NBA scores 2018: Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz have won 10 in a row

The Jazz were unlikely to be in the playoff hunt when Gordon Hayward devastated Salt Lake City and left Utah for nothing in free agency last summer. Their slim odds were julienned when Rudy Gobert went down in mid-December with a knee injury that sidelined him for a month.

Yet here we are midway through February. Utah is 28-28, just a game and a half behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the eighth seed in the playoffs. The Jazz have won 10 games in a row, including two victories against the Spurs and wins against Golden State, Toronto, New Orleans, Detroit, and the Los Angeles Clippers. Their success has come in part from a league seventh-best stingy defense that gives up just 104 points per 100 possessions. But it also stems from wildly impressive production from one of the league’s most electrifying rookies.

Mitchell may have taken 28 shots against the Spurs on Monday night (and he only made nine of them), but rest assured he gunned the Jazz to a 101-99 victory against a conference superpower — albeit banged up without both Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. Utah’s standout rookie posted 25 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals against San Antonio.

Thirteen of Mitchell’s points came in the fourth quarter as the Jazz erased a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit. He leads all rookies in scoring in the final period of ball games.

At this point it’s a close call. Mitchell’s battling tooth and nail with Ben Simmons, who’s having an outstanding first season for a playoff-bound 76ers team, as well. Both Mitchell and Simmons played Monday night. Here’s how their stat lines look to date:

It’s a toss-up between the two standout rookies, and Kyle Kuzma’s unexpected first season in Los Angeles makes things interesting, too. But Jazz fans have to be thrilled with Mitchell’s emergence this season. And 10 straight wins ain’t a bad thing to celebrate, either.

Davis tore up Detroit on Monday night, scoring 38 points on 58 percent shooting to lead New Orleans to a 15-point win. His 38-point night set a record for most points scored at Little Caesars Arena, the new stadium the Pistons moved into this summer.

Here’s the thing, though: Davis went off for 59 points against the Pistons in 2016, too. That was an all-time record for most points ever scored at The Palace at Auburn Hills.

Sorry, Detroit fans: AD ain’t walking through that door. Not with a Pistons jersey on at least. You’re just gonna have to get used to seeing The Brow roll up and beat the brakes off your team every season. Then again, it could be worse.

Remember last season when McConnell took a dagger and stuck it into New York’s entire season with a turnaround fadeaway game-winner? Here’s a reminder:

Well, T.J. strikes again. On Monday night, the man recorded his first-ever triple-double against who else but the same team he buried right around this time last season. He had 10 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and a healthy serving of six steals to just one turnover in Philly’s win over New York.

Knowing the Knicks, they just might try to sign him when he becomes a free agent.

Oh yeah, and the Warriors won by 46.

Happy Tuesday!

Pelicans 118, Pistons 103

76ers 108, Knicks 92

Clippers 114, Nets 101

Bulls 105, Magic 101

Jazz 101, Spurs 99

Warriors 129, Suns 83