SAN ANTONIO (Interstat) — Dylan Harper scored 17 points, grabbed seven rebounds and handed out eight assists as the San Antonio Spurs rolled to their fifth straight victory, defeating the Utah Jazz 119-97 on Monday at Frost Bank Center. Victor Wembanyama added 12 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks for San Antonio, which won the first two games of a three-game homestand. Stephon Castle contributed 16 points and Keldon Johnson scored 15. Lauri Markkanen led Utah with 22 points and eight rebounds. Attendance was 18,464. The loss was Utah’s fifth straight.

San Antonio seized control with a strong start and a decisive third-quarter surge. The Spurs opened an 18-4 lead with 6:04 left in the first quarter, getting a 3-pointer from De’Aaron Fox and a driving layup from Wembanyama during the early burst. San Antonio took a 59-49 advantage into halftime and then put the game away after Utah tried to climb back.

Utah erased much of the early deficit in the second quarter, pulling to 35-34 on Ace Bailey’s 3-pointer with 6:54 left before halftime. Markkanen hit two 3-pointers early in the period, and Okogie converted a 3-pointer and two free throws as the Jazz found rhythm. San Antonio answered with a 24-15 close to the half, capped by Keldon Johnson’s basket at the buzzer, to lead 59-49 at the break. The Spurs then opened the third quarter with a 6-0 run on baskets from Fox, Castle and Harper.

Harper, a 6-foot-5 guard, was the top performer for San Antonio in 27 minutes, adding seven rebounds and eight assists to his 17 points. Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 forward, posted a double-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in 24 minutes. Castle finished with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Johnson had 15 points and seven rebounds. Fox scored 12 points, and Luke Kornet added eight points and five rebounds for the Spurs. Julian Champagnie hit a key 3-pointer, Harrison Barnes made late 3-pointers, and Tarris Reed converted free throws down the stretch.

Utah was led by Markkanen, a 7-foot-1 forward who had 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 31 minutes. Darryn Peterson added 14 points, four rebounds, six assists and three blocks in 33 minutes. Mohamed Bamba had eight points, eight rebounds and two blocks, and Josh Okogie scored nine points. The Jazz shot 34 of 96 from the floor, 12 of 34 from three-point range and 17 of 22 from the free throw line. San Antonio shot 42 of 91 from the floor, 11 of 32 from beyond the arc and 24 of 30 from the line. Utah scored 97 points on 100 possessions, an offensive rating of 96.6. San Antonio scored 119 points on 108 possessions, an offensive rating of 109.9.

The Jazz held a 17-9 advantage in offensive rebounds and blocked eight shots to San Antonio’s seven. Utah committed 11 turnovers to 12 for the Spurs and was called for 17 fouls to San Antonio’s 23. The Spurs made up for the rebounding deficit with efficient shooting and a 24-of-30 effort at the free throw line. San Antonio also converted Utah’s turnovers into timely baskets and controlled the paint for much of the second half. Utah’s nine assists came against a Spurs defense that forced contested shots and limited clean looks for long stretches. Utah’s 17 offensive rebounds kept several possessions alive, but the Jazz managed only 34 made field goals on 96 attempts.

The most important stretch came in the third quarter after Utah had pulled within 12. Markkanen made a 24-foot 3-pointer with 6:31 left in the period to cut San Antonio’s lead to 73-61. The Spurs responded with a 21-8 run to close the quarter, turning a competitive game into a rout. Harper made two free throws, Champagnie hit a 3-pointer, Castle dunked off a Harper assist, Johnson made two free throws and a driving floater, and Wembanyama converted a driving layup and an alley-oop dunk off a Fox assist. By the end of the third, San Antonio led 94-69. The Spurs’ defense forced Utah into contested shots during the run, and the Jazz could not match San Antonio’s pace at either end. The run showcased San Antonio’s depth and ball movement, with Harper and Fox creating open looks while Wembanyama protected the rim.

San Antonio kept its cushion in the fourth quarter. Castle made a 27-foot 3-pointer with 8:31 remaining to push the lead to 26, and Utah never seriously threatened after that. Peterson and Isaiah Collier helped the Jazz cut into the margin with late baskets, but San Antonio answered with Barnes 3-pointers and free throws from Reed. Utah’s late baskets came mostly against reserves after the outcome had been decided. The Spurs finished with a 22-point victory and remained unbeaten on their current homestand.

The result moved San Antonio to 5-2 this season and dropped Utah to 1-6. The Spurs have won five consecutive games and won the first two of a three-game homestand. The Jazz have lost five straight and will continue their road trip later in the week. San Antonio’s balanced attack included five players in double figures, while Utah’s shooting struggles kept the Jazz from sustaining a comeback.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of San Antonio 111, Utah 110, and its ELO system gave San Antonio a 98.9 percent probability to win. San Antonio had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -16.5, and the total score of 216 went over the over/under line of 228.5.