This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
When the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Utah Jazz square off tonight at Vivint Smart Home Arena, it may seem like your typical late-January NBA game. But it won't be typical the Jazz.
They very badly need some consistency.
The Jazz haven't won consecutive games since defeating the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers in early January. Since then, the've suffered a smattering of losses, occasionally interrupted by wins.
Utah has a chance to win a second straight game tonight against a Timberwolves team that's struggling, but nontheless very talented. The Jazz haven't won three in a row all season, but that's another story for another day.
On Friday Utah will have to play well, because the Jazz already know what it's like to lose a game to Minnesota, having dropped one to the Timberwolves in Minneapolis just before the end of the year.
But the Jazz are beginning to look like their old selves. Derrick Favors has looked good in limited minutes since returning from back spasms that sidelined him for a solid month. He will start tonight for the first time since being cleared to play.
Favors said he hasn't felt any lingering pain since coming back.
"No pain, no stiffness or anything," Favors said. "I'm ready to go, I hope my wind is good enough to play 30 minutes."
The Wolves may also see a different Rodney Hood.
Hood had his worst game of the season at Minnesota just before the end of the year, a 1 of 13 shooting performance that looked as bad in person as it did in the box score. But the Jazz shooting guard has rebounded since to have the best month of his professional career.
— Tony Jones