LaMarcus Aldridge poured in a career-high 45 points and fell just one rebound short of what would've been a monster double-double as the San Antonio Spurs held off the Utah Jazz 124-120 in overtime.
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Aldridge was red-hot from the field shooting 70% in the win. He was also stellar on the defensive end recording three blocks.
Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell kept Utah close hitting not one but two three-pointers at the end of regulation which helped force overtime.
In the extra session, the Jazz took the early lead and had momentum after Rudy Gobert finished an and-1 play to put the road team up 116-114. Mitchell would later nail an open jumper to extend the Jazz lead to three points but that was as big as it would get in the overtime period.
Patty Mills sparked the late surge with a deep triple in the face of fellow Aussie Joe Ingles. Aldridge and Rudy Gay shut the door on a Utah comeback attempt with back-to-back putback buckets off offensive rebounds.
The Jazz ran cold from the field to close the game and the Spurs who finished the game shooting 85% from the free-throw line closed out their 43rd win of the season.
Mills won the battle of the Aussies posting 25 points, four assists. Ingles had 13 points and Dante Exum who played just 10 minutes finished with four points in the loss.
Mitchell who got an endorsement for rookie of the year from Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle had a team-high 35 points for the Jazz.
With the loss, Utah is now just 1.0 game ahead of the Denver Nuggets who won earlier in the day for the eight and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
