Pelicans at Jazz
Two sputtering teams badly in need of a victory square off Wednesday
when the New Orleans Pelicans visit the Utah Jazz. New Orleans has lost
seven of its last nine games and is 1-12 on the road this season while
Utah has dropped three straight games and six of its last eight.
The Jazz set a season low for points while being routed 118-81 by the San Antonio Spurs on Monday in what was easily their worst performance of the season. "The sky kind of fell, but it happens," Jazz coach Quin Snyder told reporters. "We had no juice but that's the wrong team to play when you're out of gas. Their defense is terrific and they are a championship-level program." New Orleans dropped a 105-101 decision to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday and allowed more than 100 points for the 10th time in 11 games. "We will play great defensively and then they get an offensive rebound or we come down, swing the ball around, and get a good shot and next time we don't do that," power forward Anthony Davis told reporters. "We are a better team than our record indicates."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN New Orleans, ROOT (Utah)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (6-18): Forward Ryan Anderson is averaging 18 points in his fourth season with the club but speculation is flying that he is on the trade block. The demise of what New Orleans hoped would be a promising season makes the 27-year-old a prime piece to be moved, and he is aware of the situation. "It's something that's completely out of my control," Anderson told reporters. "It's really like a no hard feelings kind of thing. Being traded before helps, but going through an experience like that is something you can't necessarily prepare your mind for, but you have to understand that it's a part of the game and it's going to happen."
ABOUT THE JAZZ (10-13): Utah has won only six of its last 17 contests and has reached the point in which a turnaround must occur. The game against the Pelicans begins a stretch in which eight of the next 10 are at home - with the first three coming against below-.500 squads in New Orleans, the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns. Small forward Gordon Hayward will look to bounce back from scoring a season-worst four points against the Spurs after averaging 22.6 points over the previous nine games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Utah is 17-6 at home against the Pelicans, including a 101-87 victory on Nov. 28.
2. Jazz PF Derrick Favors is averaging 18.8 points with four 20-point efforts over the last nine games.
3. New Orleans PG Jrue Holiday is averaging 15.4 points in five December games as he nears full strength in his recovery from last season's right leg injury.