Utah Flash: Team struggling to stay in NBDL playoff race

OREM — The Utah Flash split a pair of games over the weekend, first beating the Colorado 14ers 108-99 at home on Friday, as guard Morris Almond led Utah with 33 points.

They traveled to play the Bakersfield Jam on Saturday, losing when forward Justin Reed hit a game-winning 3-pointer with 10 seconds to go.

Bakersfield guard Mateen Cleaves poured in 43 points and dished out 10 assists to lead the Jam. Reed had 29 points, and Utah guard Gabe Pruitt also had 29 in a losing effort.

"We had the lead, we're up two with 10 seconds to go, and they hit a nice three," Flash general manager David Fredman said. "You have to give them a lot of credit. They made the shot we wanted them to take."

Utah is now 20-23.

PLAYOFF PICTURE: The Flash trail Colorado and the Tulsa 66ers for the sixth and final playoff spot, as both have records of 23-18.

With just seven games to go, Utah is four games back, five in the loss column, and they would likely lose tiebreakers to those teams.

The first tiebreaker is head-to-head record. The Flash went 1-1 against both teams, so the next tiebreaker is used.

The second tiebreaker is record against teams with records above ... 500. With the two best teams in the league in their division, Utah has played a lot of games against winning teams, and they have not fared particularly well.

The Flash have gone 2-10 against the Idaho Stampede and the Los Angeles D-Fenders, which is the main reason they are 5-17 against teams over .500.

They have four more games against winning teams, three against Idaho and one against Los Angeles.

Colorado hasn't done much better, going 5-12 against winning teams, and they play seven of their last nine games against teams over ... 500.

However, Tulsa has had better success against winning teams, going 9-10 against teams over .500. Furthermore, they have just four of their last nine games against winning teams, so there is no way for the Flash to win the tiebreaker with them.

"This time of year, we've got to win every game or get a lot of help," Flash coach Brad Jones said. "We definitely cut down our margin of error. We're going to probably have to win out or at least get six of seven."

UPCOMING ACTION: The Flash play two games this weekend, both on the road against Idaho.

"I feel like we match up with them," Fredman said. "Our inexperience has cost us at least two games. We're looking forward to it."

The games will be played Friday and Saturday night, and both start at 7 p.m.