Utah Jazz Team Report - February 23

(Basketball News) - The Utah Jazz host the streaking Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center on Wednesday in the first game back from the All-Star break for both teams.

Dallas defeated Utah, 109-86, on December 4th at home and has won two straight games in the series. The teams will play again on April 9th at the Delta Center.

Utah lost two straight and seven-of-nine before the All-Star break, including last Tuesday’s 102-95 contest at the LA Lakers. Kobe Bryant scored 40 points and dished out eight assists to lead LA, which closed out the game with nine straight points to take the win.

Mehmet Okur scored 20 points to lead Utah, which has lost 12 of its last 13 road games. The Jazz enter Wednesday’s contest 13th in the Western Conference standings — 10 1/2 games out of a possible playoff spot.

Utah will host the Boston Celtics on Friday night and will visit the Houston Rockets on Sunday afternoon. The Jazz are 0-1 against the Celtics and 1-1 versus the Rockets this season.

Forward Carlos Boozer leads the Jazz in scoring (17.8 ppg) and rebounding (9.0 rpg) this season. He is averaging just 12.3 points and 7.1 rebounds in his last 10 contests.

Okur has scored in double-digits in 10 of his last 14 games and has registered four double-doubles in that span. He has played in all 52 of Utah’s games so far this season and is averaging 12.4 points and 7.3 boards.

On the injury front, Jazz point guard Raul Lopez will undergo surgery on his left knee and miss the remainder of the season. According to the Deseret News, Lopez suffered the injury during Utah’s game against the Lakers. Lopez, in his second year out of Spain, had previously had his right knee operated on twice and will have surgery on his left knee for the first time. The 24-year-old Lopez averaged 5.2 points and 4.0 assists in 31 games — 15 starts — this season.