Wizards try to stay strong at home vs. Jazz

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Washington Wizards are a tough out in the nation's capital and look to keep that reputation alive when they entertain the Utah Jazz Sunday at the Verizon Center.

The Wizards have won six in a row at home and are 11-2 as the host. The Southeast leaders opened a stretch of three straight games at home with Friday's 104-96 victory over the surging Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers had won their previous nine games until their visit to DC.

Bradley Beal scored a season-best 29 points and John Wall added 10 points and 11 assists for the Wizards, who shot 48.8 percent and scored 21 points off 18 LA turnovers. Clippers guard Chris Paul had six turnovers.

"People are going to start realizing what type of team we are," Beal said. "We're locked in."

Marcin Gortat scored 18 points in the win, Washington's third in a row overall and seventh in the past eight tries.

The Wizards will close the stay Tuesday versus Minnesota.

Washington, which has scored 108.3 ppg this month, is 16-6 and hasn't been 11 games over .500 since a 41-30 record back on April 1, 2005. Winning at the Verizon Center has helped and the Wizards aim for the first seven-game home winning streak since a nine-game run in 2013.

The Wizards are 13-0 this season when holding opponents under 100 points and 9-0 at home when accomplishing the feat.

Utah is on the road for the next six games (9 days) against Washington, New Orleans, Miami, Orlando, Charlotte and Memphis. It is 2-8 outside Salt Lake City and winless in the last four road tests.

The Jazz ended a nine-game losing streak with an improbable win Tuesday over San Antonio, but fell back into the loss column with Friday's 100-95 defeat at the hands of Miami. The Spurs and Heat have participated in the last two NBA Finals.

Enes Kanter scored a season-best 25 points, Gordon Hayward added 18 and Alec Burks finished with 16 points for the Jazz, who made 44.2 percent from the field and turned the ball over 14 times.

"We just gave up too many easy shots," Hayward said.

The Jazz have scored less than 100 points 10 times in the previous 13 contests. Jazz big man Derrick Favors left the game versus the Heat with an ankle injury and is questionable against Washington.

Utah and Washington split two games last season and the two teams will meet again March 18 in Salt Lake City. Kanter averaged 17.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in two games against the Wizards last season.

Wall posted an average of 13.5 points and 7.0 assists in two matchups with the Jazz in 2013-14.