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Struggling Nets aim to end five-game skid

Nov 19, 2007 - 2:37 PM New Jersey (4-6) at Utah (7-4) 9:00 pm EST

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) - The New Jersey Nets may be finding out just how much Vince Carter means to their team.

The Nets aim to end their five-game skid when they travel to the EnergySolutions Arena to take on the Utah Jazz on Monday.

Carter sprained his right ankle in the third quarter of New Jersey's November 10 game against Boston. The Nets went on to lose that contest - the first of five straight defeats for the Nets, who went 4-1 when Carter was healthy.

His absence is likely causing his teammates to force the action and, as a result, they set a season high in turnovers for the third straight game with 27 in a 91-87 setback to the Miami Heat on Saturday.

The Nets figure to have their work cut out for them against the Jazz, who have won four straight by an average of 18.3 points at home since losing their home opener to Houston on November 1. Utah is coming off its worst loss of the season - a 117-97 setback to the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.

However, much like New Jersey, the Jazz have struggled to get their offense going as of late, scoring less than 100 points in three straight games after failing to hit that mark just once in the first eight contests.