Final
Warriors pay a visit to Jazz
Dec 13, 2010 - 4:10 PM (Sports Network) - Monta Ellis and the Golden State Warriors are set to take on the Utah Jazz tonight in Salt Lake City, hoping to end a six-game slide.The Warriors have also dropped three in a row on the road and are just 1-11 over the previous 12 games overall. The losing trend continued with Friday's 106-84 setback to the star-studded Miami Heat, who got a combined 59 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Golden State leading scorer Ellis didn't have his sidekick Stephen Curry because of an ankle problem and finished with 20 points and seven assists in a losing cause. Ellis is sixth in the NBA with 24.6 ppg. Dorell Wright finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds in defeat and explained postgame how tough it is without Curry.
"It's definitely difficult, especially with a guy who gives us 20 a night and things like that," said Wright, who has four double-doubles in the past five games. "It's hard when one of our key players is out. We still need to find a way. We were in the game but slipped in the third quarter."
The Ellis-Curry tandem is averaging a combined 44.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 10.7 assists and 4.45 steals this season. Curry is expected to miss Monday's game and gives Golden State 20.1 points and 5.6 assists per outing. Guard Rodney Carney (ankle) is listed as questionable.
Utah has been rather inconsistent this month, having alternated wins and losses over its past six contests.
In a 103-97 loss in Dallas on Saturday, Deron Williams recorded a season-high 34 points and Paul Millsap scored 16 for the Jazz, who had a six-game road winning streak stopped and got 14 points from Ronnie Price.
"They hit their first, what -- eight, nine shots?" questioned Williams, whose team faced a 34-19 hole after 12 minutes. "Our defense wasn't as good as it should have been. A lot of their shots were tough shots, but they came out with a lot more energy than us. It felt like they just wanted to blow us out of the game early."
Utah actually battled back from a 25-point deficit to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. The Jazz are now back at EnergySolutions Arena, where they sport a 10-5 mark, but will begin a four-game road trip through New Orleans, Milwaukee, Cleveland and Minnesota on Friday. In injury news, guard Raja Bell will be a game-time decision with a strained right adductor/groin.
Golden State registered an 85-78 win over the Jazz in Oakland on Nov. 5 this season, as Ellis finished with 23 points and a career-high seven steals. Utah won all three meetings with the Warriors a year ago and is 12-5 in the previous 17 meetings between the clubs.
The Warriors have dropped 26 of their last 29 trips to Salt Lake City.
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