Bucks at Jazz
The Milwaukee Bucks look for their first win in Salt Lake City in over 14 years when they take on the Utah Jazz on Saturday. The Bucks opened up their four-game Western road swing by blowing a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter to fall 101-93 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. Milwaukee has dropped three of its last four games and three straight away from home as it hopes to get back on track by beating the Jazz on the road for the first time since Oct. 30, 2001.
Utah bounced back from a narrow 100-97 loss to the Lakers on Wednesday with an impressive 104-82 victory over the Denver Nuggets. The streaking Jazz have won five of their last seven games and hope to continue their recent dominance over the Bucks at Energy Solutions Arena by beating them for the 13th straight time. Utah has won three of its last four at home as it looks to end February on a high note before hitting the road for four consecutive games.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), ROOT (Utah)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (32-26): Ersan Ilyasova recorded 17 points and 12 rebounds while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 13 points and eight boards as Milwaukee blew an 11-point lead in the final 11 minutes versus Los Angeles. "We got out of character," Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd told reporters. "Thirty-six points in the fourth quarter, you can't let that happen." O.J. Mayo missed his second straight game with a sore hamstring and his status for Saturday's contest is uncertain.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (22-35): Derrick Favors scored 21 points and corralled 10 rebounds while Trey Burke added 19 points off the bench in the win over Denver. Rudy Gobert had 10 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots as Utah turned up the defensive intensity by recording a season-high 15 blocks against the Nuggets. "Certainly the blocks are impressive," Utah coach Quin Snyder told reporters. "I'm happy with how we're defending and now we've just got to keep doing it."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Jazz have won six of the last eight meetings.
2. Gobert has pulled down 36 rebounds in his last three games.
3. Milwaukee is 19-1 when holding opponents to 90 points or less.