Jazz Playing To End Longest Homestand Losing Streak In Five Seasons Against Wizards
Feb 28, 2020, 12:44 PM | Updated: 12:47 pm
Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards looses control of the ball going up for a shot against Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz in the closing seconds of their 107-104 loss at Capital One Arena on January 10, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Jazz play against the Washington Wizards in their final game of a five-game homestand that’s begun with the longest homestand losing streak Utah has faced in five seasons.
The Jazz host the Wizards at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Friday, February 28.
Utah returned from the NBA All-Star break on a four-game winning streak, nine days of rest, and a five-game homestand up next on the schedule.
With Donovan Mitchell out sick Bojan Bogdanovic stepped up with 31 points in the Jazz win over the Wizards. Bogey now has 8 30-point games this season. #TakeNote #NBA pic.twitter.com/5pLahypKuh
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) January 12, 2020
Uh-oh
Since then, the Jazz have fallen to San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, and Boston Celtics in consecutive games, all in Salt Lake City.
The Jazz haven’t dropped that many games in a row during a homestand since Quin Snyder’s first season as Utah’s head coach in 2014-15.
Utah entered Snyder’s first season looking to rebuild after “tanking” games for an optimal draft position the season before. The Jazz selected Dante Exum and Rodney Hood in the 2014 NBA Draft and added them to the mix of young talent featuring Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, Alec Burks, Trey Burke, Rudy Gobert, and Joe Ingles.
Rudy Gobert had 2 points and 6 assists in the 1st half against the Wizards. He finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds in the 127-116 win. Here is the best of his dominant 2nd half. #TakeNote #NBA #NBAAllStarVote pic.twitter.com/IN1CmhYxWy
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) January 12, 2020
The Jazz struggled for large stretches of that season and had only nine games before Christmas Day 2014.
During that opening stretch of the season, Utah hosted a four-game stretch in Salt Lake City that began against the Los Angeles Clippers on November 29. The Clips defeated the Jazz in the first game of the homestand that saw Utah drop three more straight at the arena then known as Energy Solutions Arena.
The Jazz lost to the Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, and Orlando Magic to complete the homestand. Utah’s losing homestand was part of a nine-game losing streak and a stretch where the Jazz won three out of 15.
Bradley Beal & the Washington Wizards
Fast forward to today, the Jazz look to end their current luck that matched that of the 2014-15 homestand when they host Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards arrived in Salt Lake City fresh off a 110-106 win over the Brooklyn Nets and own a 21-36 record this season. Washington is currently 4.5 games out from the No. 8 spot and a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
Washington is led by former NBA All-Star Bradley Beal who is averaging 30.1 points per game on 45.7 percent shooting. Beal adds an average of 4.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists a game as well. This season, the Wizards guard has scored over 40 points in nine games. Beal’s dropped 50+ in two of Washington’s last three contests.
In the first meeting of the season series, Utah defeated Washington 127-116 on January 12 in the nation’s capital. Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell didn’t play against the Wizards that night.
Jordan Clarkson had just 6 points on 3 of 9 shooting in the 1st half against the Wizards. In the 2nd half he was 7 of 13 from the field, scored 17 points and dished out 3 big assists in the Jazz 9th straight win. The Jazz are undfeated since the Clarkson trade. #TakeNote #NBA pic.twitter.com/80iJWAUpsU
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) January 12, 2020
The Jazz host the Wizards on Friday, February 28 at 7 p.m. (MDT). The game will broadcast on NBA League Pass, AT&T SportsNet, and 97.5 FM.
