NBA: Millsap leads Jazz to 109-87 win over Real Madrid
By PAUL LOGOTHETIS
AP Sports Writer
MADRID — Paul Millsap scored 20 points to lead the Utah Jazz to a 109-87 victory over Real Madrid on Thursday in the finale of the NBA’s preseason European tour.
Point guard Deron Williams added 16 at the Palacio de los Deportes stadium as the Jazz bounced back from Tuesday’s one-point loss to the Chicago Bulls in London.
The victory put the NBA back on even-footing in Spain after having lost two of its last three matches in the country.
Following an even first quarter, Millsap and Alexander Johnson combined for 22 points during a second quarter in which the Jazz outscored Madrid 33-16.
With Madrid missing pivot men Felipe Reyes and Thomas Van den Spiegel, Millsap dominated in the paint to key an 8-2 run to start the quarter before Johnson hit back-to-back jumpers to help Utah out to its first double-digit lead.
The Jazz dominated under the basket at both ends — outscoring Madrid 64-26 inside the paint — and kept the Spanish club without a field goal for nearly the last six minutes before the half. Madrid also made nine of its 22 turnovers during that time.
Rookie point guard Eric Maynor’s 3-pointer gave the Jazz a comfortable 19-point cushion to close the first half, in which Madrid shot 28.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Utah coach Jerry Sloan brought regulars Williams and Carlos Boozer back out to start the second half and the Jazz stretched their lead to 28. Boozer finished with 14 points.
Ronnie Brewer’s slam with two minutes remaining in the third period put the exclamation point on a night that had started slowly for the jet-lagged Jazz.
Former Michigan player Louis Bullock led Madrid with 18 points.
The last time the NBA was in the Spanish capital, in 2007, Madrid beat the Toronto Raptors by a single point. Pau Gasol led the Memphis Grizzlies to victory over Madrid club Estudiantes that year, while the Philadelphia 76ers stumbled at Barcelona in 2006.
Former Portland player Fernando Martin was honored before the start of the second half. Martin — who died in a traffic accident in 1989 — was the first Spanish player to play in the NBA.