Jazz Look To Bounce Back Against Slumping Spurs

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz will travel to Texas in the first stop of their three-game road trip as they take on the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday night. The Jazz will look to avenge their Texas woes after falling to the Houston Rockets Monday night in Salt Lake City. 

The Spurs have lost three straight games, including two in a row at home as they prepare to host the Jazz. San Antonio fell to the Chicago Bulls in the Windy City on Monday night, despite holding a 10 point lead entering the final quarter. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge missed the game with a thumb injury. The seven-time All-Star is listed as day-to-day. 

Currently sitting outside of the Western Conference Playoff picture looking in, the Spurs enter their matchup with the Jazz as the ninth seed in the West, 2.5 games back of the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies. San Antonio is just 4-6 in their last 10 games and has an even 11-11 record when playing at the AT&T Center. The Spurs are 20-26 overall. 

Popovich on loss to CHI: "We are just not a very consistent team. We have spurts where we are really and then we look pretty disjointed." #nba #gospursgo

— JeffGSpursZone (@JeffGSpursZone) January 28, 2020

Despite falling to the Rockets, the Jazz are 8-2 in their last 10 games, tied for second-best in the NBA over the last 10 games behind only the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks. The Jazz are 14-10 playing away from home this season, including winning seven of their last eight road games.

The Spurs are led in scoring by DeMar DeRozan who averages 22.7 points per game. The four-time All-Star is on pace to become the first guard in more than 30 seasons to average at least 20 points per game while shooting better than 54 percent from the floor. The feat was last accomplished by Dallas Mavericks guard Rolando Blackman in 1984. 

35 PTS for @DeMar_DeRozan. pic.twitter.com/yrQvti3GCm

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) January 28, 2020

 For the month of January, DeRozan has upped his scoring average to 26.1 points per game while shooting 56 percent from the floor. 

The Spurs are the 12th ranked offensive team in the NBA with an offensive rating of 111 per 100 possessions. However, the usually savvy defense led by head coach Gregg Popovich has dropped to 22nd this season allowing 111.8 points per 100 possesions. 

Rudy Gobert calls game with an amazing recovery and block at the rim. He had 22 points, 17 rebounds, 5 blocks and was 8-8 from the field. Rudy is the best defensive player in the #NBA and should be in the #NBAAllStar game. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/p2QVKgTvhl

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) January 26, 2020

Though the Jazz have carried the best offensive rating in the NBA over their last 20 games, the team’s rating has come back to earth slightly over the last five games. The Jazz own the second-best offensive rating in that stretch, trailing the Portland Trailblazers who the Jazz will face on the final leg of their three-game road trip which also stops in Denver. 

Former University of Utah center Jakob Poeltl is coming off one of the best games of his career starting in place of the injured Aldridge. The former lottery pick scored a season-high 16 points against the Bulls and grabbed 13 rebounds en route to his second double-double of the year. 

Double-double for Jakob tonight

10 PTS | 11 REB | 3 BLK pic.twitter.com/gsI8U5mYV8

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) January 28, 2020

The meeting marks the first of four between the two teams over the eight weeks. Last year the Jazz won the regular-season series 2-1 with each team protecting their home floor. 

After their loss to the Rockets, the Jazz fell to the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a record of 32-14. 

The game will tip-off Wednesday night at 6:30 PM MST at AT&T Center, and will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet.