Surging Jazz Face Slumping Timberwolves
Dec 7, 2021, 2:51 PM
Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz will look to guarantee themselves at least a .500 road trip when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
The Jazz opened their four-game road trip on Sunday with a win in Cleveland before making stops in Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Washington.
The Timberwolves meanwhile have lost their last three games after a hot stretch that had seen them win seven of eight.
Jazz Can Continue Streak Vs. Timberwolves
Though the games haven’t always been easy, the Jazz will look for their fifth consecutive win and ninth win in their last 11 games when they travel to face the Timberwolves.
The Jazz blew a 15 point fourth quarter lead against the Cavaliers on Sunday but escaped with a 109-108 victory to open the road swing.
Donovan Mitchell had 35 points and six assists in the win, leading the Jazz to a 3-0 week and earning Conference Player of the Week honors from the NBA.
Congratulations Spida! 🕷️🏆@utahjazz | #TakeNote https://t.co/vvJk6Ak522
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 7, 2021
Over his last three outings, the guard is averaging 33.0 points, 5.7 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting a blistering 57 percent from the floor and 43 percent from the three-point line.
The Jazz sit in the third seed in the West at 16-7 heading into Wednesday night’s game.
Timberwolves Looking To Snap Cold Streak
The Timberwolves have had an up and down start to the season, opening the year with a difficult 4-9 record before reeling off a stretch of seven wins in eight outings to climb back above .500.
However, the team has lost their last three games including Monday’s home meeting with the Atlanta Hawks without the services of guards D’Angelo Russell or Patrick Beverley.
Beverley may be back in uniform for the Timberwolves against the Jazz though it appears unlike Russell will return.
Chris Finch said they’re unsure if the Timberwolves will have D’Angelo Russell back. “Probably not” Finch said as of now, but it looks like Patrick Beverley is trending toward playing, per Finch.
— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) December 7, 2021
Russell was averaging 19.0 points and 6.4 assists per game for Minnesota before suffering the ankle injury.
The meeting between the two teams will pit two struggling units against one another. Over the last three games, the Jazz have the 24th ranked defensive rating in the NBA at 119.4 while the Timberwolves offense is ranked 22nd in offensive rating during their winless stretch at 107.3.
The Timberwolves swept the Jazz in three games last season, though the meetings were decided by a total of 11 points.
Broadcast
The Jazz and the Timberwolves will tip-off at 6 pm MT and can be heard on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone Sports Network. The game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet and FuboTV.
