8) Schedule
With how the Jazz have been playing since the All-Star break, it doesn’t seem like any game is a guarantee. We can take the home loss to the Brooklyn Nets as a firm example.
In the next few weeks, the Jazz have to face the Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder. I’m going to go ahead and chalk all of those games up as losses.
Furthermore, games against the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls are far from gimmes. If the Jazz want to have any chance of sniffing the postseason, they’re going to have to win the majority of these 50/50 games.
Fortunately, the schedule eases up in April, with a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and multiple games against the cellar-dwelling Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. However, games against the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio could throw a wrench into any sort of winning streak.
Even with the ease in scheduling, will the Jazz already be too far behind in the standings, thus putting the nail in the playoff coffin? Due to recent play, I have to say yes.
Next: No. 9: The Jazz Don't Win on the Road