NBA roundup: Rodney Hood sinks clutch 3 pointer to lift Jazz; Celtics beat Hornets

Los Angeles: Rodney Hood nailed the game-winning basket with 0.8 seconds remaining to lift the Utah Jazz to a 103-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. [caption id=“attachment_3160838” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Utah Jazz’ Rodney Hood lets loose the game-winning shot. AP[/caption] Hood finished with 15 points as his clutch three pointer came after the Mavericks tied it 100-100 on a fadeaway jumper from Harrison Barnes with 45 seconds remaining to close out a 14-3 run. “It is the best feeling in the world. You dream of hitting a shot like that,” said Hood. “I am glad we pulled out this win. I was really aggressive early. In the second half they tried to make me a playmaker and I found my teammates.” Dallas had a chance to take the lead, but Deron Williams missed a go-ahead three-pointer seconds before Hood pushed the ball up the court and scored. Rudy Gobert finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds for his sixth straight double-double for host Utah, who improved to 17-10. Gordon Hayward and Trey Lyles added 13 points apiece for the Jazz, which won for the 10th time in the last 12 games. Barnes scored 21 points and Williams added 18 to lead Dallas. Wesley Matthews and Seth Curry chipped in 13 apiece for the Mavericks who dropped to 6-20 on the season. Utah took a 50-47 lead on a Dante Exum three-pointer. Hayward finished off a dunk and scored on a three-pointer on back-to-back possessions to put the Jazz up 62-53 with 66 seconds remaining in the half. The Mavericks rallied again in the third quarter. Wesley Matthews drained a three-pointer to cap a 10-2 run and tie the score 70-70. Utah did not let Dallas actually take the lead. The Jazz answered with a 17-5 run, going up 87-75 with 1:07 left in the third quarter on back-to-back layups from Shelvin Mack and Trey Lyles. Hood and Hayward got the run going when they each buried critical three-pointers. Elsewhere, Isaiah Thomas returned to the lineup with a bang as the Boston Celtics ended its three-game losing streak with a fourth-quarter explosion en route to a 96-88 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Thomas, who missed four games with a groin strain, scored 26 points and Al Horford added 18 to lead the Celtics. Leading scorer out Kemba Walker, Charlotte’s leading scorer, missed the game because of a personal issue and will rejoin the team Saturday in Atlanta. The Hornets missed him, shooting just 32.7 percent from the floor in their fourth straight loss. In Orlando, Evan Fournier scored 21 points, including 11 points in the final 2:20, to spark the Orlando Magic to a 118-111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at Amway Arena. Reserve center Nikola Vucevic, returning from a three-game absence, had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, who snapped a six game home losing skid. Serge Ibaka contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds. The Nets lost their eight consecutive game on the road. In Washington, John Wall had 29 points and 10 assists, and Bradley Beal scored 25 points as the Washington Wizards dominated the Detroit Pistons 122-108.