Utah Jazz notebook: Schedule gets easier ?— sort of — for reeling team

SALT LAKE CITY — After a brutal stretch in which they played four games on the East Coast, faced the reigning champions in Los Angeles and hosted the team with the league's best record, the Jazz's schedule finally eases up tonight.

Well, on paper anyway. No game can be considered easy for reeling Utah, which has lost six straight games. And although tonight's opponent, the Minnesota Timberwolves, have a lousy record at 10-35, the Jazz realize they can't take any team lightly until they get their own issues figured out.

"No, the road doesn't get easy," said coach Jerry Sloan. "You're playing against teams that people feel like you'll walk out there and assume you're supposed to beat them. And that's not necessarily the case. Those are the toughest games, in my opinion, to play."

Yes, even teams on six-game losing streaks have trap games.

"You don't play hard against San Antonio, the Lakers, teams like that, you get embarrassed really bad," Sloan said. "You get embarrassed by the other teams if you're not ready to play. Hopefully our guys will be ready to play and we'll see what we come away with."

The Timberwolves haven't done a great deal of improving since trading Al Jefferson to the Jazz. But they do have an emerging star in forward Kevin Love. He has been outstanding this season, recording 31 straight double-doubles and 40 overall.

Love has had three 30-20 games this season, with the most recent one coming on Wednesday when he had 31 points and 21 rebounds in a 118-117 overtime loss to Oklahoma City.

A visit from Minnesota may be just what the Jazz need. The Timberwolves are the Western Conference's worst team, and have lost five straight games and 10 of their last 11.

INJURY REPORT: The Jazz were at less than full strength for practice on Thursday. Raja Bell was out with a sore neck and shoulder. Kyrylo Fesenko still has a sinus infection, and didn't attend practice.

Deron Williams was at practice on Thursday, but didn't speak with the media. He had an MRI on his injured right wrist, and the results will be announced Friday. Paul Millsap's severely bruised thumb was heavily taped, but he did participate in practice.

INSTANT ENERGY: The Jazz got a boost from rookie Jeremy Evans in their 112-105 loss to the Spurs on Wednesday. Evans had seven points and two spectacular dunks in nine minutes.