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Utah Jazz Week Seventeen Outlook, Predictions

Feb 11, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz fans Brad Liston (left) and Spencer Burnett (right) hold up signs prior to the game against the Boston Celtics at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz fans Brad Liston (left) and Spencer Burnett (right) hold up signs prior to the game against the Boston Celtics at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
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Jan 16, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) celebrates in the closing seconds of the game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Jazz defeated the Suns 106-101. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 16, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) celebrates in the closing seconds of the game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Jazz defeated the Suns 106-101. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

2017 NBA All-Star Game (feat. Gordon Hayward)

Since the Jazz play just two games this week leading up to All-Star break and since Utah has its first All-Star since 2011, I thought it only fit to also make a quick prediction for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game.

Last season, the West dominated the East by a score of 196 to 173 in what was clearly an overwhelmingly defense-filled night (or maybe not). The West has triumphed in five of the last six All-Star games and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them repeat in 2017.

Glancing at their roster, not only do they have some phenomenal wing players like Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Kevin Durant, but the West has a lot of dominant size down low in the likes of Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and Marc Gasol that I don’t think the East will be able to match.

The closest things the East has to centers are Kevin Love, Paul Millsap and the position-less Giannis Antetokounmpo, so I could see the West bullying them down low.

Unfortunately, I’m not sure that Gordon Hayward will end up with all that much playing time on a deep West team, though he certainly deserves it. Nevertheless, I’ll be somewhat optimistic and predict that he’ll finish with 12 points on a highly efficient shooting clip to help produce a Western Conference victory.

My Prediction: West Wins, Hayward scores 12 points

Final Score: West 187, East 174

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But to wrap things back up with the Jazz, while I have them pinned at 1-1 this week, both contests truly could go either way. I’d say that they’re just about as likely to go 2-0 or 0-2 as well. And while it’s only a two-game stretch, both games, particularly against the Clippers, will be extremely important to Utah’s playoff positioning.

Given the recent struggles, I’m a bit nervous about how they will fare, but then again the Jazz have also had some of their best stretches of the season right after they’ve faltered, so hopefully that will be the case so that they can enter the All-Star break on a high note.

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