Utah @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 25, 2019 ) Minnesota 102, Utah 106

The Utah Jazz finished a successful homestand with a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday and they look to begin a road trip with a similar result when the teams complete their home-and-home set in Minneapolis on Sunday. Behind 24 points and a career-high 11 assists from Donovan Mitchell, the Jazz topped the Timberwolves 106-102 to win for the eighth time in their last nine games.

The second-year star scored at least 24 points in 11 consecutive contests and has improved his playmaking abilities in the wake of a handful of injuries to his fellow guards. "I'm just making good reads and having confidence in my passes," Mitchell told reporters after his first career double-double. "When we had three point guards out, you got to be able to make those plays, that's where it started. I had no choice." Minnesota is enduring a similar trial with three guards - Derrick Rose, Jeff Teague and Tyus Jones - each missing Friday's loss due to foot or ankle injuries. As usual, they leaned heavily on center Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting while his teammates combined to finish 36.6 percent from the floor.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah), FS North (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE JAZZ (28-22): Mitchell's teammates are taking note of the 22-year-old's improved distribution, which has enabled him to average 5.4 assists in January after posting a 2.9 average in December. "At this time last year, he wasn't even throwing those passes to the corner and now he's throwing left hand, right hand, one, two, whatever he needs to do to get it there," teammate Joe Ingles told reporters. Center Rudy Gobert was questionable Friday with a sore hamstring but gutted it out to finish with 18 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks.

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (24-25): Minnesota outscored Utah 33-16 in the fourth quarter Friday, giving it perhaps some momentum heading into the rematch, and Towns was the catalyst. "Fourth quarter, I'm trying to take over the game and dominate," he told reporters. "I'm trying to give us a chance to win. I was just being a little aggressive all around and trying to make plays everywhere." Towns is averaging 28.8 points and 13 boards during his string of four straight double-doubles.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Timberwolves SF Andrew Wiggins tied a career-high with 11 rebounds Friday.

2. Jazz SG Kyle Korver is 10-for-18 from 3-point range in three games against Minnesota this season, the first two of which came while he was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

3. Timberwolves PF Dario Saric is 3-for-15 from the floor over his last three games.

PREDICTION: Timberwolves 108, Jazz 107