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Atlanta • Derrick Favors' homecoming guest list has shrunk over the years.
"It kind of got shorter," he said with a shrug. "But that's good for me. I don't have to buy as many tickets."
It's a shame, however, for the friends and family who skipped Favors' game Monday night, arguably his best performance of the season.
The Utah Jazz forward, who has battled injury and alterations to his role this season, scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, helping the Jazz to a 120-95 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena.
"It just felt good to finally feel like myself for once this season," Favors said after his team had improved to 33-19 on the year. "It felt good."
The Jazz were led by another 30-point performance from All-Star Gordon Hayward and 22 points and eight assists from point guard George Hill.
But after a handful of disappointing outings, Favors' breakthrough — which saw him connect on 10 of his 12 shots and finish with three steals and two blocks — was a highlight as the Jazz kicked off their three-game road trip with a decisive victory.
"He was great. Back to his old self," Hayward said with a smile. "I heard him talking about [how] it's good to be home. It sure was good for him. It was for us, too."
Favors missed two games last week as he dealt with the lingering effects of a knee injury that cost him a month of playing time this season. He returned to action Saturday but had to come off the bench. Back in his starting role Monday in Atlanta, Favors looked dialed in.
"He played with a little extra bounce in his step," Hayward said.
And the Jazz hope the big power forward's game Monday could be the start of a breakthrough.
"It requires him to stay upbeat and be positive and continue to do the things he's been successful doing," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "He's done a great job preparing himself this year. It'll come. It's happening. Just sometimes things don't happen as quickly as you want. He just can't get discouraged or frustrated. Keep working and we'll make sure he's in a good place."
Up 17 midway through the second quarter, Utah looked like it would be cruising to an easy victory Monday before former Jazzman Paul Millsap and the Hawks started to make things interesting, closing out the half on a 27-14 run.
Millsap, however, would be held without a point in the third quarter, one that saw the Jazz outscore Atlanta 37-23. Favors scored eight of those points, hitting all four shots he took in the period, and helped clamp down on Millsap defensively.
Millsap finished with 14 points.
"He was great, especially defensively, the things we don't really see," Jazz center Rudy Gobert said of Favors.
On Sunday night, Gobert had needled Favors after his hometown Atlanta Falcons had squandered away their shot at a Super Bowl victory. Asked Monday if Favors had redeemed himself with his play, Gobert laughed and said, "No."
"He has to bring it next game," the center said. "He has to bring it every game now."
So as he sat at his locker following Monday's win, Favors' attention turned to New Orleans and the next stop on Utah's trip.
"We've got to keep it up," he said. "We've got to play the same we played."
That holds true, especially, for Favors.
Twitter: @aaronfalk