Utah Jazz: Hayward leads the way as Jazz win for fifth time in six games

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder speaks with Rudy Gobert during a timeout in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz guard Gordon Hayward drives on Denver's Darrell Arthur in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz guard Gordon Hayward draws a foul from Denver's Darrell Arthur in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz guard Joe Johnson is unable to come up with the loose ball against Denver's Wilson Chandler in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum drives past Denver's Kenneth Faried in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz center Jeff Withey corrals a rebound over Denver'sKenneth Faried in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert falls as Joe Johnson pulls in a rebound in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum drives past Denver's Emmanuel Mudiay in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz guard Shelvin Mack scores over Denver's Emmanuel Mudiay in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert draws a foul from Denver's Darrell Arthur in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz guard Gordon Hayward shoots over Denver's Kenneth Faried in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz forward Trey Lyles drives past Denver's Wilson Chandler in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert blocks a shot by Denver's Kenneth Faried in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

1 of 15

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder speaks with Rudy Gobert during a timeout in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz guard Gordon Hayward drives on Denver's Darrell Arthur in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz guard Gordon Hayward draws a foul from Denver's Darrell Arthur in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz guard Joe Johnson is unable to come up with the loose ball against Denver's Wilson Chandler in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum drives past Denver's Kenneth Faried in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz center Jeff Withey corrals a rebound over Denver'sKenneth Faried in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert falls as Joe Johnson pulls in a rebound in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum drives past Denver's Emmanuel Mudiay in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz guard Shelvin Mack scores over Denver's Emmanuel Mudiay in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert draws a foul from Denver's Darrell Arthur in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz guard Joe Johnson is unable to come up with the loose ball against Denver's Wilson Chandler in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert falls as Joe Johnson pulls in a rebound in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz guard Gordon Hayward shoots over Denver's Kenneth Faried in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz forward Trey Lyles drives past Denver's Wilson Chandler in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert blocks a shot by Denver's Kenneth Faried in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016.

By Tony Jones The Salt Lake Tribune

· December 3, 2016 8:57 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Gordon Hayward scored 21 of his game-high 32 points in the third quarter, as the Utah Jazz defeated the Denver Nuggets 105-98 at Vivint Smart Home Arena.

With the win, Utah improves to 12-9 on the season. But it wasn't easy.

Utah led by as much as 80-57 in the third quarter before the Nuggets caught fire in the fourth quarter and pulled as close as 101-96 with 29.6 seconds remaining. The Jazz hung on, but barely, in part due to them building such a huge advantage.

Rodney Hood came back from a brief injury to score 15 points. Trey Lyles scored 12 points, while Dante Exum scored 10 points filling in as a starter for the injured George Hill.

Wilson Chandler led the Nuggets with 20 points.

tjones@sltrib.com

twitter: @tribjazz