12/23 Utah vs. Toronto
7:00 pm MT – Root Sports/League Pass
Opponent record: 19-8
Season series: Tied 0-0
If it weren’t for the daunting force that is the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Toronto Raptors could very well be the best team in the Eastern Conference. They have one of the most formidable duos in the league with a backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. The Raptors are third in the league in points per game and DeRozan’s 28.4 points per game and Lowry’s 21.1 are obviously a huge part of that.
The Raptors are a deep and versatile team with several players in both their first and second unit capable of producing in a big way. The Jazz are certain to have their hands full with a squad that went to the Eastern Conference Finals last season and is currently just one game out of first place in the East.
However, Utah’s biggest strength of late may very well be the key to giving them a leg up on the Raptors. That strength is none other than Rudy Gobert himself.
Big win tonight! Always tough to play over there. #takefnnote #ontothenextone
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) December 19, 2016
It’s incredible what the Stifle Tower has been doing of late, not only shutting down opposing teams with his awesome shot blocking and rim protection, but also his incredible offensive production. Rudy has put up a double-double in each of his last seven games and has averaged over 17 points and 13 rebounds during that stretch.
And while Jonas Valanciunas is no pushover as a big man, Gobert is certainly proving to be a more formidable player and should very well be able to outmatch him and give the Jazz a stark advantage down low. This becomes even more clear when observing the lack of size Toronto has coming off the bench, particularly after having lost Bismack Biyombo over the offseason.
And while Lowry and DeRozan are solid, the Jazz have plenty of offensive and defensive weapons of their own that should very well be able to counter Toronto’s prolific and versatile attack.
Thus, while this will be one of the toughest opponents the Jazz have faced so far this season, I’m giving them the edge on their home court against the Raptors.
My Prediction: Jazz Win
Final Score: Utah 106, Toronto 98
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So once again I’ve pinned the Jazz at 2-1 on the week. Nevertheless, it would be incredible to see them defy my expectations and go 3-0 once more. Obviously that would require a win over the Warriors which isn’t out of the question but would definitely still be considered a surprise.
Nevertheless, regardless of what happens in the game against the Warriors, based on what the Jazz have done over their latest hot streak, if they’re able to defeat the Toronto Raptors as well on top of their body of work from last week, they will no doubt solidify themselves as one of the top competitors in the league.
Of course a win over the Warriors would help to prove that even more, but without Hill and with a handful of areas where Utah could still use some cleaning up, that may prove to be too difficult a task. However, there’s no denying that the Jazz are improving and as they continue to do so throughout the season, the doubts over whether or not this is a top-tier team should slowly but surely begin to dissipate.
All stats courtesy of NBA.com