Jazz face the Timberwolves on 5-game win streak

Posted December 30, 2021 6:00 am

By The Associated Press

Minnesota Timberwolves (16-18, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (25-9, third in the Western Conference)

Salt Lake City; Friday, 9 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Utah seeks to extend its five-game win streak with a victory against Minnesota.

The Jazz are 15-3 in Western Conference games. Utah is the league leader with 37.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 11.5.

The Timberwolves have gone 11-11 against Western Conference opponents. Minnesota is second in the Western Conference with 12.5 offensive rebounds per game led by Jarred Vanderbilt averaging 3.1.

The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last meeting on Dec. 24 the Jazz won 128-116 led by 28 points from Donovan Mitchell, while Malik Beasley scored 33 points for the Timberwolves.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell is shooting 45.7% and averaging 25.4 points for the Jazz. Bojan Bogdanovic is averaging 18.4 points over the last 10 games for Utah.

Anthony Edwards is shooting 36.0% from beyond the arc with 3.1 made 3-pointers per game for the Timberwolves, while averaging 22.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals. Karl-Anthony Towns is shooting 52.6% and averaging 25.1 points over the last 10 games for Minnesota.

LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 8-2, averaging 118.4 points, 50.4 rebounds, 23.6 assists, 6.8 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.7 points per game.

Timberwolves: 5-5, averaging 108.5 points, 43.7 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 8.0 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.5 points.

INJURIES: Jazz: Udoka Azubuike: out (ankle), Donovan Mitchell: out (back), Malik Fitts: day to day (shoulder).

Timberwolves: Jarred Vanderbilt: out (health and safety protocols), Anthony Edwards: day to day (conditioning), D'Angelo Russell: out (health and safety protocols), Karl-Anthony Towns: out (health protocols), Taurean Prince: day to day (conditioning).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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