The Utah Jazz followed one of the most surprising upsets of the young season with a disappointing loss their last time out, so they'll be eager to see which team shows up to begin a five-game road trip Sunday at Detroit. The Jazz knocked off LeBron James and Cleveland on Wednesday only to be blown out 105-82 by Dallas two nights later. Now they have to contend with a Pistons team that has won two straight following a three-game skid to start the season.
The Pistons are off to a slow start at the offensive end but they shot a season-high 49.3 percent in Friday's 98-95 win over Milwaukee and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope became the fifth player in as many games to lead the team in scoring. "It's not going to be one guy every night," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters. "We need to play good offense, move the ball and take the shots as they come." Utah, which is 0-2 on the road, has won 15 of the last 17 against the Pistons, but Detroit won the most recent meeting.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, ROOT (Utah), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE JAZZ (2-4): Utah has allowed 100 or more points in five of its six games and is allowing opponents to shoot 48.2 percent from the field, so it's no coincidence its two wins have come in its two best defensive efforts. Offense has not been a problem, with Gordon Hayward (18 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists) leading a group of six double-digit scorers. The Jazz need more consistency from power forward Derrick Favors, though, as he was limited to six points for the second time in three games against Dallas after scoring a career-high 32 on Nov. 1 against Phoenix and posted a double-double against the Cavaliers.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (2-3): Detroit has done a good job of taking care of the ball, as its average of 12 turnovers is the fifth-fewest in the league, and it has six players averaging double-digit points and another on the cusp. Consistency has been the issue, not only with enigmatic forward Josh Smith (14.2 points, 7.8 rebounds), who is shooting 32.1 percent, but also with the perimeter players. The Pistons were a horrendous 14-of-64 from 3-point range while losing their first three games but have heated up from outside and gone 22-of-46 from behind the arc during their consecutive wins.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Utah G Alec Burks has scored in double figures in every game this season and 35 of his last 36 dating to last season.
2. Caldwell-Pope has averaged 19.5 points while going 15-of-25 overall and 7-of-12 from 3-point range over the past two games.
3. Hayward is an NBA-best 24-for-24 from the foul line.