Utah @ Memphis preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 7, 2018 ) Utah 92, Memphis 88

One of the NBA's hottest teams visits the league's worst when the Utah Jazz put a four-game winning streak on the line against the Memphis Grizzlies, losers of 15 straight, on Friday. A 104-84 victory at Indiana on Wednesday to open a three-game road trip gave the Jazz a 16-2 mark since late January, a remarkable run that includes nine straight wins on the road, its longest such streak since an identical run in 1998.

The surge has Utah essentially tied with two other teams for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference entering Thursday, each of whom are only four games out of third place. "We just play for one another," center Rudy Gobert told reporters. "Everyone is on the same page. Everyone wants to win, and you can feel that. There's a focus in the locker room. It's great." The last-place Grizzlies' losing streak is their longest since relocating to Memphis from Vancouver in 2001. They appear to be getting closer to ending the slide, losing each of their last five by single digits.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah), FS Southeast (Memphis)

ABOUT THE JAZZ (35-30): Gobert has been the catalyst of late and is averaging 21.5 points on 74.4 percent shooting to go along with 14.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks this month. Donovan Mitchell added 20 points in the win over the Pacers while Ricky Rubio - who had 29 points in a win at Memphis last month - chipped in 18 and seven assists. "We followed the game plan and tried to get back on defense because they are a good team in transition," Rubio told the media in Indianapolis. "We wanted to play 5-on-5 as much as possible. We are learning how to be good as a team. When things go wrong, we talk and figure things out, especially on the road."

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (18-46): With the rest of the season devoted to developing its youth, Memphis has to be pleased with the recent play of rookie forward Dillon Brooks, who produced his best scoring effort of the season in back-to-back games. "I was trying to do everything in my power to bring the team back," Brooks told reporters after scoring 20 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter of a 119-110 loss at Chicago on Wednesday. "We were right there. We just got to make better plays for each other, smart plays, careful passes. We just had too many turnovers and we dug ourselves a big hole." The 22-year-old is 19-for-35 from the floor during the hot stretch and he hit a career-high five 3-pointers versus the Bulls.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Grizzlies PF Jarell Martin (knee) missed the last two games while PF Tyreke Evans (ribs) sat out seven in a row.

2. Mitchell is averaging 24.7 points over his last three road games.

3. Jazz SF Joe Ingles handed out a career-high 10 assists Wednesday after recording eight in a win over Orlando on Monday.

PREDICTION: Jazz 106, Grizzlies 98