8 p.m. at Utah • Vivint Arena • BSN, 830-AM
Gameday preview: Timberwolves at Utah
April 24, 2021 at 12:41AM
Jazz boasts best record in the NBA
Wolves update: The Wolves, outscored 7-0 down the stretch in Wednesday's three-point loss in Sacramento, came up just short of recording consecutive wins for the first time since the opening two games of the season. Now the Wolves return to Utah, where that lone winning streak was forged with a win Dec. 26. Wolves C Karl-Anthony Towns has made at least one three-pointer in 73 straight games, a franchise record. He has a career-high nine-game streak in which he has scored at least 10 points with five rebounds and five assists. Wednesday was the 16th time the Wolves bench has outscored its foe. Over the past 10 games the Wolves are last in the league in three-point defense (opponents have shot 43.4 % from behind the arc in that time).
Jazz update: Since that Dec. 26 loss to the Wolves — it was Utah's home opener — the Jazz have gone 26-2 at Vivint Arena. The Jazz sports the best record in the league (44-15) and is two games ahead of Phoenix in the Western Conference. They have won two straight and four of five games. The Jazz, third in the league in scoring (116.8) and three-point percentage (39.0), is first in the league in threes made per game (16.8). The Jazz is playing without leading scorer Donovan Mitchell (ankle). F Bojan Bogdanovic (15.5 points per game) has had 15 games of 20-plus points and four 30-plus-point games. G Mike Conley is averaging 16.2 points and 5.9 assets. G Jordan Clarkson is averaging 17.5 points.
Kent Youngblood
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The team's superstar ranted, calling the players “a bunch of little kids” and saying “internally, we soft.” Mike Conley joined him in saying the Wolves are too negative with each other: “We got to be able to talk.”
