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SALT LAKE CITY -- In their first meeting of the season with the Hornets, the Jazz will welcome New Orleans (15-16) to EnergySolutions Arena Monday night.
After suffering a rough 95-105 loss to Denver at home Saturday, Utah (18-15) learned a valuable lesson that could prove to be helpful in tonight's game. For just the third time this season, the Jazz were not able to bounce back from a loss and get the win due to consistent turnovers and lack of transition defense. As the Nuggets let loose on the Jazz in the second half, Utah's mistakes continued to hold them captive, giving up their fifth loss at home this season.
Game 34Utah Jazz (18-15)
vs New Orleans Hornets (15-16)
Date: Monday January 4, 2010
Time: 7:00 p.m. MT
Site: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
TV: FSN Utah : Comcast - Ch. 52 (HD Ch. 693); DIRECTV - Ch. 684 (HD Ch. 684-1); DISH - Ch. 445 (HD Ch. 9515)
Radio: 1320 AM KFAN or 98.7 FM
Season Series Record: First meeting
Last Season Series Record: Jazz 3, Hornets 0
Last Meeting: 4/5/2009 - Jazz 108, Hornets 94
What did we learn about the Jazz against the Denver Nuggets?
- Although the Jazz managed to stay close with the Nuggets through the first two quarters Saturday night, everything slipped away from them in the third. With defensive breakdowns and repeated turnovers, Utah couldn't manage to stay with Denver and went down by as much as 16 before losing the game. The Jazz tallied 25 giveaways before the night was over - a number that isn't manageable against any team.
- The Jazz also allowed 64 of Denver's points to be scored in the paint. In the first quarter, all but two of the Nuggets' field goals came from inside. Utah clearly has to put on more pressure down low to give themselves a good chance at getting wins, at home or on the road.
- Without Carmelo Anthony or Chauncey Billups in Denver's lineup Saturday night, Utah allowed backup point guard Ty Lawson to go for 23 and center Nene to put up 22. They also let J.R. Smith run wild for 18 points of the bench. Normally, those numbers wouldn't be as unmanageable as they were, but allowing those kinds of individual performances in addition to 25 turnovers, you get the kind of outcome Utah suffered Saturday.
What can the Jazz expect from the Hornets?
- After returning from an eight-game injury absence, Hornets' point guard Chris Paul has achieved double-doubles in eight of 13 games, and was just one assist shy of the mark Saturday against Houston. The battle between Paul and Deron Williams always promises to be intense, and with the record each team currently holds, Monday's matchup should be no different.
- New Orleans is coming off a 99-95 come-from-behind win over the No. 7 Western Conference Rockets Saturday. After going down by 11 in the second half, the Hornets slowly chipped away at the deficit and finished the game with a 13-2 run led by Paul, who had 28 points and nine assists on the night. The Jazz know all too well the importance of taking teams with losing records seriously, and can take yet another lesson from the Rockets' loss.
- New Orleans has lost their last four games on the road and holds a low 2-13 record away from home. The record is currently the second-lowest in the NBA behind New Jersey (1-16).
Probable Jazz starting lineup
- C - Mehmet Okur, 6-11, 273 lbs., Turkey
- PF - Carlos Boozer, 6-9, 260 lbs., Duke
- SF - Ronnie Brewer, 6-7, 236 lbs., Arkansas
- SG - C.J. Miles, 6-6, 227 lbs., Skyline HS (TX)
- PG - Deron Williams, 6-3, 207 lbs., Illinois
Probable Hornets starting lineup
- C - Emeka Okafor, 6-10, 255 lbs., Connecticut
- PF - David West, 6-9, 240 lbs., Xavier (Ohio)
- SF - Peja Stojakovic, 6-10, 229 lbs., Yugoslavia
- SG - Devin Brown, 6-5, 210 lbs., Texas-San Antonio
- PG - Chris Paul, 5-11, 195 lbs., North Carolina
Hornets' leaders
Chris Paul, 20.4 ppg, 10.5 apg / David West, 17.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg
Jazz Injury Updates
- Kyle Korver - (knee) OUT
Hornets Injury Updates
- Ike Diogu - (knee) OUT
- Sean Marks - (leg) Questionable
Conclusion
The Hornets currently sit just two seats behind the Jazz in the Western Conference standings and have the potential to hand Utah their latest upset if the Jazz allow the trends of Saturday's games to carry over to tonight's.
The Jazz don't like losing at home and are surely upset about their last performance. If Utah can use their disappointment and regret as fuel for tonight - which, more often than not, they're able to do - they've good another good chance at coming out on top.
