Wizards at Jazz
The Utah Jazz attempt to avoid a fifth straight loss - all at home - whey host Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards on Friday night. The Jazz are just 4-9 over the past 13 games, a stretch that began with a season-worst five-game slide.
Utah's troubles continued Wednesday when it lost 114-103 to the Boston Celtics and it dropped the four games by an average of 12.5 points. "We competed defensively," All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell told reporters. "I think we can hang our hats on that. But now it's about sustaining that for 48 minutes. I don't think we should be upset at our effort, just little mistakes that we can fix." The Jazz can't afford breakdowns against the red-hot Beal, who is averaging 35.6 points this month, including efforts of 55, 53 and 43 points. Beal scored 30 in Wednesday's 110-106 home over the Brooklyn Nets as the Wizards halted a three-game slide.
TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: NBCS Washington, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, NBA TV Canada
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (21-36): Beal didn't score the decisive points against Brooklyn, instead passing out of a double team to wide-open Jerome Robinson, who knocked down the key 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds left. "The best part about that play was that Bradley Beal made the right play," Wizards coach Scott Brooks said afterward. "He trusts his teammates, made the right play to the left slot to Jerome. Jerome didn't hesitate, he had a tendency to hesitate and I'm telling them, 'he who hesitates doesn't make shots.' I like that. He caught it, had confidence, he took the shot." Robinson, who scored nine points, reached double digits just once all season.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (36-22): Mitchell has topped 30 points in three straight games - averaging 35.3 during the stretch - but isn't receiving much help from the supporting cast as Utah isn't adjusting well to coverage switches. "When we get stops, just pushing the ball and getting them easy opportunities in transition," point guard Mike Conley said. "I think teams are trying to switch a lot more on the defensive end and it causes us to try to go one-on-one and the ball kind of sticks. When we do that it's harder to get the ball around the horn." The Jazz inserted Royce O'Neale into a starting forward spot in place of Joe Ingles against Boston and he scored 14 points.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Jazz won the past eight meetings, including a 127-116 road win on Jan. 12.
2. Slumping Utah PF Bojan Bogdanvic had just three points on 1-of-8 shooting against the Celtics and he made just 11-of-41 over the past four games.
3. Beal has scored 25 or more points in 16 consecutive games.