Lakers take on Jazz in Salt Lake City

(SportsNetwork.com) - Two of the Western Conference's worst teams tangle Wednesday night when the Los Angeles Lakers visit EnergySolutions Arena to face the Utah Jazz.

The Lakers own the second-worst mark in the conference, while the Jazz are fifth-worst in the West.

Utah is on a roll, the winners of two straight and four of its last five. The Jazz have won three straight at home and close a stay on Wednesday. The first two legs of the homestand have been impressive for this young Jazz squad.

On Friday, Utah knocked off the Portland Trail Blazers by 16, then handed the defending champion San Antonio Spurs their third straight loss, 90-81, Monday.

Trey Burke scored 23 points off the bench to lead the Jazz. Gordon Hayward added 18 points, including 10-for-11 from the free throw line, Derrick Favors posted 14 points and 10 rebounds and Rudy Gobert pulled down a game-high 14 boards. Joe Ingles chipped in 10.

"Our guys just tried to come out and play hard. Sometimes you play well, and we played well tonight," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said.

Utah forced 22 turnovers, more than eight over San Antonio's average.

The Lakers snapped a seven-game losing streak last time out with a 118-111 overtime victory over the Boston Celtics at Staples Center on Sunday evening.

Jeremy Lin had 25 points and six assists to lead the Lakers.

Boston's Avery Bradley netted eight points in the final 30 seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime, including a left wing 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The Lakers, though, scored the first six points of the extra session and were never seriously threatened again. Lin nailed a backbreaking right elbow jumper with 34.1 ticks to go in OT to make it 116-111.

Wesley Johnson posted 22 points and five rebounds and Nick Young added 19 points for Los Angeles.

"In the overtime we hung in there, we got our composure back and got the win. We played hard, competed and that's what I'm looking for," Lakers coach Byron Scott said.

The team announced on Tuesday that guard Ronnie Price will have surgery Wednesday morning to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. The Lakers will announce a timetable for return after the surgery.

The Jazz beat the Lakers by nine in Salt Lake City on Jan. 16 and the two teams will meet in LA on March 19. The Jazz are 7-3 in the last 10 meetings and 4-1 in the last five as the host.