Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro, center, fouls Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Collin Sexton had 22 points, Keyonte George scored 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and the Utah Jazz beat Miami 117-109 on Saturday to end the Heat’s winning streak at four.
Jimmy Butler returned for Miami after missing the four straight victories because of strained calf, but left in the third quarter because of a foot injury. He had eight points in 23 minutes.
Bam Adebayo led Miami with 28 points and 16 rebounds. Tyler Herro added 25 points.
In a tight game with the biggest lead eight, Kelly Olynyk scored in the lane and George hit 3 over the top of a zone to give Utah a 108-100 lead with 3:42 to play.
The Heat cut it to 108-106 before George hit another 3 and Lauri Markkanen added a 3 of his own after missing his first seven long-range attempts to seal it.
Olynyk finished with 19 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, and the Jazz had 29 assists and just six turnovers. Utah improved to 14-0, while Miami dropped to 19-13.
George, who is the least accurate Jazz perimeter from 3-point range at 31.8%, had his best 3-point shooting game with five 3s, while the rest of the team went 6 for 33.
The Jazz had played 11 of their last 15 games on the road but finally found their footing on their last trip — winning three straight after claiming just two away contests the rest of the season.
Playing with a fully healthy rotation for one of the first times this season, the Jazz relied on Sexton early and George late to grab this hard-fought win.
Sexton, who was coming off the bench early in the season, is averaging 23.1 over his last 10 games as he solidified his place in the starting lineup.
UP NEXT
Heat: At Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.
Jazz: Host Dallas on Monday night.