This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The week for the Utah Jazz started with such promise, a road win over the Memphis Grizzlies and the fifth place spot in the Western Conference that came with it.
Then it unraveled.
There was the loss to the Golden State Warriors. And then a loss to the Sacramento Kings, in which the Jazz inexplicably blew a 20-point lead in the third quarter. And the latest, a home loss to the Toronto Raptors, in which the Jazz saw All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry put up one of the best individual performances the NBA has seen to this point.
Now, the Jazz are on a three-game losing streak. They are reeling a bit, and have fallen back to the seventh spot in the West. Yes, it's been a difficult week for a Utah team that's seen more than its share of adversity over the first 31 games.
"I was proud of the effort that we showed under the circumstances," Jazz forward Gordon Hayward said. "This is definitely not the way we wanted to go into Christmas with the last three losses. But we just have to use these days and try to recover. Try to re-energize your mind and come back, and well, hopefully finish December strong because we've had a really strong December."
The Jazz will be off until Monday, resting through the Christmas break. In addition to winning games, Utah hopes to gain a return to health. Starting point guard George Hill is making significant progress in recovering from the sprained toe that's sidelined him for a month. The organization is hoping he can return in the coming week.
Starting shooting guard Rodney Hood was flu-ridden this week. He was ineffective against the Warriors, missing the entire second half. He missed the Sacramento game completely, and he was ineffective in 13 minutes and clearly not 100 percent against the Raptors.
"Rodney gave us everything he had," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "We wanted him to just give us something, so we could bring Joe [Ingles] off the bench. He did everything he could."
The Jazz play the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. They are hoping the holiday rest brings more energy. And with three games this week, Utah is hoping to finish the year on a high note.
Working his way back
Jazz forward Derrick Favors said he's still making his way toward being 100 percent, after missing a chunk of games due to a knee contusion. It's obvious he still lacks his normal explosion and jumping ability, as he's struggling to finish shots in the paint. Favors is rebounding the ball well and he is playing well defensively in a reserve role where his minutes are limited. Offensively, however, he's still rounding into form.
Keeping the streak
Rudy Gobert scored 13 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on Friday night against the Raptors, giving him 10 consecutive double-doubles. That's the most for a Utah player since Paul Millsap recorded 19 straight in the 2008-2009 season.
twitter: @tribjazz