Jazz at Warriors
The Utah Jazz are turning heads and laying the foundation for the future on the defensive end of the floor. The Jazz will put that defense to the test when they visit the highest-scoring team in the NBA on Saturday, the Golden State Warriors. Utah has held each of its last 12 opponents under 92 points and limited the last four to 88 or fewer behind the young frontline of Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors.
The Warriors hold a 7 1/2-game lead for the top spot in the Western Conference and could be inclined to rest some players on the second night of a back-to-back after knocking off the New Orleans Pelicans 112-96 on Friday. Golden State held the Pelicans to 42.9 percent shooting in the win and leads the NBA in field-goal percentage defense while the Jazz pace the league in scoring defense. Utah shot 44.7 percent from the field and got 26 points, 15 rebounds and six assists from Gordon Hayward in a 110-100 home win over the Warriors on Jan. 30.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Utah), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)
ABOUT THE JAZZ (31-37): Utah squandered its hopes for a postseason spot with a 17-33 record through Feb. 6 but never quit on the season and has since gone 14-4. “I think this run has been good for us,” Gobert told the Salt Lake Tribune. “It's important for us to get respect in the league. It's important that we get respect from everyone, and that's a big thing that's important to us.” The Jazz allowed only one opponent to reach 100 points in those 18 games and are coming off an 80-73 win at the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday in which they blocked eight shots and recorded 11 steals.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (55-13): Golden State is riding an 11-game home winning streak and showed off its depth again Friday while winning easily despite being without Klay Thompson (ankle) and getting a 4-of-17 shooting effort from Stephen Curry. Harrison Barnes is picking up his level of play in two games without Thompson and totaled 47 points in those contests while going for 20 or more in back-to-back regular season games for the first time in his career. The Warriors might not need to rest any players on the back-to-back after holding everyone to 27 minutes or fewer Friday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Utah is looking for its first win at Golden State since April 7, 2013 – a three-game slide.
2. Jazz starting G Dante Exum is 0-of-11 from the field in the last two games.
3. The Warriors have won a franchise-record 17 straight home games against Western Conference opponents.