Game Preview: Kings At Jazz

(AP) - At this point in the season, certain teams are relegated to playing the role of the spoiler, which the Utah Jazz will do plenty of times in their remaining games.

Just not this one.

For the last time on their schedule, spoiler will meet spoiler Wednesday night in Utah as the Jazz go for a second win over the Sacramento Kings in four days. Utah then turns its attention to disrupting the playoff picture with its final four games against teams vying for Western Conference playoff positioning.

Rodney Hood is doing his best to earn an expanded role for the Jazz (35-42), again finding his rhythm after missing three of five games. He's played the last two and scored a personal-best 25 points in Sunday's 101-95 win in Sacramento.

"It's been a long season and tough season for me," said Hood, who was 9 of 17 from the field. "I am getting more and more comfortable every single game. I'm just learning from past games and trying to be aggressive."

The Jazz expect another physical matchup between Rudy Gobert and DeMarcus Cousins if Cousins is able to play.

He missed Tuesday's 116-111 home win over Minnesota because of a sore right foot after finishing with 26 points and 12 rebounds against the Jazz. Gobert had 10 points and nine rebounds, is averaging 13.8 points and 13.0 rebounds in eight games, and drew his coach's praise.

"DeMarcus is a terrific player and that's part of his game," Quin Snyder said. "Rudy did a good job of trying to stay between him and the basket. He obviously has a lot of strength over Rudy so Rudy had to use his length and we tried to get him some help."

The win was Utah's fourth in five games while limiting opponents to 87.8 points and 40.8 percent shooting. Over an 18-9 span since Feb. 7, the Jazz have held opponents to an NBA-low 94.0 points per 100 possessions.

Those aren't numbers that figure to help their lottery chances. The Jazz enter in 12th in the lottery standings and could still mathematically climb as high as a tie for eighth. Sacramento (27-50) is sixth and could finish fifth.

The Kings' win over the Timberwolves ended a five-game losing streak, and without Cousins, Rudy Gay had 33 points in his return from a three-game absence because of a concussion while Omri Casspi scored a career-high 31. In four starts this month, Casspi has averaged 20.0 points.

"I enjoyed the offense after the first quarter," coach George Karl said. "We had good ball movement and Omri got hot in the third quarter and made some big 3s for us."

They shot 52.5 percent and had a 49-36 advantage on the glass, despite the absence of Cousins' 12.7 rebounds per game. Without him this season, Sacramento is 4-14.

Should he again be out, Sim Bhullar could see some increased time. The backup center made history Tuesday when he became the first player of Indian descent to play in an NBA game.

Another victory would actually match the Kings' highest win total in seven seasons. They won 28 in each of the previous two seasons and had 22 victories in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. Prior to that, they went three with at most 25 wins.

The Jazz have won two of three in the seasons series and four of the last five against the Kings.

Utah's Trey Burke has been out for two games with a lower back injury, but he practiced Tuesday.