Jazz-Kings Preview

It's been almost a month since the Utah Jazz won three straight games. It only seems that long since they last won on the road.

Having point guard Deron Williams in the lineup makes it easier as the Jazz look to build off their latest victory and avoid losing a fifth consecutive road game Friday night against the lowly Sacramento Kings.

Utah (28-22) won 115-87 at home over Dallas on Thursday for its third victory in four games after losing four in a row. The Jazz, owners of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, last won three in a row during a four-game streak from Jan. 5-12.

"If we continue play with the same intensity, we'll do a good job," forward Paul Millsap said.

Now, Utah heads to Sacramento looking for a third straight win this season over the Kings (11-39) while trying for its first road win since a 101-91 victory at Memphis on Jan. 16 -- the only one in its last 10 away from home.

Bothered by a thigh bruise, Williams finished with 34 points with 12 assists on Thursday. He scored 35 on 12-for-18 shooting in a 122-108 loss at Portland on Saturday, but missed Monday's 105-86 win over Charlotte.

"It's still a little swollen, but my knee is stable and the doc said it was good to go," Williams said of the injury. "I felt ready, right from the start."

Williams, who missed 13 of the first 15 games of the season with a sprained left ankle, is averaging 18.1 points and 10.1 assists in 2008-09. He's averaging 13.5 and 11.0 assists in the Jazz's two wins over Sacramento this season.

Having Williams in the lineup makes this a more competitive Utah club that has dealt with plenty of injuries and continues to play without injured stars Carlos Boozer (knee) and Andrei Kirilenko (ankle).

"We've got to be used to it. We've lost a lot of games due to injury," said Jazz guard Brevin Knight, who is questionable for this contest after spraining his left thumb and did not return Thursday.

Utah won 99-94 at Sacramento on Dec. 2 to snap a three-game road losing streak to the Kings, who enter this contest off a 129-81 loss at Phoenix on Monday.

Sacramento has lost nine of its last 10, but did beat Oklahoma City 122-118 in overtime on Sunday for its most recent victory at home.

On a night when the Kings will retire the jersey of former star Chris Webber, they'll try to win consecutive home games for the first time since opening the season with three straight victories there.

John Salmons had 19 points and Kevin Martin 13 on Monday for Sacramento, which trailed 40-19 after one quarter and shot 36.9 percent against Phoenix.

"That was a very embarrassing performance by us," Kings interim coach Kenny Natt said. "We're a lot better than we showed and we'll only get better in the future. We just took off (Monday) and didn't show up."

Martin had 22 points in the most recent meeting with the Jazz and is averaging 24.7 in his last six games versus Utah.

It's uncertain if Sacramento will have key reserves Brad Miller (abdominal strain) and Bobby Jackson (personal reasons) after both missed Monday's contest.