Utah Jazz Week Four Outlook, Predictions
11/20 Utah at Denver
7:00 pm MT – Root Sports/League Pass
Opponent record: 3-7
Season series: Tied 0-0
The 2016-17 Denver Nuggets have reminded me so much of last year’s Jazz team. That is partly because they have a lot of young talent and some nice up-and-comers, but more than anything watching them gives me flashbacks to last season’s Jazz squad because they’ve already dropped so many heartbreaking losses in winnable games.
Their first loss of the year came in overtime against a tough Blazers team thanks to a Damian Lillard dagger in the final seconds. They also lost an extremely hard-fought battle to the Raptors in Toronto by a narrow three point margin.
And in their most recent heartbreaker, they were defeated by the Grizzlies in the aforementioned stunning fashion as Gasol converted on a last second tip off the inbounds play.
In my Northwest Division comparison from earlier in the month, I pinned the Nuggets as the kind of team that can compete and potentially beat any team in the league but as one lacking the experience and closing ability to actually do so consistently. So far that analysis has held up.
So while this is a game the Jazz should win, it’s also one where they’ll have to be careful. It’s not easy to play any team on the second night of a back-to-back, but particularly not against a fast-paced Nuggets team on their home court, the highest elevation-wise in the league.
And while the Nuggets don’t boast one single star that has to be contained, their well-balanced attack is a unique strength that they possess that in many ways is also similar to the Jazz.
Will Barton and veteran Danilo Gallinari are the team’s leading scorers, but Emmanuel Mudiay and Wilson Chandler aren’t far behind and up-and-comers Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Harris are capable of putting up big nights as well.
And while this year’s Nuggets team does slightly resemble last year’s Jazz squad, when it comes to overall depth, experience and talent, the Nuggets are still a step behind the 2016-17 edition of the Utah Jazz. The fact that this is on the second night of a back-to-back against a fast-paced team does make me a little nervous, but I’m still going to go with the Jazz on this one.
They’ve won both of their back ends of back-to-backs so far and haven’t shown any signs of fatigue or laziness in those contests. It’ll be a tough game but it’s certainly one a Jazz team that is hoping to join the ranks of the elite in the West should win.
My Prediction: Jazz Win
Final Score: Utah 110, Nuggets 97
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Well, I might be crazy, but yes you did just read correctly, I’m picking the Jazz to go 4-0 this week. After a formidable 4-1 road trip and four contests against teams that all have considerable weaknesses that the Jazz can expose, I’m feeling quite confident in this rising Utah squad.
Of course health will play a huge factor as Utah’s probability of emerging victorious in these games rises dramatically if both George Hill and Derrick Favors are present. Nevertheless, even in their absences this Jazz team has shown a resiliency that seems to indicate their ability to win even when the chips are against them.
And while you may consider me delusional for predicting such a successful week, that determination and never-say-die play we’ve seen so far is a big reason why I’m optimistic about their chances to win four straight.
How do you think the Jazz will do this week? Hit me up on Twitter or in the comments below.