Ingles steadies Jazz with timely NBA bombs

[Nergal]

 

It was a few minutes after midnight in Salt Lake City when Joe Ingles and Utah Jazz NBA star rookie teammate Donovan Mitchell finally walked out of their victorious locker room and fronted the media.

The Jazz had just eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder from the playoffs with an intense, physical 96-91 win to clinch the first round series 4-2.

That was the good news.

The bad news is they have less than 48 hours to prepare for game one of their second-round series against top seed, the Houston Rockets.

Ingles, however, did not want to focus immediately on the Rockets' All-Star duo James Harden and Chris Paul.

He wanted to acknowledge and, maybe, celebrate overcoming multiple adversities including injuries to key teammates to beat a Thunder team, loaded with All-Stars Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony and relentless Kiwi centre Steven Adams.

"Tonight is something we want to enjoy together," Ingles said.

Utah are one of the NBA season surprises after All-Star Gordon Hayward had fled to the Boston Celtics, on top of the injuries and lack of respect the team had received.

Mitchell again confirmed his star status in Saturday's clincher with 38 points including baskets at critical times.

The Jazz became rudderless seven minutes into the game when in-form starting point guard Ricky Rubio limped off the court with a left hamstring strain.

He did not return.

Mitchell became timid and the Thunder took control for most of the first half.

Ingles, 30, then stepped up to earn a large chunk of the $US52 million ($A73 million), four-year deal he signed pre-season.

"When Ricky went down, I looked to Joe," Mitchell said. "He is just so poised."

In the final two minutes of the first half, Ingles hit back-to-back three-pointers to fire up the home crowd and Mitchell.

Starting the third quarter, Ingles hit another bomb before an inspired Mitchell took over, ending with 38 points.

The Jazz's other Aussie Dante Exum played just three minutes and was scoreless.

Westbrook and Adams led the Thunder in a last-quarter comeback to get within one point with 90 seconds to go and three points in the final 24 seconds.

Westbrook had a confrontation with a fan walking off the court and told reporters he was tired of being abused in Utah.

George and Anthony, both free agents in the off-season, were no-shows in the game, scoring just five and seven points respectively.

George refused to say if he would return next season to the Thunder.

Anthony has an opt-out clause but, if he stays, Oklahoma City has to pay him $US28 million ($A39 million) next season - much higher than any rival team would offer him.

In other games, LeBron James faces the unfamiliar prospect of being bundled out of the first-round playoffs, with his Cleveland Cavaliers thumped 121-87 by the Indiana Pacers.

It tied the series 3-3 with the deciding game seven on Sunday in Cleveland.

James had 22 points. He has won 11 consecutive close-out games and is 12-0 all-time in the first-round series.

The Toronto Raptors eliminated the Washington Wizards with a 102-92 win in game six..

The Raptors' Kyle Lowry had 24 points while usually reliable DeMar DeRozan had a series-low 16.