Jazz rallies to top the Suns, go 9-1

Utah’s Paul Millsap isn’t playing like a rookie.

The second-round draft pick looked more like a veteran Saturday night, helping the Jazz match the best start in team history by scoring six of his 18 points in overtime of a 120-117 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Millsap also had 10 rebounds for his first double-double as the Jazz rallied from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

“I have a lot of confidence right now. I give thanks to my coaches and teammates for that,” Millsap said. “Coming in as a rookie is hard, but I try to come in and do what I can.”

Deron Williams had 25 points and 14 assists, and Carlos Boozer had 22 points and 16 rebounds for the Jazz, whose only other 9-1 start was in 1999.

The Jazz forced overtime on Mehmet Okur’s three free throws that tied it at 106-106, then Millsap took over in overtime. Millsap blocked Leandro Barbosa -- swiping the ball out of the air instead of knocking it out of bounds -- and also drove for a reverse layup before fouling out.

“It’s amazing. You don’t hear anything out of him, except what he does on the court,” Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan said.

“He’s not a guy that runs out there and says ‘I don’t know what we’re doing or what’s going on.’ You just tell him and he does it.”

Utah won at Seattle, 118-109, on Friday, then found the energy to rally at the end Saturday in front of the first sellout at the Delta Center this season.

The Suns led by as many as 16 in the fourth quarter. Shawn Marion scored 35 points for the Suns, who played without point guard Steve Nash for the second straight night because of back spasms.

The Suns fell to 3-6 and are 0-2 against Utah this season

Phoenix had two chances to force a second overtime. Barbosa got the rebound after Marcus Banks missed on a three-point shot to tie it. Barbosa got off a 25-footer just before the buzzer, but he also missed and the game was over.

Okur finished with 18 points, two blocked shots and five rebounds.

Marion had help from former Jazz player Raja Bell, who scored 20, and Amare Stoudemire, who finished the game with 19 points.