Suns at Jazz
The Utah Jazz are trying to keep sight of the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks fighting over the final three spots in the Western Conference playoff bracket and are inching closer with three straight wins. The Jazz will try to make it four in a row when they host the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.
Utah plummeted out of the top eight with seven losses in eight games but has since won three straight in impressive fashion, including a 94-85 triumph over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. "It's been a tough season for us putting together 48-minute games," Jazz guard Rodney Hood told reporters after the win. "To do that against arguably one of the top two teams in the league was big, and it gives us a little bit of momentum.” The Suns were supposed to be in the mix for a playoff spot at this point in the season but instead were ravaged by injuries and turnover on the coaching staff. Interim coach Earl Watson has the team pointed in the right direction, and the return of point guard Brandon Knight from a sports hernia injury helped Phoenix grab a 107-104 win over Minnesota on Monday.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), ROOT Rocky (Utah)
ABOUT THE SUNS (18-49): Phoenix has won three of its last six games and was competitive in a 123-116 loss at NBA-best Golden State on Saturday in Knight’s second game back before Mirza Teletovic’s 3-pointer gave the team a win over Minnesota. Knight missed 21 games with the injury and is struggling to find consistency with his shot since returning to the lineup. The Kentucky product went 11-of-20 from the floor en route to 30 points in the close loss to the Warriors but had to rely on his teammates for more support while struggling to 3-of-18 from the field, including 2-of-11 from 3-point range, against the Timberwolves.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (32-35): Utah is dealing with an injury of its own with forward Gordon Hayward struggling through plantar fasciitis, and Hood was ready to pick up the slack on Monday. The second-year guard poured in 28 points on 9-of-16 shooting and sealed the win at the free-throw line. "He probably felt a little more freedom because Gordon was out," Jazz coach Quin Snyder told reporters of Hood. "Rodney's really conscientious. He doesn't like to take bad shots. Sometimes when you're feeling good a bad shot is a good shot. He had a few of those (Monday).”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Jazz G Shelvin Mack is averaging 19.3 points and is 10-of-16 from 3-point range in the last three games.
2. Suns rookie G Devin Booker is averaging 25.6 points and 6.4 assists in the last five contests.
3. Utah took the first two meetings this season by an average of 15 points.