Suns slip past Jazz 94-88

PHOENIX - Jared Dudley had a season-high 22 points to help lead the Phoenix Suns past the Utah Jazz 99-84 on Friday night.

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.

Paul Millsap added 12 points for Utah, which was held below 90 points for just the second time in its past 13 games.

The Jazz cut a 12-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to seven at 79-72 on Derrick Favors' 8-foot jumper with 10:23 remaining.

But Utah did not hit another shot from the field over the next 2:21 and was outscored 18-4 during that stretch.

Phoenix has spent much of the season at home digging out from early double-digit holes. But on Friday, 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.

The Suns stretched the lead to 12 points by the end of the first quarter and led by 20 at 56-36 on another Dudley layup with 3:34 left in the first half.

But the momentum disappeared over the next several minutes. Utah held Phoenix without a field goal over the remainder of the first half and cut the lead to 56-42 at halftime.

Four different Jazz players scored during a 7-1 run over the middle three minutes of the third quarter, capped by a driving layup by Millsap to pull Utah within 65-61.

Dudley hit a 3-pointer with 3:48 to go in the third quarter to put the Suns back in front by seven and Phoenix led 77-65 after three.

After Favors brought the Jazz back within seven, the Suns took control. Favors was called for a technical foul, Utah coach Tyrone Corbin was also whistled for a technical less than a minute later, and P.J. Tucker made a key steal and subsequent layup as Phoenix took an 85-72 lead.