Jazz at Lakers
Not much separated the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers at the start of 2015, but a wide chasm has since developed heading into their final meeting of the season Thursday night in Los Angeles. The Jazz were 11-21 on Jan. 1, but have since gone 19-16, including 13-4 since Feb. 7, as their rebuilding plan seems to be kicking in a little sooner than the one in Los Angeles. The Lakers were 10-22 on New Year’s Day and have continued to drop off, winning seven of 34 since.
To their credit, the Lakers have been keeping themselves within striking distance in recent games. They have lost three straight and eight of nine, but all eight losses came by seven points or fewer and their last 12 games overall have been settled by single digits. The Jazz will be playing the second of back-to-back games after losing to the visiting Washington Wizards on Wednesday night and suffered their only other loss this month in a back-to-back situation, a one-point defeat at the Boston Celtics on March 4.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Utah), TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE JAZZ (30-37): Rudy Gobert came into Wednesday’s game averaging 17.6 rebounds in the first eight games of March, then grabbed 14 against the Wizards. The Lakers weren’t too concerned about the 7-1 center when the teams first met in mid-January, but they became more aware of him in their 100-97 win in February, as Gobert match his then-career high with 16 points and took 14 rebounds. Gobert has seen his minutes soar to nearly 36 a game this month, a far cry from the 15.8 he averaged the first full month of this season, so it will be interesting to see if his young legs can maintain this pace, especially in a back-to-back situation.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (17-49): The Lakers forced the Jazz to commit 21 turnovers in their last meeting, the most they have forced by any opponent this season, and it paid off with the three-point victory, snapping an 11-game road losing streak. Jordan Clarkson and Wayne Ellington continue to start in the backcourt for the Lakers and will try to make things difficult for the equally young starting guards for Utah, Rodney Hood and Dante Exum. Where the Lakers likely will face a mismatch is at the center position, as Jordan Hill doesn’t have the height or leaping ability to fend off Gobert.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Lakers haven’t had a player score at least 30 points in the last 43 games, which matches the longest stretch in franchise history.
2. It was revealed Wednesday that Lakers G Nick Young has a small fracture in his kneecap and will be monitored on a weekly basis. The team’s second-leading scorer has missed the last 11 games.
3. The Jazz have held their past 11 opponents under 100 points, which matches the longest current streak in the NBA.