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Jazz-Spurs Preview

Dec 14, 2015 - 6:15 AM Gregg Popovich's demeanor was decidedly "ho-hum" after the latest stingy defensive effort from his San Antonio Spurs. Getting another to extend their home winning streak probably wouldn't surprise him - or anyone else, either.

The Spurs haven't lost a regular-season home game in nine months and seek their 22nd consecutive win at AT&T Center against the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

San Antonio (20-5) last suffered a home defeat March 12 when it was outlasted by Cleveland 128-125 in overtime. Visiting opponents are averaging 87.9 points since then, and only one has reached the century mark.

Opposing teams are shooting 41.6 percent in San Antonio this season, but the Spurs' most impressive defensive performance may have come in Saturday's 103-78 rout at Atlanta.

They led 47-25 at halftime, allowing the least points in a single half by an NBA team this season. The Hawks shot 37.5 percent and committed 17 turnovers, bumping San Antonio's total to 54 forced in the last three games.

To Popovich, though, it was just "one of those NBA games" - one which elicited yet another of his cut-and-dry quotes.

"We had a good night, they had a poor night," he said. "That's all it is."

Plenty of teams have had issues scoring against the Spurs. Only five have reached 100 points, including just one in the last 13 games. They've allowed an average of 84.4 points on 41.6 percent shooting in that span.

San Antonio allows just 88.2 per game overall this season - 5.5 fewer than second-place Miami - while holding opposing offenses to an NBA-low 30.7 percent shooting from 3-point range. The NBA's best defense now draws one of its lowest-scoring offenses.

Utah (10-12) is one of 12 teams averaging less than 100 points at 97.8. The Jazz have upped their average to 102.4 in their last nine, but six of those games were in Utah and two went to overtime. They now enter an arena where opponents are averaging 85.8 points this season, and their most recent visit resulted in an 89-69 blowout loss Jan. 18.

Utah has lost five of its last seven games and six of eight on the road, the latest Sunday's 104-98 overtime loss at Oklahoma City. The Jazz missed their first nine shots in the extra period and avoided a shutout on Gordon Hayward's basket with 8.6 seconds left.

"It hurts," coach Quin Snyder said. "We were clearly fatigued in overtime. We'd been able to attack most of the game and just ran out of steam."

The Jazz switched up their lineup, starting Alec Burks at point guard in place of Raul Neto - who had started each of the previous 20 games but did not play. Burks finished with 21 points, five rebounds and three assists with one turnover.

Rodney Hood made 4 of 9 from 3-point range for 23 points, Hayward finished with 22 and Derrick Favors chipped in 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Favors has averaged 18.2 points and 10.6 boards in his last five against the Spurs, while Hayward has made just 8 of 30 shots for 28 points in his previous two. San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker have combined for just 29 points in the last two meetings.

The Jazz have won two of the last three in the series, but the Spurs have won 13 of 17 - including eight in a row in San Antonio. Utah won two straight there during the 2009-10 season, but the Spurs have won the other 28 since May 2, 1999.