Utah @ Golden State preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 30, 2018 ) Golden State 99, Utah 129

Golden State Warriors star point guard Stephen Curry was reportedly diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain of his left MCL after testing on Saturday and will be reevaluated in three weeks. That should make things a little easier for the Utah Jazz, who are fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Conference and visit the Warriors on Sunday.

Curry returned from a six-game absence due to an ankle sprain on Friday and scored 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting in 25 minutes before center JaVale McGee went up to block a shot and fell backward, landing awkwardly on Curry's left leg. "Kind of a strange, cruel twist of fate," Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game. "He rehabs his ankle for the last couple weeks, he gets that strong and then the knee goes." The Jazz will take any break they can get as they sit in the No. 8 spot in the West, one game ahead of ninth-place Denver with nine games remaining but also just 2 1/2 behind the No. 4 Oklahoma City Thunder in a tightly-packed group. Utah dropped two of its last three following a nine-game winning streak, including a 124-120 overtime loss at San Antonio on Friday.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE JAZZ (41-32): Rookie guard Donovan Mitchell led Utah with 35 points on Friday and buried a pair of tough 3-pointers late in regulation to help force overtime. "He's tough. Those two threes he made (at the end) were just ridiculous," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters of Mitchell. "He's got courage and he's got the skill. He's willing to take those shots, so you've got to give him credit. He did a heck of a job. He just keeps competing and he's got no fear. And he makes good decisions. ... He plays a complete game. He's really something else." Mitchell is stepping up his game down the stretch and is averaging 27.2 points over the last five games.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (54-18): Curry, who could be back in time for the start of the playoffs, is far from the only injury concern for Golden State. Fellow All-Stars Kevin Durant (ribs), Klay Thompson (thumb) and Draymond Green (pelvis) all sat out Friday along with small forward Omri Casspi (ankle), and only Green and Casspi are considered day-to-day. The Warriors still had enough firepower to down the Atlanta Hawks 106-94 on Friday and remain comfortably in the No. 2 spot in the West.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Warriors PG Quinn Cook is expected to start in Curry's spot and is averaging 13.6 points in eight games as a starter.

2. Jazz PG Ricky Rubio will attempt to push his streak of 20-point performances to a season-best four straight games.

3. Utah trounced Golden State at home 129-99 in the last meeting on Jan. 30.

PREDICTION: Jazz 110, Warriors 102