Jazz at Pistons
The Utah Jazz are taking aim at homecourt advantage for the opening round of the playoffs and look to record their sixth victory in seven games when they visit the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. The contest is the opener of a four-game road trip for the Jazz, who reside in fourth place in the Western Conference - two games ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Utah separated itself a bit from the Clippers with a solid 114-108 victory on Monday and is within four games of third-place Houston. The Jazz trounced the Pistons 110-77 earlier this season, when shooting guard Rodney Hood poured in 27 points while going 7-of-8 from 3-point range. Detroit is seventh in the Eastern Conference and had won 12 of 18 games prior to being whipped 128-96 by Cleveland on Monday. "It was just a bad night," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters. "They were great, we were terrible. That is why you get a lopsided game."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Utah), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE JAZZ (42-25): Standout center Rudy Gobert (knee) missed Saturday's game against Oklahoma City but returned to post 11 points and 10 rebounds versus the Clippers for his fourth straight double-double and 46th of the season. Gobert is 30-of-39 over his last five games, and that type of accuracy rate could be tested by the presence of Pistons standout center Andre Drummond. All-Star small forward Gordon Hayward scored 27 points against Los Angeles and has tallied 23 or more in four of his last five contests.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (33-34): Drummond collected 14 rebounds against Cleveland but fell two points short of his ninth double-double in the last 10 games. He has been receiving help lately from forward Tobias Harris, who scored 17 points versus the Cavaliers and is averaging 20 in three games since returning to the starting lineup and 19.2 over his last six contests. Point guard Reggie Jackson recorded only six points on 3-of-13 shooting against Cleveland and has been streaky this month, scoring 19 or more four times and eight or fewer in the other three games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Jazz prevailed in three of their last four visits to Detroit.
2. Pistons F Stanley Johnson is 3-of-17 shooting over his last two games.
3. Utah PF Derrick Favors (knee) is expected to miss his fourth straight contest.