Jazz at Hawks
THE STORY: The Utah Jazz have surged into the playoff race with a six-game winning streak, but a three-game road trip that begins Sunday in Atlanta will test a club that has struggled away from home. The Jazz are only 7-16 on the road despite winning twice away from Salt Lake City during the current hot streak. The Hawks have won three straight games but will be playing the finale of a back-to-back-to-back.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, FSSW+ (Utah), SportSouth (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE JAZZ (26-22): Utah finally had a blowout in routing Denver 120-101 on Thursday. In its previous five wins, two went to overtime and one was a one-point decision. C Al Jefferson missed two of the games during the winning streak but has come back strong, scoring 48 points in the last two games. Former Butler star Gordon Hayward has averaged 14.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in the three games since he was moved back into the starting lineup.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (29-20): Atlanta came from behind for the third consecutive game, erasing a 16-point third-quarter deficit in Saturday’s 95-92 win at Washington. Joe Johnson scored nine points in the final 4:16, including the go-ahead 3-pointer. Josh Smith had 20 points and nine rebounds to barely miss his fourth consecutive double-double. Smith has been immense during that span, averaging 23.0 points and 12.3 rebounds. “We find ways to win close games, and tonight was one of the times we displayed that,” Smith said.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Atlanta has won five of six and is percentage points ahead of Indiana for fifth place in the East.
2. Utah, seeking its first seven-game winning streak since Nov. 20-Dec. 1, 2010, is in a three-way tie for sixth in the tightly bunched West.
3. The Hawks have won four of the last five meetings, although Utah won in its last visit to Atlanta.