Utah Jazz vs. Minnesota: Keys to getting a playoff altering win

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – MARCH 18: Jeff Teague #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves passes the ball against the Houston Rockets during the game on March 18, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Keep Jeff Teague in check

Whenever you follow a team for a few years, you start to recognize players that, for whatever reason, just play at a higher level versus your team. J.J. Barea of the Dallas Mavericks comes to mind. This season, Jeff Teague has been one of those players as well.

Jeff Teague is averaging 13.8 points per game this season and shoots 37.3 percent from three. Against the Jazz though? He is averaging 19 points per game and shooting 43 percent from three. Those numbers would actually be better if he had not gotten ejected for trucking Ricky Rubio during the last matchup. In Utah’s 116-108 victory, he scored 25 points in just 25 minutes before getting tossed.

Utah Jazz fans currently have some harbored resentment for Teague after he went after Rubio, and it seems as though the Timberwolves locker room still has some ill feelings towards Rubio and the Jazz for the previous matchup that got rather chippy.

When a reporter asked KAT whether there’s still animosity from their last matchup with the Jazz:

“What do you think?”
— Tim Faklis (@timfaklis) March 31, 2018

Perhaps Rubio will take it upon himself to win the point guard matchup, and to show the Timberwolves fans that they took his play for granted. Teague is a crafty guard who is solid at getting into the lane and finishes floaters well. Rubio can be a solid one-on-one defender when committed, and if he can limit Teague, the Wolves offense should struggle.

This will be the first time since just the second game of the season that Rubio has made the reunion trip to Minnesota. In that first matchup, he had a terrific game, finishing with 19 points, 10 assists and two steals. Hopefully, he can replicate that first performance.