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Mitchell: finished with 17 points. SIPA USA/PA Images

Game on! Mitchell dunks his own rebound as Jazz level series with #1 seed Rockets

The Western Conference semi is tied at a game apiece.

THE UTAH JAZZ started strong then held their nerve to beat the top-seeded Houston Rockets 116-108 on Wednesday and level their Western Conference semi-final series at one game apiece.

Australian forward Joe Ingles scored a playoff career-high 27 points and star rookie Donovan Mitchell added 17 as Utah used a big fourth quarter to thwart a second-half comeback bid by superstar James Harden and the Rockets in Houston.

Ingles, a 30-year-old who played internationally as a pro for eight years before landing in the NBA in 2014, drained seven of nine three-point attempts.

That included two late in the fourth, when his three from the left corner with 4:25 remaining took the Jazz lead to 108-96.

Rookie star Mitchell’s 17 points included an one-handed dunk off the rebound of his own missed shot — an emphatic jam that keyed Utah’s 16-2 fourth-quarter scoring run.

“To be honest I was just trying to shoot a floater and grab a rebound, but I was up there so I figured why come down with it,” Mitchell said.

ESPN / YouTube

Moments before, Mitchell had forced Harden into a 24-second violation, just one solid defensive move from a Jazz team that held the vaunted Rockets offense to 24 percent shooting in the final period.

“The biggest thing is we defended,” Mitchell said. “We’ll take this win, but we need three more.”

- ‘Series is on’ -

NBA scoring champion Harden notched 32 points with 11 assists and seven rebounds for the Rockets, who erased a 19-point first-half deficit to take a five-point lead in the third quarter.

“We came out a little too lackadaisical,” said Harden. “We were kind of going through the motions.”

The Jazz, seeded fourth in the West, will try to grab the series lead when they host game three on Friday in Salt Lake City.

“The series is on,” said Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni. “Get it going now.”

© AFP 2018

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    Mute Chonky Racoon
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    Jun 14th 2019, 12:23 PM

    Don’t go there kid.. Go somewhere where you’ll be appreciated and where you’ll only get better

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    Mute Warren Mcdermott
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    Jun 14th 2019, 12:58 PM

    @Chonky Racoon: spot on I know it’s hard to say no to these huge clubs but better for your future if you went to a smaller club and got plenty of game time clubs like Dortmund or Lyon who have history of bringing players throught

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    Mute Scott Mcsauce bby
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    Jun 14th 2019, 12:16 PM

    There not holding back anyway

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    Mute Frainc Ó Broin
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    Jun 14th 2019, 4:08 PM

    Every country has a Messi these days. Wessi was our Messi!

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Jun 14th 2019, 1:24 PM

    Is he the first Japanese man to sign for them, first Asian perhaps? Can’t think of anyone else off hand. Lá liga will be delighted either way!

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    Mute Limón Madrugada
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    Jun 14th 2019, 6:19 PM

    @Hardly Normal: he’s signed for Castilla , it’s Real Madrid’s B team .. it’s a strategic move for Madrid , the player himself may not thrive though. A guy like Odegaard is making a name for himself in Holland but it’s unlikely he’ll ever triumph in Real Madrid . It’s surprising that he didn’t go back to Barca tbh .

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    Mute Philip Farrell
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    Jun 14th 2019, 7:42 PM

    @Hardly Normal: As Mr. Madrugada points out, Kubo is signing for Castilla, not Real Madrid (a tehnicality). But Real Madrid (including Castilla and Real Madrid C) have had at least two Asian players before. There was some fanfare a few years back when they signed Chinese Lin Liangming. There was also a Jordanian (Tha’er Bawab) who played for both Real and Barce’s B-Teams back in the early 00s.

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    Mute Andrew Tuite
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    Jun 14th 2019, 8:14 PM

    @Limón Madrugada: do you think Odegaard will ever make it with Madrid or will just be sold on ??

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Jun 14th 2019, 9:55 PM

    @Philip Farrell: you hardly rattled that off the top of your head, if you did fair play. So no asain player has played for Real Madrid proper? I’d put money on it this lad will get an opportunity if he shows any bit of promise. The asain market is untapped from a Spanish point of view, interesting move.

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    Mute Limón Madrugada
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    Jun 15th 2019, 11:21 AM

    @Andrew Tuite: sold on I reckon , he’s done well in Holland and Ajax are looking at him . He’d be useful as part of the deal for de Ligt !! But he needs to make a proper breakthrough for Madrid to see him as first team material.

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    Mute tubbsyf
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    Jun 14th 2019, 3:28 PM

    Great news for la liga

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