Mavericks at Jazz
The Utah Jazz haven't made the postseason since 2012 but reside in first place in the Northwest Division and are looking like a probable Western Conference playoff squad. The Jazz are aiming for their 10th win in the past 12 games on Friday when they host the Dallas Mavericks, who are a porous 1-11 on the road.
Part of Utah's rise has to do with previously steady small forward Gordon Hayward elevating his game to an All-Star level. Hayward scored 17 points in Wednesday's 109-89 rout of the Oklahoma Thunder, snapping a streak of 10 consecutive 20-point outings for the 26-year-old. Dallas is experiencing a horrible campaign, and it could possibly get worse with seven of the next nine on the road. The Mavericks were unable to take care of business at home on Wednesday as they fell 95-85 to the Detroit Pistons.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Southwest (Dallas), ROOT (Utah)
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (6-19): Dallas remains without center Andrew Bogut (knee) and fill-in Salah Mejri went down with an ankle injury against the Pistons. "I hope nothing bad," Mejri told reporters. "We don't need another injured center. We had an X-ray and it didn't show anything bad. We'll see how it is and hope to be good." Injuries have been a season-long issue for the Mavericks, who are without point guard J.J. Barea (calf) for another month while power forward Dirk Nowitzki (Achilles) is sidelined indefinitely.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (16-10): Shooting guard Rodney Hood returned from a two-game absence due to a hamstring injury to score 25 points and match his season best of five 3-pointers against the Thunder. "These last few games have been so tough to watch," Hood said afterward. "My teammates have been out there just battling and playing and you can't do nothing but watch. It was good to be back out there." Point guard George Hill (toe) will likely to sit out for the eighth consecutive game but is moving closer to a return.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Jazz won three of the past five meetings after the Mavericks took the previous eight matchups.
2. Dallas SG Wesley Matthews scored only four points on 2-of-10 shooting against the Pistons after scoring 25 or more in each of the previous three games.
3. Utah PF Derrick Favors (knee) had four points and four rebounds in 13 minutes against the Thunder after missing the previous 13 games.