Detroit @ Utah preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 24, 2018 ) Utah 98, Detroit 95

The Utah Jazz can't seem to lose a game, but they also can't seem to make up any ground in a tight Western Conference race. The Jazz will try to win their seventh straight and 19th in the last 21 games when they host the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.

Utah entered Monday in a virtual three-way tie for the No. 8 spot in the West, 1 1/2 games behind a trio of teams tied for No. 4, and it just finished sweeping a three-game road trip by trouncing a team above it in the standings -- the New Orleans Pelicans, 116-99. "Of course, we pay attention," Jazz point guard Ricky Rubio told reporters of the standings, "but we don't have to worry about it. We know that our game has taken another level, and we believe that we can make it just being us." Utah is beginning a four-game homestand against teams with losing records versus the Pistons, who have been off since snapping a four-game slide with a 99-83 win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday. Detroit is sitting in the No. 9 spot in the East but entered play on Monday five games behind the eighth-place Milwaukee Bucks with 16 games left in the regular season.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah)

ABOUT THE PISTONS (30-36): Detroit dropped 10 of its last 13 games to fall off the pace in the postseason race and is beginning a six-game trip at Utah. "This time of year, you take any win, however you can get it," Pistons forward Blake Griffin told reporters after beating the Bulls. "Any time, any place, anywhere. So that's a good win." Griffin is doing his part to drag the Pistons out of their funk and is averaging 28 points on 50.6 percent shooting over the last four games.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (37-30): Utah is trying to avoid the temptation to dwell on what the other teams around it in the standings are doing and just concentrate on winning. "Winning feels good: You don't need another reward," Rubio told reporters. "It's a win, you go home and you feel good about yourself and feel you did a good job. That's why we're doing what we're doing." Rubio collected 30 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists on Sunday in his second consecutive points-rebounds double-double.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pistons SF Reggie Bullock was in a car accident over the weekend and is day-to-day.

2. Pelicans PG Raul Neto suffered a fractured wrist on Sunday and will miss at least two weeks.

3. Utah earned a 98-95 overtime win at Detroit on Jan. 24.

PREDICTION: Jazz 109, Pistons 98