Clippers at Jazz
The Utah Jazz look to snap out of a downward spiral when they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night. The Jazz hold down the eighth spot in the Western Conference and ended a 13-game losing streak against the Clippers late last month, but are only 4-8 in the last dozen contests after an 18-point loss to Golden State on Wednesday.
Utah’s leading scorer Gordon Hayward will attempt to recover after a 2-for-15 shooting effort last time out and match his season-high 33-point effort against Los Angeles on Nov. 25. The Clippers ended a three-game slide with a 94-84 victory over the rival Los Angeles Lakers on Friday to start a five-game road trip in a seven-day span. All-Star point guard Chris Paul has put together two outstanding games in a row for the Clippers while averaging 27.5 points, eight assists and 1.5 turnovers. Paul and the other starters needed to expend a little more energy than they wanted Friday after the Lakers trimmed a 28-point deficit to seven in the fourth quarter.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), ROOT (Utah)
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (17-13): Los Angeles managed nine points in the fourth quarter Friday, but Paul finished with 23 to lead four players in double figures and the Clippers limited the Lakers to 57 the first three quarters. Center DeAndre Jordan continued his efficient play with nine points to go along with 14 boards and is 50-of-64 from the field with six double-doubles the past 11 games. Forward Blake Griffin leads the team in scoring (23.3) after recording 28 combined the last two games.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (12-15): Despite a rough eight-point outing against the Warriors on Wednesday, Hayward has scored at least 20 in eight of the last 12 games and three of the past four. Derrick Favors is putting up 16.8 points per game, second only to Hayward (18.5), and Alec Burks (14.4) continues to produce, primarily as a reserve. Guard Trey Burke has been another key contributor off the bench, scoring in double figures all 11 games this month while averaging 25.7 minutes.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Despite the recent losing streak, the Jazz leads the all-time series with the Clippers 99-72, including 61-23 at home.
2. Los Angeles G J.J. Redick has made at least three 3-pointers in seven straight games and is 24-of-50 from behind the arc during that stretch.
3. Utah PG Raul Neto has drained 16-of-25 from the field during the past five contests.