8 p.m. at Utah • Vivint Smart Arena • FSN Plus, 830-AM
Jazz seeks to open playoffs at home
Preview: The Jazz (48-30) has won five of seven after Tuesday's 106-87 home victory over Portland, which had lost to the Wolves 110-109 at Target Center the night before. The Jazz is competing with the Los Angeles Clippers for the Western Conference's fourth spot and home-court advantage to start the playoffs. … Friday's game completes the four-game season series. The Jazz lead it 2-1, but the Wolves won the last time, resoundingly 107-80 in Salt Lake City on March 1. … Wolves GM Scott Layden spent 25 years with the Jazz, which his father Frank coached, as an assistant coach and in the front office as vice president of basketball operations among other jobs.
Players to watch: In the three games between the teams, Jazz star F Gordon Hayward has averaged 17.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists while C Rudy Gobert is averaging 12.3 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.0 blocks. Gobert is eight rebounds short of becoming the first NBA player since Dwight Howard during the 2009-10 season to reach 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 200 blocks in a season. Howard, Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal are the only ones who have done it in the past 20 years.
Injuries: Wolves G Zach LaVine (knee surgery) and F Nemanja Bjelica (foot surgery) are out for the season. The Jazz list G George Hill (groin strain) as doubtful and F Derrick Favors (knee), G Rodney Hood (knee), G Raul Neto (groin strain) and C Jeff Withey (ill) all as questionable.
JERRY ZGODA
