Jojo Doria

Salt Lake City, UT

After last season's tumultuous campaign, the gritty Utah Jazz are back in the playoffs with Al Jefferson shrugging off a gash over his left eye to post eight points and eight boards in the decisive fourth quarter of a 100-88 win over the Phoenix Suns Tuesday night at EnergySolutions Arena.

The victory sent the Jazz to the postseason for the fifth time in six years.

It marked the turning point for Utah, which missed the playoffs a year ago. The Jazz's unexpected collapse from their seemingly secure status as a playoff-contending team apparently began February 2011 when coach Jerry Sloan resigned and All-Star guard Deron Williams was traded.

Utah, which last made the playoffs in 1988-89 without Sloan on the sideline, overcame a tentative run midway through the season and picked a perfect time to solve the Suns enigma.

After losing nine of 11 contests from Feb. 6-28, the resilient Jazz posted a 20-12 record in the last two months. They got back into the race after winning five of their previous seven contests prior to facing Phoenix Tuesday night, the second test of a three-game homestand.

Against the Suns, whom they have not beaten often lately, Utah took an 49-42 halftime lead into second half and threatened to run away in the third period by building a 10-point lead.

Phoenix would not go away easy, as it battled back from a 73-68 deficit at the end of three periods and took a 76-74 lead following a Michael Redd jumper less than two minutes in the fourth.

It was the Suns' first taste of the lead in the second half, and it turned out to be their last as Utah regrouped to score 19 of the next 23 points.

Jefferson, who returned after receiving stitches for the gash on his left eye he sustained in the third period, pierced through the Suns defense and netted eight straight points in the decisive run. He finished with 18 points and 16 rebounds

Paul Millsap had 26 points and 15 boards, while Derrick Favors filled the stat sheets with 13 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks as the Jazz notched their first win over Phoenix since March 10, 2010.

The win snapped a seven-game losing streak to Phoenix. The Jazz (35-30) currently hold the eighth and final spot in the West, but they could vault past Denver depending on the results of the final two days of the regular season.

The Suns, who will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season, got 14 points and 11 assists from Steve Nash, who may have played his final game for Phoenix. The two-time MVP and eight-time All-Star Nash is set to become a free agent this summer.

Jared Dudley added 15 points and six boards, while Redd ended with 15 markers in the loss.

 

Gritty Jazz Back in Playoffs