Utah at Phoenix

[Real Deal]

TIME: 9:00 PM ET

TV: NBALP

[Built Ford Tough]

http://sports.cbsimg.net/u/photos/basketball/nba/img21402876.jpg

 

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns took advantage of playing with a lead for most of the game against the Utah Jazz.

 

Jared Dudley had a season-high 22 points and the Suns had a lead most of the way in a 99-84 victory over the Jazz 99-84 on Friday.

 

"It's so much easier when you're playing downhill rather than uphill," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said.

 

The Suns had trailed by double digits in all but one of their prior 11 home games and in 19 of 23 overall, but that wasn't an issue against Utah.

 

After falling behind early, the Suns took a 20-18 lead on a reverse layup by Dudley with 4:26 left in the first quarter and never looked back.

 

"We got a lot of turnovers and long rebounds," Dudley said. "When you are not taking the ball from out of bounds you can run a little bit more. I thought we had more of an aggressive mindset."

 

Gentry has talked before recent games of the Suns' need to move the ball, given the significantly higher percentage his team shoots when there are multiple passes before a shot.

 

In the first half against the Jazz, Phoenix had 16 assists on 22 baskets and finished the game with 23 assists on 38.

 

"That tells me we were moving the basketball and doing the right thing," Gentry said. "We are not playing isolation."

 

Goran Dragic added 17 points and five assists for the Suns, who have won consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 21-23. Phoenix has yet to win three straight this season.

 

Al Jefferson, who had 27 points and 14 rebounds in the teams' first meeting, was held to 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Jazz, who had their four-game winning streak snapped.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121214_UTA@PHO