| NBA Basketball | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Sports | | | Scoreboard | | | Stats | | | Standings | | | Teams | | | Players | | | Player News | | | Injuries | | | Transactions | ||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hornets-Jazz Preview
New Orleans Hornets at Utah Jazz
- Utah's 96-84 win over New Orleans on November 28 snapped the Jazz's three-game losing streak in this series. Each of the last four meetings has been played on the Hornets' home court.
- The Hornets are 4-7 when playing on zero days' rest this season, but all four of those victories have come on the road.
- Utah suffered the worst home loss in franchise history on Monday when the Rockets took the Jazz down, 125-80. This was also the worst home loss by any team since the Knicks lost to the Mavericks at Madison Square Garden 128-78 on January 24, 2010.
- Only Stephen Curry (3.2) is making more three-pointers per game than Ryan Anderson (3.0) this season. Anderson has made at least one three-pointer in all but three games.
- Speaking of three-point shooting, Randy Foye is shooting 50.8 (30/59) percent from behind the arc so far this month. That is second in the NBA (minimum 20 3PM).
- Al-Farouq Aminu saw his streak of consecutive games with six or more rebounds snapped at 13 when he had just two boards in Tuesday's loss to the Lakers. That 13-game streak was two shy of his career-long streak, set over a two-season span (April 19-November 23, 2012). His 127 rebounds since January 5 are tied for the fifth most by any starting forward.
By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
(AP) -- It may be only one loss, but the Utah Jazz were humiliated on their home court in their last game.
That doesn't tend to be a problem when hosting the New Orleans Hornets.
Coming off the most-lopsided home defeat in franchise history, the Jazz look to re-establish their success in Salt Lake City by beating the last-place Hornets for the 10th time in 13 games there Wednesday night.
Utah (24-21) has been much more effective at home, going 15-5 compared to 9-16 on the road.
The Jazz extended their home winning streak to six by beating Indiana 114-110 in overtime on Sunday, but that run came to an alarming end with Monday's 125-80 defeat to Houston. Utah made 39.5 percent from the field - 5 of 18 from beyond the arc - and was outscored 26-2 in transition.
"One loss. We were terrible," coach Ty Corbin said. "Whether you lose by one or 45, it's one loss. This team has shown a lot of grit and character all year long, and we'll respond.
"We don't feel sorry for ourselves."
Utah will again be without starting guard Gordon Hayward, who will miss his second straight game due to a sprained right shoulder.
The Jazz have split two meetings with the Hornets (15-30), but both have come in New Orleans. A visit from the team tied with Phoenix for the worst record in the Western Conference seems to be just what Utah needs to bounce back.
The Jazz have won nine of the last 11 home meetings with the Hornets, averaging 103.3 points while connecting on 49.1 percent from the floor - 46.0 from long range.
Al Jefferson is averaging 23.0 points and 10.5 rebounds over his last four home matchups with New Orleans. Jefferson, Utah's leading scorer at 17.0 per game, may be relieved to face the Hornets after scoring 12 or fewer in three of the last four contests.
Paul Millsap, who is second on the team in scoring at 14.6 per game, missed 7 of 9 field goals to finish with a season-low four points Monday after getting 21 versus the Pacers.
The Hornets opened a five-game road trip with a 91-83 victory over Memphis on Sunday, and nearly made it back-to-back wins only to have their fourth-quarter rally from an 18-point deficit fall short in Tuesday's 111-106 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers.
"We're a young team that's still building chemistry, and to come back like that is a really good confidence boost for the guys," guard Eric Gordon said. "We had a chance to win. We were getting a lot of stops and were scoring at will. It just boiled down to the final plays."
Gordon, averaging 17.4 points in 14 games since returning from an injured knee, is looking to build on his season-high 25 points from Tuesday, when he made 6 of 8 from 3-point range.
Gordon has 23.2 points per game over his past five meetings with the Jazz. However, he's faced them only once in a Hornets uniform, scoring 25 while sinking 11 of 18 attempts from the floor in a 96-85 home win April 13, 2012.
Updated January 30, 2013
© 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.