Music: {allcanada} RAPTORS CONTINUE ROAD TRIP WITH STOP IN UTAH

Friday, December 7, 2012

{allcanada} RAPTORS CONTINUE ROAD TRIP WITH STOP IN UTAH

The Toronto Raptors continue a five-game western road trip tonight as teh visit Al Jefferson and The Utah Jazz.

You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN Mobile TV at 9pm et/6pm pt.

The Raptors have lost the first two tests on the swing. In a 107-100 setback to the Sacramento Kings, Kyle Lowry scored 15 of his game-high 34 points in the third quarter and handed out 11 assists.

Mickael Pietrus finished with 21 points in the loss, Toronto's eighth in the previous nine games. The Raptors are also winless in eight straight away from Canada. Kings guard Tyreke Evans sealed Toronto's fate with two late 3- pointers and finished with 23 points. Evans put the Kings on top for good with a long shot to break a 95-95 tie.

"They had their way with us in the paint," Toronto head coach Dwane Casey said of Sacramento's 56 points inside. "Everybody's going to look at Tyreke Evans. He hit two threes and he hit six all season."

The Raptors have not won in Sacramento since Dec. 26, 2008. They still have the Clippers and Trail Blazers to play on this road trip.

Guard Jose Calderon is expected to play his 500th game in a Toronto uniform Friday and will become the third player in team history to reach the mark. He is the team's all-time leader in assists (3,572).

Toronto lost to the Jazz 140-133 in triple overtime on Nov. 12 at Air Canada Centre and has dropped 13 of the past 14 meetings between the teams. The Raptors have lost eight of 10 visits to Salt Lake City.

The Jazz meanwhile will try to close out a three-game homestand on a winning note.

In an 87-81 win over the Orlando Magic Wednesday night, Al Jefferson showed no signs of back issues that have plagued him recently in the early going and pumped in a season-high 31 points to go along with 15 rebounds. It was Jefferson's 11th double-double of the season.

"That's why I get paid the big bucks," Jefferson said. "They expect me to go out there and lead the team, nothing less."

Jefferson was shut down for the night late in the fourth quarter, while Paul Millsap scored 22 points for Utah, which ended a three-game slide and improved to 7-1 as the host. The Jazz also got back to the .500 mark at 10-10 and held the Magic to 34 points in the first half, the lowest amount scored in the first half against them all season.

Jefferson is questionable Friday night and forward Derrick Favors is doubtful due to a case of plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Jazz forward Marvin Williams returned to action after missing three games with concussion-like symptoms. He had eight points and four rebounds in 23 minutes.

Utah will visit the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night.