Jazz guard Rodney Hood (knee) targets Friday return

SALT LAKE CITY -- Rodney Hood is hopeful he will play when the Utah Jazz return from the All-Star break against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.

Hood has been out with a lateral collateral ligament sprain and bone contusion in his right knee since Feb. 1. He practiced Wednesday for the first time since getting hurt but said he's still not where he wants to be.

"The goal was to shoot for Milwaukee, but ... I have to see how my knee reacts to it and see how it works tomorrow," Hood said. "I want to play that first game, but it's still not set in stone.

"I've just got to be smart so I don't keep going back and forth with it."

The starting guard has averaged 13.7 points over 40 games. The Jazz…