Golden State @ Utah preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 22, 2019 ) Golden State 109, Utah 113

The Utah Jazz seem to be pulling out of their funk while the Golden State Warriors remain firmly at the bottom of the Western Conference. The Jazz will try to continue their upward trend at the expense of the Warriors when they host Golden State on Friday.

Utah dropped six of eight and was coming off a dispiriting 104-90 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder when it turned the page by shooting 56.6 percent from the floor in a 127-116 triumph at Minnesota on Wednesday. "We moved the ball, and we made the shots," Jazz center Rudy Gobert told reporters. "I don't know how many passes we had every possession, but that was the best game we had moving the ball like that. It's tough to guard." Golden State battled back from a 22-point deficit at home to force overtime against the Eastern Conference-worst New York Knicks at home on Wednesday but could not finish it off and ended up falling 124-122 to drop into sole possession of the worst record in the league. "A loss is a loss," Warriors forward Draymond Green told reporters. "It doesn't matter who it's against."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (Golden State), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (5-21): Golden State, which represented the West in each of the last five NBA Finals, got a triple-double from Green (14 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds) and 32 points from D'Angelo Russell on Wednesday but still lacks scoring punch with Stephen Curry (hand) and Klay Thompson (knee) sidelined. Green added four steals in his best all-around game since scoring 16 points in a triple-double at New Orleans on Oct. 28. The former All-Star forward is being asked to do more scoring with his famous teammates sidelined and rookie forward Eric Paschall limited due to a hip injury.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (14-11): Utah star Donovan Mitchell led the way with 30 points on 13-of-20 shooting and handed out a team-high six assists on Wednesday as the team made an effort to move the ball after bemoaning the individual play in Monday's setback. "We trusted one another," Mitchell told reporters. "That was nice to see, but it's one game. Now we have to do it on a consistent basis. It's a good start." Gobert (20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, 16 rebounds) and small forward Joe Ingles (23 points on 9-of-14 shooting) also starred as the Jazz improved to 5-8 on the road.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Jazz PG Mike Conley (hamstring) sat out the last four games and is day-to-day.

2. Golden State PF Marquese Chriss collected 12 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday for his first double-double of the season.

3. Utah took both meetings in November, including a 113-109 win at home on Nov. 22.

PREDICTION: Jazz 106, Warriors 95