Timberwolves can play spoiler vs Jazz
by Dave D
The last place Timberwolves have long been eliminated from playoff contention in the Western conference. The Jazz however, in the thick of the playoff picture in the west, are looking to put their recent losing ways behind them with a home date against lowly Minnesota.
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Utah Jazz
Wednesday March 17th – 9:00 PM ET
EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City
Broadcast: FOX Rocky Mountain
Basketball Betting Line: Jazz -14.5
The Week That Was: Timberwolves
Minnesota continued its losing ways Tuesday night in a 152-114 blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns. The 38-point loss was the tenth in a row for a Timberwolves squad that has been out of playoff contention for a while in the Western conference, at a conference-worst 14-54 overall.
The loss comes two nights after they fell 114-100 to the Sacramento Kings at ARCO Arena, a game in which they allowed rookie Tyreke Evans to play to within one rebound of a triple-double. That defeat was marked by a nine-minute point drought that extended between the second and third quarter, a span over which they were outscored 23-0.
Minnesota kept it close in the opening quarter of a 103-85 loss to San Antonio Friday, before falling behind in the second when the Spurs went on a 12-3 run.
The Week That Was: Jazz
The Jazz snapped a mini three-game losing streak by bouncing the Wizards 112-89 Monday night. Washington exchanged baskets in the first quarter, but Utah pulled ahead for good in the second outscoring its opponent 34-20, and finished with a 52 percent shooting mark. Seven players reached double figured for the Jazz.
The victory followed three straight losses, including a 119-111 defeat at the hands of Oklahoma City Sunday night. The Jazz couldn’t overcome the loss of starters Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur, while they allowed Thunder’s Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to combine for 65 points.
Two nights earlier Utah dropped a 95-87 decision at Milwaukee, in a game where forward Carlos Boozer was ejected after being assessed two technical fouls for arguing with officials. Utah went on a 9-0 run late in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 87 late, but did not score another basket from that point on.
Boozer scored 26 and grabbed 14 rebounds before leaving the game, but it was not enough to get past the upstart Bucks.
Outlook & Pick:
The Jazz are in the thick of the Western conference playoff race in fourth place, just two games back of the Dallas Mavericks for third, but just one game up on the fifth place Oklahoma City.
Home court advantage will be crucial for Utah against whoever they draw in the first round, which makes every game important down the stretch.
The Timberwolves, a team that has long been eliminated and have dropped ten straight, are the perfect opponent for the Jazz to start the turnaround against after they have fallen in three of their past four overall.
Basketball Betting Pick: Utah -14.5
