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New York • The barrage began with a drive to the bucket and a finish at the rim.

It continued with a jumper from 14 feet. Then came a 3-pointer from the top of the key. And then another three. And then a dunk. Before many knew it, Rodney Hood had put 12 points on the board in the fourth quarter, most of them in short order.

That outburst coincided with Utah's 114-109 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday afternoon. Hood floated through most of the game, picking his spots and contributing in places other than the scoreboard. When it came time for him to turn it on and to look for his shot, he was able to do so with relative ease.

"I told myself that this is where I could make a statement," Hood said. "I told myself that I needed to be more assertive and my teammates were saying that they needed me. I let it ride, and I hit a few shots. I was able to keep it going."

Hood finished with 18 points, carrying the Jazz offense through a crucial 12-2 fourth quarter stretch that went a long way toward winning them the game. In the process, Hood — as well as Joe Johnson — showed a glimpse of how much changes with the return of Gordon Hayward.

At full strength, Utah coach Quin Snyder is able to stagger his three wings, which meant Hood was on the0 floor and playing with the second unit — and against New York's second unit.

Already an improved scorer — he is scoring 17.5 points a night — Hood was able to feast against the Knicks' bench, getting into the lane at ease and creating for himself and others. It's an advantage that many teams around the league don't have, and one that was on full display against New York.

"He was aggressive," Jazz point guard George Hill said. "When he is aggressive, we are a difficult team to defend. I told him in the fourth quarter to take over the game. We need that from him. We need him to be aggressive and to force it on the offensive end. I think he has a bright future."

Hood and Johnson gave the Jazz second unit a jolt, while people like Shelvin Mack and Trey Lyles also made plays that contributed to Utah's second road victory of the season. Before Sunday's game, Snyder said he needed better production from his bench. Having Hood play with the second unit, and lead them, proved to be a game-changer against the Knicks.

"I think as a team, we recognize that I can be aggressive when I'm with the second unit," Hood said. "It helps when I'm with the starters, I can choose my spots."

tjones@sltrib.com Twitter: @tribjazz