Bucks at Jazz
THE STORY: The Utah Jazz are at home most of the month of January and look to remain unbeaten in comfortable surroundings when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. Utah improved to 2-0 at home with a 92-88 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Monday to start off a stretch in which it plays 12 of 15 games at home this month. That’s a good thing since the Jazz are 0-3 on the road with an average losing margin of 19 points. “It’s not time to panic, but obviously we’ve got to do a better job on the road,” point guard Devin Harris said after scoring 19 points in Monday’s game. “We need to find that confidence.” Milwaukee is playing its second contest of a five-game road trip that began with a 91-86 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday. The Bucks led most of the game but were only 5-for-22 from the field while scoring only 12 final-quarter points. Brandon Jennings scored only 12 after beginning the season with three consecutive 20-point outings.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee), ROOT (Utah)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (2-2): Defender extraordinaire Luc Richard Mbah a Moute returned from a knee injury against the Nuggets to increase Milwaukee’s options at power forward. Ersan Ilyasova has been the starter, rookie Jon Leuer has been impressive and veteran Drew Gooden also craves more playing time. “There probably isn’t going to be a game where everybody plays the minutes they want,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. “Somebody might get left out a little bit.”
ABOUT THE JAZZ (2-3): Center Al Jefferson has had back-to-back 20-point games after missing Friday’s game against San Antonio because of an ankle injury. Jefferson has had a bit more spring in his lower legs since sitting out and said the ankle has bothered him on-and-off since 2006. Jefferson is averaging a team-best 16.5 points and his inside play is of utmost importance with Utah shooting only 26.2 percent from 3-point range.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Utah has beaten Milwaukee nine straight times at home with the Bucks’ last road win coming during the 2001-02 season.
2. Bucks guard Beno Udrih left the Nuggets game with a bruised shoulder and is day-to-day but Mike Dunleavy should return after missing Monday’s game because of illness.
3. Jazz forward Josh Howard was fined $25,000 for a flagrant foul during Saturday’s game against San Antonio.