Jazz at Mavericks
The Utah Jazz are playing solid basketball as they shoot for their fifth consecutive victory when they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Utah is averaging 107.5 points during its winning streak, which began with an impressive triumph over Cleveland and includes a 33-point thrashing of Detroit.
The Jazz kept alive their winning streak by scoring the final seven points en route to a 106-101 victory in Phoenix on Monday. Standout small forward Gordon Hayward struggled through a 4-of-13 shooting performance as his 17-point effort halted a streak of four straight 20-point outings. Dallas had its season-high three-game winning streak halted when it suffered a 99-95 loss at Miami on Thursday. The Mavericks are trying to get into the mix for the final Western Conference playoff spot and are beginning a stretch in which nine of 13 games are at home.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Utah), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE JAZZ (27-16): Veteran swingman Joe Johnson will be asked to step up with starting shooting guard Rodney Hood (knee) sidelined, and he did exactly that against the Suns. Johnson scored 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and made the go-ahead 3-point basket in a solid showing after he averaged three points on 5-of-21 shooting over his previous four appearances. "He's capable of doing that and he knows we believe in him and it was a big-time shot, no question about it," Utah coach Quin Snyder told reporters, "and he's been doing that for a long time."
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (14-28): Dallas dug itself a huge hole with a 4-17 start and compiled a .500 record over a 20-game stretch before Thursday's disappointing defeat. The Mavericks held a nine-point halftime lead and appeared to be on their way to another victory before Heat guard Goran Dragic exposed the defense to score 22 of his 32 points in the second half. Power forward Dirk Nowitzki recorded 19 points and has scored in double digits in nine straight games as he shows that an Achilles' tendon injury no longer is an issue.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Jazz are 2-0 against the Mavericks this season and have won four of the last six meetings.
2. Dallas C Andrew Bogut (hamstring) will miss his fifth straight game.
3. Utah C Rudy Gobert recorded 18 points and 17 rebounds against Phoenix for his 28th consecutive game of 10 or more rebounds.