Hornets at Jazz
The Utah Jazz own the NBA's longest active winning streak at seven games but that didn't stop the franchise from making revisions at Thursday's trading deadline. The Jazz made a move to shore up their defense by acquiring forward Jae Crowder and hope he will be cleared to play prior to Friday's home game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Utah shipped shooting guard Rodney Hood to Cleveland and swingman Joe Johnson to the Sacramento Kings in the three-team deal that netted Crowder and point guard Derrick Rose from the Cavaliers. The Jazz are weighing whether to retain or release Rose but the key cog in the deal was Crowder, who can also help fill the offensive hole at small forward that has been a sore spot this season after the loss of All-Star Gordon Hayward as a free agent. The trade came one day after Utah finished a 4-0 road trip with a 92-88 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies and with the Jazz playing eight of their next 10 at home. Charlotte point guard Kemba Walker was added to the All-Star team Thursday and he tallied 40 points later that night against the Portland Trail Blazers to reach at least 40 for the second time this month but the Hornets suffered a 109-103 overtime setback.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Charlotte), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah)
ABOUT THE HORNETS (23-31): Walker, selected to his second All-Star team, was glad he wasn't traded before the deadline and outright thrilled to be tabbed as an injury replacement for New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis. "I'm very fortunate to be back," Walker told reporters. "Two times? Back-to-back? It seems very surreal. I know I'm here because of an injury to another guy, but being that next guy up is a great feeling." Charlotte got veteran forward Marvin Williams (ankle) back after a four-game absence and he scored 10 points in the loss to Portland.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (26-28): Hood was Utah's second-leading scorer at 16.8 points per game but became expendable because of the play of Donovan Mitchell, who is batting Philadelphia's Ben Simmons for NBA Rookie of the Year honors. Hood missed 15 games this season because of injuries after sitting out 23 last season and was scheduled to become a restricted free agent following the campaign. Mitchell has been superb with a team-best 19.1 scoring average and he put up 40 points against the Phoenix Suns last Friday before coming down with an illness that caused him to miss one game and play poorly in the last two.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Charlotte has lost 10 straight visits to Utah with its last win in Salt Lake City coming March 1, 2006, when the franchise was known as the Bobcats.
2. Utah PG Ricky Rubio had 29 points in the victory over Memphis and is averaging 24 points, 8.6 assists and five rebounds over the past five games.
3. The Hornets acquired C Willy Hernangomez from the New York Knicks for PF Johnny O'Bryant III and two future second-round draft picks.