Jazz at Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves were at .500 in late November but one month
later they are falling out of the playoff race and headed toward another
dismal season. Minnesota has gone 3-12 over the past month and owns a
four-game losing streak as it hosts the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.
The Timberwolves own the third-worst record in the Western Conference and have been particularly inept at home with a 4-12 mark. Minnesota is averaging just 91.3 points during its four-game slide after falling 101-95 to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. Utah defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 95-91 on Monday but has struggled against Western Conference foes by compiling a 6-11 mark. The Jazz are hoping to get power forward Derrick Favors back from a two-game absence due to back spasms.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ROOT (Utah), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE JAZZ (13-16): Backup shooting guard Alec Burks underwent surgery on his broken left leg on Tuesday and the procedure is expected to reduce his recovery time. Burks originally wasn't going to undergo surgery but the club said in a statement that he opted to do so "to expedite and assure the healing process." Utah will badly miss the firepower of Burks - he was averaging a career-best 14.3 points - and could use a better performance from starting shooting guard Rodney Hood, who is shooting just 30.2 percent from 3-point range.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (11-20): Minnesota hasn't been able to make progress despite having a quartet of key young players to build around. Center Karl-Anthony Towns, who averages 15.9 points and 9.4 rebounds, is the current favorite to capture Rookie of the Year honors and shooting guard Andrew Wiggins (20.7 points) won that same honor last season. Point guard Ricky Rubio is one of the best floor leaders in the NBA while averaging 9.7 points and 8.8 assists and backup guard Zach LaVine (14.6 points) has exceptional upside and should soon crack the starting lineup.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Jazz have won four of the past five meetings.
2. Utah PG Trey Burke averaged 22.3 points and 5.3 assists in four games against the Timberwolves last season.
3. Rubio is 19-of-59 from the field over the past seven contests.