Jazz's winning sequence ends

SALT LAKE CITY • Following a nine-game winning streak over Washington that stretched all the way back to the 2015-16 National Basketball Association (NBA) season, the Utah Jazz are finding it tough to get past the Wizards' spell this term.

It was just three weeks ago that the Jazz, who are leading the league on 40-14, lost 131-122 to Scott Brooks' men. On Monday night, they suffered another defeat, 125-121, as their franchise-record, 24-game home-winning streak also came to an end.

Bradley Beal scored 34 points, Russell Westbrook compiled his NBA-leading 23rd triple-double of the season and the Wizards overcame a tough start to upset the Jazz in Salt Lake City.

It was also the first defeat for Utah on their court this year. The last time an opponent won at Vivint Arena was a Phoenix victory on New Year's Eve 2020.

"I didn't know they had 24 straight wins at home until after the game," Beal said. "We played really well tonight, aggressive on the defensive end... We definitely had our hands full, but I love how we accepted all the challenges and made it tough for them."

Westbrook scored 25 points, dished out 14 assists and grabbed 14 rebounds, his fifth consecutive triple-double.

The loss spoilt big nights for the Jazz's Donovan Mitchell, who scored 42 for his fourth straight game with 35 or more, and Bojan Bogdanovic, who added 33 points.

"We didn't have the right focus defensively," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "In the first half, we gave up so much in a couple of quarters that it made it difficult for us even when we started playing better defence later in the game."

Mitchell scored 17 in the first quarter as the Jazz jumped out to a 42-33 lead and looked to be on their way to another home win.

However, playing without Mike Conley (hamstring) and Jordan Clarkson (ankle), the Jazz struggled defensively all night to contain Beal and Westbrook.

The Wizards took a 70-65 half-time lead after reversing their fortunes with a 37-23 second quarter, and they built a lead as big as 19 points, 109-90, early in the fourth after a 17-2 run.

Utah chipped away at their lead throughout the period, eventually pulling within two. But Beal and Raul Neto each drained two free throws in the final seconds to help the Wizards (20-33) improve to 3-2 on their six-game road trip that ends today in Sacramento.

Without two key players, the Jazz were limited in their depth and the Wizards took advantage of that, outscoring the hosts' bench 59-14. Washington also shot a blistering 52.2 per cent overall against a usually stingy Jazz defence.

Elsewhere, Stephen Curry erupted with 53 points to pass Wilt Chamberlain's all-time Golden State scoring record as the Warriors downed the Denver Nuggets 116-107.

Curry - who started the game needing 19 points to overtake Chamberlain's tally of 17,783 points set between 1959 and 1965 - broke the record in a hurry, rattling in 21 in the first quarter.

"This is special man," Curry said. "Now we've got the win, I can process what just happened. These last 12 years, all the teammates I've played with, the coaching staff, the ownership, our fans - I've had amazing experiences.

"With Wilt, any time you hear his name you just assume his record's unreachable. I did play six extra years here, but it still means something to be at the top of that list."

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE