Jazz Face Minnesota In Final Pre-Christmas Test
Dec 23, 2021, 9:15 AM
Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves defends against Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz during the game on October 20, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Jazz 100-97. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night in their final test before Christmas.
The Jazz snapped a two-game losing streak with their win Monday over the while Charlotte Hornets, which came on the heels of a season-best eight-game win streak.
The Timberwolves meanwhile have been one of the NBA’s streakiest teams this season, fluctuating between long winning and losing stretches all year.
Jazz Look To Regain Shooting Touch
The Jazz had their worst shooting performance in more than three years in Monday’s win over the Hornets, knocking down just under 36 percent of their field goal attempts.
For the third straight game, the team watched a double-digit first half lead turn into a fourth quarter deficit, but unlike prior losses to the San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards, the Jazz were able to salvage a victory.
The @utahjazz are just 8-76 in games in which they shoot worse than 36 percent from the floor.
Tonight was one of those eight wins.
How they did it, plus thoughts on LaMelo Ball, and playing hard versus playing sharp. #TakeNote https://t.co/OULxLHxfdf
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 21, 2021
The Jazz led by 22 after a miserable first quarter from the Hornets, but found themselves trailing by one with just 3:30 left in the fourth quarter before stringing together a 7-0 to put the game out of reach.
Despite recent struggles, the Jazz have now won nine of their last 11 games and sit in the third seed in the Western Conference at 21-9 on the season.
Minnesota Playing Streaky Basketball
The Timberwolves have been one of the least consistent teams in the NBA this season, rapidly vacillating between long streaks of wins and losses.
The team opened the year by losing eight of their first 12 games before stringing together a five-game win streak. Minnesota then chased that winning streak with a five-game losing streak, including a 136-104 shelling at the hands of the Utah Jazz earlier this month.
KAT is the only player in the @NBA this season to average:
20+ PPG / 50%+ FG / 40%+ 3PT pic.twitter.com/ghvA5QMAwA— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 20, 2021
However, the Timberwolves once again righted the ship with a four-game win streak that was snapped in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.
Minnesota sits at a solid 15-16 on the year but is just beginning the toughest stretch of their schedule. Tuesday’s road game against the Mavericks represented was the first of 19 road games for the Timberwolves in their next 27 outings.
Broadcast
The Jazz and Timberwolves will tip-off at 7 pm MT and can be heard on The Zone Sports Network. The game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet and FuboTV.
