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Spurs-Jazz Preview

Feb 25, 2016 - 7:26 AM The defensive-minded Utah Jazz have clamped down during a dominant run at home that has propelled them into the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.

They'll get a chance to see how far they've come Thursday night when they put their seven-game home winning streak on the line against the offensively potent San Antonio Spurs.

Utah (28-28), which was the NBA's top defensive team last season, is allowing an average of 88.1 points in regulation during its current winning streak at Vivint Smart Home Arena.

The club has limited opponents to 40.8 percent shooting in this stretch following Tuesday's 117-114 overtime victory that moved them ahead of Houston into the eighth seed. James Harden had 42 points, but the Jazz held the rest of the Rockets to 35 percent shooting.

''We don't talk about it as a team, but I'm sure everybody individually knows what we're fighting for and who we're fighting against," forward Trevor Booker said.

Utah hasn't won eight in a row in Salt Lake City since a 10-game run from Feb. 24-April 6, 2010. However, it's not going to come easy in the second of this three-game homestand.

San Antonio (48-9) has won the first two meetings by a combined 62 points while shooting 58.4 percent from the field and 18 of 42 (42.9 percent) from beyond the arc.

Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs with 22 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker had 18 apiece in a 118-81 home win Dec. 14 before Tim Duncan scored 18 and Leonard had 15 with Aldridge and Parker sidelined in a 123-98 victory at the AT&T Center on Jan. 6.

Utah, though, did not have Rudy Gobert in either of those contests. The 7-foot-1 center averages a team-high 2.5 blocks, which would rank second in the league if he qualified.

"I think when you look back on it, there are a lot of things you may want but maybe aren't as realistic against (that) group," coach Quin Snyder said about defending San Antonio.

Parker had 23 points and Leonard added 18 in the Spurs' 108-92 win at Sacramento on Wednesday. They've won three in a row and five of six on an eight-game road stretch.

''I feel like we have more weapons (than in the past), but if we don't win a championship it won't mean anything,'' Parker said.

San Antonio has averaged 115 points while hitting 24 of 47 (51.1 percent) from 3-point range in its last three games. Parker has stepped up, scoring 23.3 per game over this stretch.

Utah's Gordon Hayward became only the fourth player since 1982-83 to score 27 points on seven or fewer shots Tuesday. He probably won't be happy, however, if Leonard is able to play on back-to-back nights after returning from a three-game absence due to a calf injury.

Hayward has averaged 13.9 points on 34.1 percent shooting in his last nine against the Spurs.

The Jazz have put up 113 per game, well above their previous 97.6 average, and shot 51.8 percent from the field in their last three. Derrick Favors has averaged 21.3 points on 58.1 percent shooting while hitting all 14 of his free-throw attempts in those contests.

Utah has scored just 89.5 per game on 43.7 percent shooting in the series versus San Antonio, which allows a NBA-low average of 92.7 points.

The Spurs dropped both visits to Salt Lake City last season.