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Utah Jazz Face Hated Los Angeles Lakers In Honolulu

Mar 19, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz guard Trey Burke (3) during the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

For the first time since April 15 (disregarding the pain that is summer league hoops), the Utah Jazz will soon take the court, in uniform, for a legitimate game contested under NBA rules. The team is currently in Honolulu, Hawaii, where it will tip off the 2015-16 preseason in a bout with the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Oh happy day.

The Lakers come into the game with multiple players nursing injuries. No. 2 overall pick D’Angelo Russell has been hampered by a bone bruise in his right foot and has been limited in practice recently. According to Mike Trudell, the former Ohio State guard has received new orthotics from Lakers trainer Gary Vitti and expects to play on Sunday–

Gunner extraordinaire Nick Young was suffering from back spasms during a scrimmage on Friday, but is none the worse for wear according to Lakers coach Byron Scott.

Meanwhile, 35-year-old Metta World Peace missed consecutive days of practice recently while struggling with a sore calf. The injury could prove costly for the Lakers’ erstwhile NBA Finals hero as he comes to camp on a non-guaranteed contract.

For the Jazz, big man Grant Jerrett continues to recover after suffering a dislocated shoulder and a torn labrum during summer league. Guard-forward Chris Johnson will have to undergo the league’s concussion protocol before returning to the court after catching an elbow to the head in practice this week.

No official update has been offered on his status for Sunday’s game.

The playing status of Kobe Bryant is also unknown at this time. Being 37 and also Kobe Bryant, the Lakers star may be limited to light duty throughout the preseason. This, of course, would be a great disappointment for Jazz fans expecting a repeat of this moment from last year’s preseason–

What Jazz fans will see, though, is a trio of young point guards vying for time in the wake of Dante Exum‘s ACL injury. Trey Burke, Bryce Cotton and rookie Raul Neto should all receive time as Jazz coach Quin Snyder looks to figure his rotation at the one spot.

Expect Burke to start initially and put his best foot forward as he attempts to prove himself as a first-line point in the NBA.

Derrick Favors, Rudy Gobert and Gordon Hayward should also start in Sunday’s game, while the competition between Burks and second-year sharpshooter Rodney Hood clouds the issue at the shooting guard.

Coach Scott stopped short of naming his starters for the Lakers in this video from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, but did say that they would play 15-20 minutes–

While, on the surface, this game appears to be nothing more than the launching point for both teams’ preseasons, there could be much more at stake in the contest. In short, the Jazz/Lakers showdown may also serve as a literal match-up between good and evil.

According to a recent piece by Ian Levy for Sports Illustrated, the Jazz are the least-hated team in the NBA; a collection of swell guys “with no rough edges to irritate, no dominant style about which to turn up your nose, no offensive personalities at whom to seethe.”

This is in stark contrast to the Lakers who, according to Levy, are the No. 1, most-hated squad in all of the Association–

"“The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most storied franchises in the history of competitive sport, yet they remain the NBA’s defining template for schadenfreude. They lean on legacy like no other, assuming every free agent would sell their only child to wrap themselves in old championship banners. Their head coach and star player are both working on shattering self-awareness.”"

Clearly, the Jazz–as the bastion of all that is good in sports–must prevail in their battle with the nefarious Lakers if proper order in the sporting world is to be maintained.

Tip-off is set for 7 PM MDT at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu on Sunday. The Jazz and the Lakers will face each other again in the second bout of a two-game set on Tuesday.

Next: Quin Snyder Refutes ESPN' Report on Elijah Millsap

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