Kings at Jazz
THE STORY: The Utah Jazz seek to extend their homecourt winning streak to eight games when they host the struggling Sacramento Kings on Friday. Utah is making a sustained run at a Western Conference playoff spot and can take another positive step with Sacramento in the midst of a four-game losing skid. The Kings have also lost their last five road games. The Jazz beat the Kings in Sacramento on March 22 when Al Jefferson hit a last-second basket.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, CS California (Kings), ROOT Sports (Jazz)
ABOUT THE KINGS (17-33): The presence of guard Jimmer Fredette in the state of Utah is always a big deal, but he likely won’t be seeing much playing time in his second visit to Salt Lake City as an NBA player. The former Brigham Young All-American isn’t even the top rookie on the Kings – Isaiah Thomas, the final pick of the NBA draft, has secured that honor. Fredette has seen only 24 1/2 minutes of action over Sacramento’s last five games and played only eight minutes when the Jazz visited Sacramento on March 22. Fredette is averaging only 7.2 points. “I think I can be a great point guard in this league if I continue to work, and that’s all I can do right now,” Fredette said.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (27-24): Utah is in a three-way tie for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference with the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets. The Jazz are 7-2 over their last nine games even after losing to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Jefferson had 26 points in the recent win over the Kings that began a five-game stretch in which he has averaged 22.8 points and 10.4 rebounds. Jefferson scored only 12 points in each of the first two meetings with Sacramento.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Utah has won its last four home contests against the Kings, including a 96-93 victory on Jan 28.
2. The Jazz are 19-6 at home and 8-18 on the road.
3. Thomas (28 points, 10 assists) and DeMarcus Cousins (25 points, 11 rebounds) had big games in Sacramento’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.