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Jazz carry momentum into showdown with Detroit

Feb 26, 2011 - 3:54 PM (Sports Network) - The Utah Jazz look to string together consecutive wins for the first time in more than a month when they close out a three-game road trip tonight against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Utah ended a five-game losing streak with Friday's 95-84 win in Indiana, as head coach Tyrone Corbin registered his first win (1-4) since taking over for the legendary Jerry Sloan on the sidelines. Al Jefferson was a big factor against the Pacers with 30 points for a second straight game and Paul Millsap ended with 23 points and a career-high 18 rebounds for the Jazz, who held Indy to a season-low 13 points in the first quarter.

Jazz newcomer Devin Harris had 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Derrick Favors had six points and three boards in his debut. Harris and Favors were acquired from New Jersey this week in the deal that sent All-Star guard Deron Williams to the Nets.

"Devin and Derrick came in and did a great job with not knowing a lot of the plays," Corbin said. "The effort was great. They pushed the ball up the floor. They did a good job of fighting guys on defense."

The last time the Jazz posted two or more wins in succession was during a three-game winning streak from Jan. 8 - 14 against Houston, New York and Cleveland. Jefferson is averaging 28.7 points in his previous four games, and ranks sixth in scoring average among centers (17.8). Utah, which 15-14 away from Salt Lake City, will return home after Saturday's game for a three-game residency versus Boston, Denver and Sacramento.

The Jazz are currently tied with Memphis for the eighth and final playoff spot in the jumbled Western Conference.

Meanwhile, Detroit is coming off Friday's 110-94 loss in Philadelphia and made some interesting news before the contest at Wells Fargo Center. Several players, including Tayshaun Prince, Tracy McGrady and Ben Wallace, missed the team's shootaround and a few others missed the bus. It has been rumored head coach John Kuester has lost control of the team and the recent behavior by the players was a sign of boycotting their coach.

"That's an internal matter right now," Kuester said. "The thing we wanted to do is get the guys in who had been at the shootaround. They played their hearts out."

Before Kuester was ejected in the second quarter last night for picking up consecutive technical fouls, he had only six players to suit up. Will Bynum played all 48 minutes, scoring 29 points, and Greg Monroe ended with 16 points and 11 rebounds in defeat.

Charlie Villanueva had 17 points and Ben Gordon netted 16 for Detroit, which has lost three in a row and six of its last seven games. Gordon put his time in with 45 minutes and Monroe was on the floor for 42:45.

The Pistons are 14-16 at The Palace this season.

Utah defeated Detroit, 102-97, on Jan. 3 this season at EnergySolutions Arena and has won 11 straight and 13 of the previous 14 meetings between the teams. The Jazz are unbeaten in their last five trips to The Palace.