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Pelicans caught the rhythm

The team from New Orleans won 4 out of the last six games, and they shouldn't be tired tonight since they broke the home team's resistance in the first three quarters in Denver

Fiba.com

Uzah Jazz already secured their spot in the play-off, but they do not have too much time to celebrate since they are currently 4th with a win ahead of the Clippers who have won 18 of their last 20 head-to-heads, including three out of this year's four. Quin Snyder's team lost on Saturday at the Clippers 108-95. It seemed the game could have an interesting finish after the Jazz came back from a 15 point deficit, but then they got into another black hole which the Clippers used for another escape.

- They surprised us from the start. We were not prepared. That happened to us the last couple of games - said Rudy Gobert who recorded 26 points (10/13) and 14 rebounds. 

The Jazz are more concerned with Gordon Hayward's condition than the third defeat in the last four games. He left the court at the end of the last quarter after a quadriceps injury. The tests have not shown any bigger damage, but he is still officially questionable, and if he does not play, Joe Johnson and Joe Ingles will share his playing time, while Rodney Hood will get more responsibilities in the offense. Reserve point guard, Shelvin Mack, is also questionable, while Derrick Favors will miss his tenth straight game. 

The Jazz will be playing five of the remaining 9 games at home, where their record this season is 24-12, and tonight they will welcome New Orleans Pelicans who are still in the play-off race, but their chances are not big since they are 4 wins away from the 8th position. At the same time, they will face some of the direct rivals so they can do most of the job in direct clashes. 

They recorded what is maybe their biggest win of the season last night when they won 115-90 in Denver, despite the fact that they couldn't count on DeMarcus Cousins who was out with ankle injury. 

- We didn't want to take any risks. If he is ready to play, if he feels well enough, he will be on the court - said coach Alvin Gentry whose team won 4 of the last 6 games. 

The Pelicans are on a 3-0 record without Cousins, whose absence was best used by Anthony Davis who recorded 31 point (12/27) and 15 rebounds, even though he didn't play in the fourth quarter, after his team built a 28 point lead in the first three (87-59).

The Pelicans will be playing only four of the remaining 9 games at home, but they obviously cannot be written-off already. This season they lost both head-to-heads against the Jazz, who are struggling with injuries, so the chances are probably 50-50 tonight, depending on Cousins and Hayward's condition.