There's no escaping the fact that the Jazz will have to figure out a way to win on the road and win in the second game of back-to-back sets if they hope to avoid a seeding that could spell a first-round exit in the playoffs.
They put everything they had into Wednesday's game against the Suns and still came away with a 108-104 loss in a game that was tied in the final minute. The Jazz are now 14-21 on the road and 3-14 in on the second night of back-to-backs. It clinched a losing record on the road for the Jazz, who came into the season determined to avoid repeating last season's 17-24 road failings. The Jazz have six road games remaining against teams currently in playoff position in the Western Conference.
They will have the chance to avenge Wednesday's loss when they play the Suns on Saturday back in Utah. The Jazz dropped two games to the Suns in Phoenix -- both the second night of a back-to-back -- by a combined six points this season.
The Jazz struggled against the zone defense the Suns sprang in the fourth quarter -- five missed shots led to five fast-break opportunities for Phoenix -- and missed 11 of 27 free throws, including a 2-for-6 night by Mehmet Okur.
But the Jazz still had their chances to win and were irate with a no-call as Okur drove on Matt Barnes, drew contact and missed a 17-footer with 5.9 seconds left. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan glared at the officials as he walked off the court at the buzzer.
The Jazz will be able to fall back on a 13-game home winning streak when they play Phoenix at EnergySolutions Arena.
SUNS 118, JAZZ 114: As desperate as the Jazz were to break through with a victory on the road and climb in the Western Conference standings, the Suns were even more desperate for a victory in their race with Dallas for the conference's eighth and final playoff spot. They got 26 points out of Grant Hill, who drove on Ronnie Brewer and hit a pull-up jumper in the lane for the go-ahead basket with 31.5 seconds left.
