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SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Jazz challenged Gordon Hayward to push his game even further last summer and become a more versatile scorer. The Jazz are seeing those results on a nightly basis through the first quarter of the season.Hayward matched his season high with 32 points and the Jazz beat the Denver Nuggets 105-98 on Saturday night.We talked about this early in the season. We felt like hed expanded his game, Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. He added a comfort-level in the post. ... And hes shooting off screens. Hes able to score in multiple ways.When someone takes something away, hes able to have another option. The biggest thing Gordons been doing is defending and, as a result, hes getting some easy baskets.The Jazz used a 31-8 stretch in the third quarter to blow open the game. Hayward took over, scoring both inside and on the perimeter, with 21 points in the quarter. It was the third consecutive 30-point game for the seven-year veteran, who is averaging a career-high 22.8 points and has scored 20-plus points in 11 of 14 games this season. This is the first three-game, 30-point stretch of Haywards career.Its a lot of work that I put in this summer, for sure, Hayward said. But, also, were running some good sets for me. ... Just continuing to see the floor a lot better. Seeing where my shots are coming. Taking advantage of how the defense is guarding me. ... Just trusting the work that I did.When Im active and play with a little bounce on the defensive end, Im definitely more confident offensively because of that. Its all about staying active and getting myself involved in the game.Rodney Hood chipped in 15 for the Jazz.Wilson Chandler and Will Barton each scored 20 for Denver.Denver knocked down seven 3-pointers trying to rally in the fourth quarter, but couldnt complete the comeback. The Nuggets matched a season high with 13 3-pointers.The Jazz took a 49-47 lead into halftime after a back-and-forth opening 24 minutes in which neither team was able to string together a significant run. Neither team shot the ball well from distance in the first half as the two teams were a combined 4 for 15 from behind the arc.Im happy we showed a lot of fight and heart getting back in the game, not dropping our heads and feeling sorry for ourselves, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. Hopefully, that can give us a little juice going forward.Im just really happy with the fact we competed tonight. Thats step No. 1 in our recovery.TIP-INSNuggets: Nikola Jokic missed his second straight game with a left wrist sprain. ... Denver is now 0-8 when trailing after the third quarter. ... The Nuggets have won just one road game since Nov. 6.Jazz: Hood returned to the starting lineup after missing the last game with a hamstring injury. He went down hard in the third quarter and limped to the bench, but stayed in the game. ... George Hill missed his second consecutive game with a sprained left big toe.TOUGH TIMESThe Nuggets have lost five of six with a lengthy road trip ahead. Malone is not thrilled with the state of his team.Right now, I am living minute-by-minute, day-by-day, Malone said. We arent playing good basketball right now. Its no secret. Our defense is evaporating rapidly.QUOTABLEWe started out in the first half doing all the right things, Chandler said. It was in the third quarter we kind of got away from that. Everybody, not just one person. We had to climb uphill and exert so much energy. Its hard to fight back from a 20-point deficit and get the win.UP NEXTNuggets: Denver visits Philadelphia on Monday for the second game of a six-game trip.Jazz: Utah travels to face the Los Angeles Lakers and No. 2 overall pick Brandon Ingram on Monday.New England Patriots Store .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Wholesale Patriots Jerseys . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. https://www.patriotsjerseysale.com/ . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. Custom New England Patriots Jerseys . Just not the game. Kyle Palmieri scored two straight goals in the third period to rally the Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night. Patriots Jerseys China . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Houston Astros have a winning vibe during the September stretch run.Tony Kemp noticed it before Tuesday nights 2-1, 10-inning win against the Oakland Athletics.Before the game today, everyone seemed loose, Kemp said. No ones really panicking. Everyones just having fun this last stretch.George Springer hit a go-ahead single in the top of the 10th inning. Kemp, who tied it with a pinch-hit double in the seventh, got things going with a leadoff double against Sean Doolittle (2-3) and Jake Marisnick sacrificed him to third to bring up Springer.Chris Devenski (4-4) struck out four in 3 2/3 innings of relief for the win, and Ken Giles escaped a bases-loaded jam and closed it out for his 13th save. The Astros remain in the mix for the AL wild card.The dramatic finish at the end, its hard to overlook, manager A.J. Hinch said. There are so many story lines that go on why we won a close game. ... Our guys understand where were at in the calendar. Weve played important games late.Jose Altuves eighth-inning single gave him 200 hits in three straight seasons, the first to do so since Ichiro Suzuki from 2001-10.Oaklands Danny Valencia was ejected at the end of the ninth by plate umpire Marty Foster after striking out.It was announced that the As played the game under protest after a call was overturned on replay review in the third. Marisnick was initially called safe on his bunt and that was overturned, but Teoscar Hernandez -- aboard on a single -- got to return to first base rather than be called out on a double play because he reacted to the original, incorrect call. Oakland briefly protested before withdrawing it, both managers said afterward.It ended up just being a really weird play, Hinch said.Sean Manaea struck out seven with two walks over six scoreless innings. The lefty allowed three hits in his second start since missing 15 days with a strained muscle in his upper back.That was one of his best outings of the season and to squander it is incredibly frustrating, Doolittle said.Oakland has lost six straight to the Astros, its longest skid ever in the series.Jake Smolinskis sharp single through a shifted infield with one ouut in the sixth was the As first hit against Astros starter Joe Musgrove, who then loaded the bases and was done for the night.ddddddddddddThe rookie right-hander, who beat the As earlier this season when he pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, gave up two hits and one run, struck out four and walked three.Devenski relieved Musgrove and allowed Stephen Vogts RBI groundout.Its incredible, Musgrove said. This teams got so much fight in it.VOGT RECOGNIZEDVogt, the Oakland catcher, was named the 2016 Dave Stewart Community Service Award winner and will be honored before Wednesday afternoons series finale. Vogt earned the award for a second straight year, the first two-time winner. He and wife, Alyssa, support the School of Imagination in Dublin that offers services and support systems to more than 350 children, many with special needs and disabilities such as autism.We have a duty to the Bay Area, he said.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: Manager Hinch will pick his moments to use OF Colby Rasmus, who has struggled since he came off the disabled list Aug. 30 after surgery to have a cyst removed from his ear. Rasmus is in an 0-for-17 stretch. No doubt hes had a rough season on a lot of levels, said Hinch, who still expects Rasmus will contribute down the stretch.Athletics: RF Khris Davis was a late scratch because of a stomach bug that had him throwing up during the day. Valencia replaced him in the lineup. ... RHP Sonny Gray threw a 48-pitch bullpen session and the next step for him in his recovery from a strained right forearm will be to throw to hitters this weekend, the day still to be determined. ... RHP Henderson Alvarez, who hasnt pitched in the majors since May 2015, underwent a second surgery on his right shoulder Tuesday. It was performed by Dr. James Andrews.UP NEXTAstros: RHP Collin McHugh (11-10, 4.66 ERA) is 2-0 with a 3.31 ERA so far in September. He is 10-0 in 12 September starts with the Astros dating to 2014.Athletics: Rookie RHP Daniel Mengden (2-7, 5.68) looks to win consecutive starts for the first time all season. ' ' '