When these teams met on Dec. 8 this season, the Kings sat at 10-10 looking to get back above the .500 mark as their All-Star center was out with viral meningitis.
Sacramento accomplished the feat, defeating the Jazz handily after a slow start thanks to big games from Rudy Gay (29 points), Darren Collison (16) and Nik Stauskas (15).
Now, the Kings look for another win, but this time on the road.
The purple and black head into Energy Solutions Arena on a two-game skid, while Utah has dropped its last three games, including a 100-93 defeat to Phoenix on Friday night.
- DC7 is listed as doubtful to play with a hip flexor strain sustained against Dallas earlier in the week and he’s considered day-to-day going forward. He ranks third on the team with 16.1 points per game and first in assists with 5.6 per contest.
- The Jazz lead the all-time series against the Kings, 95-79, including 72-46 in the Sacramento era.
- Utah’s roster has 11 of its 15 players under the age of 25, with a combined average age of 24.3 years. That makes the Jazz the third youngest team in the NBA.
- Utah missed six of its first seven free throws in Friday’s loss to the Suns.
- Utah’s Australian rookie Dante Exum has started at point guard the last eight games.
- These teams lead the NBA in rebound margin, with Sacramento at plus-4.3 and Utah at plus-3.4.
Projected Starters
Broadcasts: TV – CSNCA/NBATV
Comcast - 34 / 721
Dish - 453 / 9576
Dish Hopper – 412-41
DirecTV - 698-1
AT&T - 768 / 1768
Radio – KHTK Sports 1140 AM
Gordon vs. Rudy
Utah’s small forward Gordon Hayward continues to have a career season.
Not only did he posterize Miles Plumlee from the Suns on Friday night, but he’s averaging a career-high 19.3 points per game on 45-percent shooting. Despite the Jazz sitting in fourth place in the Northwest Division, Hayward has helped the team overcome obstacles and even pull out the occasional upset like last week against the Warriors.
Hayward had a team-high 24 points last night against the Suns, but Utah still came up short, 100-93.
Earlier this year against the Kings, the Jazz star small forward scored 12 points in the first quarter as Utah jumped on Sacramento early. But the Kings responded quickly and Rudy Gay clamped down on defense.
The Kings No. 8 limited Hayward to only seven points over the final three quarters of play while racking up a game-high 29 on the other end of the floor. The purple and black will look for another performance like that as they attempt to get the win on the road.
Injury Update
Jazz:
- Alec Burks (left shoulder surgery) is out.
- Rodney Hood (left foot inflammation) is out.
Kings:
- Darren Collison (right hip flexor strain) in doubtful.
- Eric Moreland (left shoulder labral tear) is out.