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There's no place like home.
And for the Utah Jazz, there won't be another homestand this year like the one they'll kick off Monday night in Salt Lake City.
Over the next two weeks, Gordon Hayward and company will play six straight games without having to endure a single airplane ride, check into a hotel room or endure hardly a heckle from the crowd. That might be just what the Jazz need to shake off a pair of overtime losses on the road last week and get back on track as they start their playoff push in the second half of the season.
"It's very important," forward Trevor Booker said of this stretch of games. "Right now we're in the race for that eight-spot. We've got to come in and take care of home."
They've done a good job of that lately.
Quin Snyder's crew is 7-15 on the road this year and 12-9 at home. But the Jazz have won eight of their last 10 games at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
"It's always good to be at home," the Jazz coach said. "I think our guys are getting to the point where we play a little better at home than we did at the beginning of the year. Our fans have been great and they give us a lot of energy."
Last week's trip east ended abruptly, with the NBA postponing a scheduled matchup with the Washington Wizards to let the Jazz get back home ahead of a snowstorm that slammed the East Coast over the weekend. Despite closing with a 22-point win over the Brooklyn Nets, Hayward came away upset with the two overtime losses that preceded that victory.
"I think I'm still disappointed with the results that we had," he said. "I felt like we had two games that slipped away from us. I feel a lot better with how we ended it tonight so we have a better feeling. We have some confidence going back home. It would have been a much longer flight home for sure, but still just feel like we lost a couple we should have won."
The Jazz can hardly afford to suffer similar letdowns at home, although it won't be easy.
Utah tips off Monday night against a Detroit Pistons team that beat them on the season's opening night. Next the Jazz will get a rematch with Charlotte and point guard Kemba Walker, the guy who just dropped 52 points in a double-overtime win against the Jazz last week. After that, they'll get Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls.
The Jazz, meanwhile, are still trying to get healthy. Shooting guard Alec Burks is out until next month's All-Star break and forward Derrick Favors has missed 15 straight games with an injured back.
But perhaps some extra home cooking will help.
"Yeah, it is, it is [important], playing in front of our crowd," shooting guard Rodney Hood said. "We're playing better at home and trying to get some wins. … Just play how we've been playing, keep playing hard."
The Jazz enter Monday in ninth place, one game back of the Sacramento Kings and a half game up on the Portland Trail Blazers.
Midway through the season, Snyder said he isn't yet paying attention to the standings. But his players certainly are.
"I'm sure we know where we stand," Booker said, "and what we have to do."
Twitter: @tribjazz —
Pistons at Jazz
P Monday, 7 p.m.
TV • ROOT Jazz vs. Pistons
At Vivint Smart Home Arena
Tipoff • Monday, 7 p.m.
TV • ROOT Sport
Radio • 1280 AM, 97.5 FM
About the Jazz • In ninth place in the West and looking to take advantage of a six-game home stand, their longest of the season. … Gordon Hayward is averaging 22 points, 4.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds a game in January. … Forward Derrick Favors has missed 15 straight games with an injured back.
About the Pistons • Point guard Reggie Jackson scored with seconds left to beat the Jazz on opening night in Detroit. … Lead the NBA in offensive rebounds and second-chance points per game. … Andre Drummond is having an All-Star caliber season, averaging better than 17 points and 15 rebounds a game.