76ers at Jazz
The Utah Jazz snapped a three-game slide on Tuesday but needed a late 3-pointer to pull out a 102-100 triumph over the lowly Los Angeles Lakers. The Jazz will try to decide things sooner when they return home and host the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
Utah leads the NBA in scoring defense, surrendering an average of 95.3 points, but yielded at least 100 for the third time in the last four games in Tuesday's triumph. "I thought we started defending better in the second half," Jazz coach Quin Snyder told reporters. "There was a period where they hit a lot of tough shots. I thought they made big plays around the basket, but I thought in the second half we made them earn it a bit more." The 76ers are one of six teams in the NBA averaging fewer than 99 points (98.7) and are trying to snap their latest slide at three straight. "I feel like we should be winning," Philadelphia rookie center Joel Embiid told reporters after Monday's 102-100 loss at Sacramento. "We should be winning more games. We just can’t finish games yet. We are a new team, so we’re still learning how to play. We just got to learn how to play with each other."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, ROOT (Utah)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (7-23): Philadelphia owns the worst record in the NBA but remains optimistic in large part because of Embiid, who went toe-to-toe with Sacramento All-Star DeMarcus Cousins on Monday and is drawing praise from opponents. "He’s terrific," Kings coach Dave Joerger told reporters of Embiid. "It should be illegal to be that big and that skilled at the same time. He’s got a terrific future. The sky's the limit. Goodness gracious is he good. He's really good." Embiid is averaging 18.7 points and went for 25 or more in three of the last four contests.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (19-13): Joe Ingles hit the key 3-pointer in the final minute but it was once again star forward Gordon Hayward leading the way for Utah with 31 points on Tuesday. Hayward is holding the team together with point guard George Hill (sprained toe) sidelined and averaged 27.3 points on 52.9 percent shooting in the last three games. Ingles is stepping up his support and scored in double figures in three of the last four contests after posting 13 points off the bench Tuesday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. 76ers PG Sergio Rodriguez is 15-of-21 from the floor, including 8-of-13 from 3-point range, in the last two games.
2. Jazz C Rudy Gobert recorded his 11th straight double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds on Tuesday.
3. Utah took the last eight in the series, including a 109-84 win at Philadelphia on Nov. 7.