Spurs at Jazz
The Utah Jazz continue to steamroll through opponents and finally are rewarded with a block of games at home, beginning with Monday's contest against the San Antonio Spurs. The Jazz claimed their ninth straight victory in nine different locations with Sunday's 115-96 triumph at Portland and carry the franchise's longest run since 2010 into a six-game homestand.
Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and Joe Ingles added 24 against the Trail Blazers as Utah moved to .500 for the first time since it was 13-13. One of the Jazz's nine straight wins was a 120-111 triumph in San Antonio on Feb. 3, which was part of a 1-3 swoon for the Spurs. "It's hard," guard Manu Ginobili told reporters after San Antonio's 122-105 loss at Golden State on Saturday. "Against a team like (the Warriors), you need all you have. We haven't been able to compete like that." Injuries have hurt and San Antonio was without two point guards - Dejounte Murray (ankle) and Tony Parker (back) - in the matchup with Golden State, while All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge (knee) is expected to sit out Monday's contest.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (San Antonio), AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Utah)
ABOUT THE SPURS (35-22): Patty Mills got the start at point guard on Saturday and was limited to seven points on 3-of-10 shooting while fellow guards Derrick White and Bryn Forbes were given plenty of playing time but combined to go 3-for-15. Aldridge and Kyle Anderson scored 20 points apiece in the loss as San Antonio, which last finished with a losing road record in 1996-97, fell to 13-16 away from home. Pau Gasol has come off the bench in the last three games but figures to step back into the starting lineup to replace Aldridge.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (28-28): While Mitchell and Ingles carried the bulk of the scoring load, the biggest positive was the play of newcomer Jae Crowder, who was acquired at Thursday's trade deadline. "Unbelievable. Playing with them on the court is very, very fun," Crowder told reporters after putting up 15 points and five rebounds in his team debut. "I got back to having fun playing basketball with a great group of guys. It couldn't have gone better." Point guard Ricky Rubio sat out the contest due to a hip issue and rookie Royce O'Neale handed out a game-high six assists in his first career start.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The last time Utah won at least 10 in a row was Feb. 11-March 10, 2009, when it captured 12 straight.
2. Anderson was 9-for-13 from the floor against Golden State after going scoreless and missing his only two shot attempts in a win at Phoenix.
3. Jazz C Rudy Gobert has registered at least 10 rebounds in five straight games.