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Utah Jazz: A Way-Too-Early Look at Potential Playoff Match-Ups

By Jared Woodcox

Jan 26, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) celebrates with guard George Hill (3) in the fourth quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Utah Jazz won 96-88. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) celebrates with guard George Hill (3) in the fourth quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Utah Jazz won 96-88. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 30, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors (15) battle under the basket in the second half of the game at Staples Center. Clippers won 88-75. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors (15) battle under the basket in the second half of the game at Staples Center. Clippers won 88-75. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Jazz vs. Clippers

The Clippers are an extremely difficult team to judge as their constant bout with injuries this season has made their record and their location in the standings a bit misleading. If they can enter the postseason with a fully healthy Chris Paul and Blake Griffin along with their supporting cast in tact, they could certainly prove to be one of the toughest teams in the league.

Therefore, while this team is one that could find itself slipping in the standings, it’s not a squad that any team, even one that is up higher in the standings, should want to face as they could become much more dangerous than their seed implies.

While once again it would be most likely that Utah would face the Clippers if these teams found themselves at the fourth and fifth seeds, it’s also possible (though not likely) that one gets hot and rises to the third spot while the other drops to the sixth.

Regardless of how it happens, this is certainly not a playoff match-up that I would like for the Jazz if the Clippers are able to get healthy and start to peak in time for the playoffs. Though we have only seen them go head-to-head on one occasion back in the third game of the season, Los Angeles was able to thoroughly outmatch the Jazz in that contest and they’ve certainly had their way with the Jazz in recent seasons.

Since 2011-12, the Utah Jazz are just 2-16 against the Clippers and were swept in three out of the last five seasons. Utah has simply had no answer for the likes of Paul and Griffin and if these teams were to meet in the first round of the playoffs, it’s likely that the more experienced Clippers would have their way once again.

Of course, the Clippers have built a reputation of choking in the playoffs and there’s no telling what their state of health will be at that point given the ups and downs they’ve had all season with injuries, but in all likelihood, this is another match-up that wouldn’t be all that great for Utah.

These two teams will face off three more times before the end of the season as they’ll meet on February 13th, March 13th and March 25th, and perhaps those games will change the potential playoff outlook. But considering LA’s recent dominance over the Jazz, I wouldn’t hold my breath of those games having much effect on what would likely be a poor playoff match-up for Utah.

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