Jazz at Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have lost six straight games and the last three defeats have come against three of the NBA’s worst teams. One of those losses came against the Utah on Dec. 27 and Los Angeles will attempt to break its season-long skid when it hosts the Jazz on Friday. The Lakers have suffered home losses to Philadelphia and Milwaukee since last week’s loss to a Utah squad that enters the rematch with three wins in the last four games.
Derrick Favors had 18 points and 14 rebounds and scored the winning points with a putback dunk with 2.1 seconds left in Utah’s 105-103 win over the Lakers seven days ago. The Jazz defeated the Bucks on Thursday and have suddenly won seven of their last 12 games after a 4-19 start that included losses in 14 of their first 15 games. The Lakers are bordering on disarray and are shorthanded due to injuries, with point guard Jordan Farmar (hamstring) the latest to go down, and his absence means recent D-League call-up Kendall Marshall will be plugged in as the starter at the point Friday.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Utah), TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE JAZZ (11-24): Favors also enjoyed a solid game in Thursday’s victory over the Bucks when he had 21 points and 11 rebounds for his 11th double-double of the campaign. His recent play has been a bright spot and he is beginning to tap into the potential that prompted the Nets to draft him third overall in the 2010 draft. “Early in the season I was trying to do too much and going too fast,” Favors said after the Milwaukee contest. “The coaches and other players have told me to slow down and when I’m open, shoot it. And when I can create something, do it.” Favors is averaging 13.3 points and nine rebounds.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (13-19): Rumors are flying that Los Angeles is attempting to move center Pau Gasol even as talks involving Cleveland center Andrew Bynum at least tentatively halted. Gasol asserted after Thursday’s practice that he is not interested in being dealt. “It’s my home; it’s my team,” Gasol told reporters. “It’s the team that I’ve been through so much with and I’m not the type of guy that likes to jump ship because everything is not going right right now.” Gasol, who missed the previous meeting with a respiratory infection, is expected to play Friday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Utah has won five of the last six meetings.
2. Jazz G Gordon Hayward scored 22 points against Milwaukee after averaging just nine on 6-of-21 shooting over the previous two games.
3. Lakers F Nick Young has scored 20 or more points in seven of the last nine games.