Atlanta @ Utah preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 22, 2018 ) Utah 90, Atlanta 104

The streaking Utah Jazz look to register their 10th consecutive victory when they close a four-game homestand against the woeful Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. The Jazz were once struggling at nine games below .500 but won 21 of their last 23 games as they chase a Western Conference playoff spot.

Utah's rise began shortly after standout center Rudy Gobert returned to full health after two different leg injuries and coach Quin Snyder said "it's an empirical fact" that Gobert is the most dominant defensive player in the NBA. Gobert, who is averaging 21 points and 13.5 rebounds while posting four straight double-doubles, takes it a step further than his coach and said he has no peers anywhere. "I don't like to make my own case, but there's nobody that impacts the game defensively like I do in the whole world," Gobert told reporters after Saturday's 103-97 victory over the Sacramento Kings. "I watch other games and I don't see anyone." Atlanta is experiencing a dreadful campaign and suffered six straight setbacks after falling 122-117 to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday in the opener of a six-game road excursion.


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

ABOUT THE HAWKS (20-50): Second-year small forward Taurean Prince is on a roll by scoring a career-best 38 points twice in the past four games while averaging 30.8 points during the stretch. Prince knocked down 20-of-46 3-point attempts during the hot streak and made 146 this season while continuing to expand his shooting range after sinking 33 as a rookie. The 23-year-old topped 20 points in each of the last four games and five times overall while averaging 21.5 points in March.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (40-30): Small forward Joe Ingles lead the NBA by making 45 percent of his 3-point shots and he is the new franchise record holder with 179 treys in a season after passing Randy Foye (178 in 2012-13) on Saturday. "It's an honor to be a part of this franchise and now, to hold something," Ingles told reporters. "There's a few untouchables, but I found one I can get." Ingles inherited a larger role when Gordon Hayward left as a free agent in the offseason and he is averaging 16.8 points over the past five games while making 17-of-34 3-point shots during the stretch.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. PG Dennis Schroder scored 20 points as the Hawks posted a 104-90 home victory over the Jazz on Jan. 22.

2. Utah rookie SG Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points against Sacramento and tallied 25 or more points on 23 occasions.

3. Atlanta rookie PF John Collins (sprained left ankle) is questionable after being injured on Saturday.

PREDICTION: Jazz 102, Hawks 86