Forward Derrick Favors returned to his hometown to score 23 points and grab eight rebounds, leading the visiting Utah Jazz to a 97-96 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday at Philips Arena.
Favors, who grew up in Atlanta and played one season at Georgia Tech before turning professional, shot 11-for-20 from the field. His bucket gave the Jazz a five-point lead at 93-88, a margin from which the Hawks could not recover.
Favors also made an 18-footer as the shot clock was running out with 38 seconds left to extend Utah’s lead to four points. He scored 17 points in the second half.
Atlanta had one last chance to win the game. Center Al Horford made a 3-pointer with 33 seconds left to cut the lead to one, and the Hawks had the ball after Favors missed a jumper with 12 seconds left.
Forward Paul Millsap had an open look at the basket as time expired, but his 16-footer bounced off the rim and into the arms of Favors.
The win improved Utah’s record to 5-5 overall, 4-4 on the road. The Hawks dropped to 8-4 overall, 4-3 at home.
Utah guard Rodney Hood scored a season-high 20 points. Guard Alec Burks came off the bench to score 18 points and grab six rebounds. Center Rudy Gobert had 11 points and 11 rebounds, and guard Trey Burks contributed 10 points and five assists.
Millsap led Atlanta with 28 points, converting 10 of 18 from the floor, and he grabbed six rebounds. Center Al Horford and forward Kent Bazemore each had 16 points, and guards Dennis Schroder and Kyle Korver each scored 11.
Atlanta enjoyed a 79-74 lead with 10:08 left in the game before Utah began its fourth-quarter spurt. Burke hit a layup, and Hood drained a 3-pointer with 8:49 to tying the game 79-79.
The Jazz led 91-86 after forward Gordon Hayward made a 15-footer with 4:03 left. Atlanta trimmed the lead to two points when Millsap converted on a pass from Schroder, but Millsap also had a turnover and missed everything on a 3-point shot with 59 seconds left.
NOTES: Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer was back on the bench Sunday. He missed one game because of a family emergency. … The Hawks recalled F Lamar Patterson and C Walter Tavares from the Austin Spurs of the D-League. Neither played against Utah. … Returning from a night off from injury were Jazz C Rudy Gobert (sprained ankle) and G Rodney Hood (sore foot). … Atlanta was playing without G Jeff Teague (ankle). … Hawks G Kent Bazemore left the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle sprain.