Jazz hold off NBA champions Bucks in Conley's return

LOS ANGELES – Mike Conley scored 20 points in his return to the lineup and Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points as the Utaz Jazz beat the reigning NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks, 107-95, on Sunday (Monday, Manila time).

Mitchell scored 11 of his points in the fourth quarter as the Jazz never trailed.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Bucks, who trailed at one stage by 17 points but rallied to cut the Jazz lead to just four points in the final quarter.

Former Jazz player Grayson Allen finished with 18 points for the Bucks, who lost at home for the third time in a three-game homestand. Milwaukee also slipped below .500 at 3-4 with a third straight loss.

The Jazz took a 99-87 lead with just over three minutes left in the fourth thanks to Mitchell's seven points in two minutes of action.

But the Bucks clawed their way back as Allen made two 3-pointers and Thanasis Antetokounmpo made a dunk to cut the Jazz lead to 99-95 with 99 seconds left.

Mitchell stretched the Jazz's lead to six with a basket, and Royce O'Neale made a clutch defensive play by blocking an Allen 3-point attempt to extinguish the Bucks' comeback bid. 

The victory was the fifth in six games for Utah, which suffered its first loss of the season in Chicago on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

In Dallas, Luka Doncic capped a team-high 23-point night with a clutch 3-pointer as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Sacramento Kings 105-99. 

Doncic also dished out 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Mavericks, who shot 44.4% from the field after having been held to 29.5% in a Friday loss to Denver.

Richaun Holmes posted a 22-point, 13-rebound double-double for the Kings, who had a two-game win streak snapped.

Also, LaMelo Ball scored 27 points and Kelly Oubre came off the bench to score 26 in powering the Charlotte Hornets to a 125-113 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Ball also had nine rebounds and seven assists to bounce back from a sub-par performance in his previous outings. The NBA Rookie of the Year had just 13 points on five-of-28 shooting from the floor in a win over Orlando on Wednesday and a Friday loss to Miami.