the Heat 40-19 in the period, building a commanding 62-41 lead by halftime. Keyonte George’s three-pointer early in the fourth quarter extended Utah’s advantage to 112-69, marking their largest lead of the game.
Walker Kessler was a force on the boards, recording 14 points and 16 rebounds, while Jazz starters Collin Sexton (17 points), Lauri Markkanen (15), and George (11) all reached double figures. Utah’s dominance on the glass, outrebounding Miami 63-42, underscored their complete control of the game.
The Heat, playing without suspended star forward Jimmy Butler, struggled mightily on offense. Nikola Jovic led Miami with 17 points, and Duncan Robinson chipped in 16, but the Heat’s shooting woes were glaring. They shot a dismal 3-of-22 from beyond the arc in the first half and finished the game at 13.6% from three-point range.
Butler’s absence loomed large after the Heat suspended him for seven games on Friday, citing conduct detrimental to the team. The suspension followed Butler’s candid comments expressing doubt about finding joy on the court in Miami.
Utah’s 13-2 run to start the second quarter swung momentum decisively. The Jazz starters combined for at least four rebounds each, reflecting their collective effort on the glass.
The victory snapped Utah’s three-game road losing streak, giving the team its first road win since mid-December.
Miami closed a three-game homestand with consecutive double-digit losses to teams with sub-.500 records, following a 128-115 defeat to Indiana on Thursday.
The 36-point loss was Miami’s sixth-largest home defeat in franchise history and their worst since a 144-97 blowout against Milwaukee in December 2020.
The Jazz continue their road trip with a matchup against the Orlando Magic on Sunday night, while the Heat begin a challenging six-game road stretch Monday night in Sacramento.
This decisive victory provides the Jazz with momentum heading into Orlando, while the Heat face critical questions about their roster and direction as they embark on an extended road trip.
