Brooklyn Nets (42-30) @ Utah Jazz (37-36)

Energy Solutions Arena 9:00

TV: YES – RADIO: WFAN 660 AM/101.9 FM

The Brooklyn Nets are playing a back to back where they just lost to the Denver Nuggets 109-87 in a game that was lost quite early for Brooklyn. The Nuggets run and gun style put the Nets on their heels from the outset and they did not respond.

The Nets were badly beaten inside 78-34 and missed over 50 percent of their free throws for the first time this season. Brook Lopez had an awful night going 4-15 and a woeful 3-9 from the free throw line which is an anomaly for the great free throw shooter. The Nets will need a much improved Lopez tonight to beat the surging Jazz who are fighting for a playoff spot with the Lakers.

Homecoming time for D-Will:

Deron Williams, the ex-Jazz guard, is still searching for his first victory over his former club.. The Nets guard is 0-3 against the Jazz as he makes his second trip to Salt Lake City as a visitor in tonight’s matchup. He was booed every time he touched the ball and missed 12 of 15 shots and finished with 16 points, five assists and five turnovers in a 107-94 defeat Jan. last year.

[blockquote]“Last time was tough,” Williams said. “The boos were tough. You play somewhere for five-and-a-half years and you give it your all, it’s tough to get booed. I want to play a good game just so my team has a good game. We were all flat. We all couldn’t get anything going, so I’m going to be aggressive regardless of who I was playing … I just want to be aggressive because we need this win.”[/blockquote]

MATCHUP OF THE GAME: Deron Williams vs Mo Williams

Deron Williams is averaging 15.7 points on 31.3 percent shooting in three meetings against the Jazz and will try to do whatever he can tonight to will his team to a much needed road win to get the back on track. The last game against the Jazz Williams was playing hurt and did not play well at all. The pressure of going back to Utah should not affect D-Will now as he is on a much better team that has a playoff berth locked up but he certainly would like some revenge in his ex team.

Mo Williams scored 26 of his 28 points in the second half of their road win at Portland on Friday night. Williams was hurt for a large portion of the year with a sprained thumb but looks to be back in form and leading the playoff hungry Jazz. He is averaging 12 points and six assists and his leadership was lacking in his absence. He always seems to have good games when he plays the Nets as well so D-Will needs to play well on both ends tonight.

STAT FOR TONIGHT: The Nets are 11-8 in the second half of back-to-back games, but just 1-3 when it happens in consecutive road contests

Nets:

Joe Johnson (right thigh contusion) is out

Jazz: