Utah Jazz Make Statement With Big Win, But Still Have Work To Do

The Utah Jazz put together an absolutely incredible game to top the Los Angeles Clippers last night, but their work is far from over.

What. A. Game.

Those are the first three words that came to my mind after watching what was an exceptional win for the Utah Jazz last night over the Los Angeles Clippers. Prior to the contest, Utah had gone just 2-17 against LA in their last 19 meetings and had dropped nine straight at home to the Clippers.

Fortunately, that streak ended in a big way last night as the Jazz were able to pull off a big statement win, increasing their hold on the fourth seed by two games and solidifying their case as one of the top teams in the West.

It was a much-needed victory psychologically as well given that, not only had Utah struggled against LA this season, but these two teams will very likely face one another in the first round of the playoffs. Therefore, it was important for the Jazz to build the confidence and belief that they can indeed compete with and defeat the Clippers despite their extensive playoff experience.

Yet while Utah improved to 42-25 and, as I mentioned, increased their hold on the fourth seed, they still have plenty of work to do between now and the playoffs. They’ve made a bold statement by defeating both the Rockets and Clippers in the past few days, but beginning on Wednesday they’ll be off on a tough four-game road trip that will be challenging, but also a vital chance to prove themselves further.

While Utah has fared relatively well against Eastern Conference foes, a four-game trip against the Pistons, Cavs, Bulls and Pacers (three of which are current playoff squads) over the course of a six-day stretch would be a daunting task for any team. Nevertheless, if they’re able to come away at least 3-1, that will be a great stint for them.

And after the road trip, the Jazz will enjoy a bit of a respite in comparison to the tough stretch they’ve faced lately, as their next five contests include games against three lottery teams in the Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans and New York Knicks as well as the Washington Wizards who Utah thoroughly defeated on the road the last time around.

The one remaining game of that bunch that will be the most challenging is the fourth and final contest against the Clippers on their home court. If that match-up is half as exciting as last night’s battle, then we should all be in for a real treat.

With 15 total games left in the season, the Jazz have an excellent chance of reaching and passing the 50-win mark, a feat that if accomplished would put them in a great spot to end the regular season with the fourth seed.

The other thing Utah needs to do between now and the postseason is to get fully healthy and stay that way. Yes, that is somewhat out of their control and given Derrick Favors‘ constant battle with health this season, may not be realistic, but it’s something that will be critically needed in order for Utah to be able to roll out their best team come playoff time.

Many fans were worried about how the Jazz would fare against Blake Griffin without the help of Derrick Favors but thanks to incredible individual efforts from the likes of Joe Johnson and Gordon Hayward as well as phenomenal team defense anchored by Rudy Gobert, the Jazz were able to hold him in check last night as he finished with just eight points on 3-of-8 shooting.

Still, that will be hard to do in a seven-game series, so adding a healthy Favors would provide a much-needed lift on both ends of the court. Not to mention, the Jazz need guys like Rodney Hood and George Hill, who have battled injury all season, to stay healthy and on top of their games as well.

If Utah is in a good spot near the end of the season, it wouldn’t surprise me to see them decide to rest those two guys in a contest or two to ensure that they’re feeling well come postseason time.

The most exciting thing about the Jazz is that they are playing so well even with all the injuries they’ve had this year. When Utah has been able to roll out their starting lineup of George Hill, Rodney Hood, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert, they are 11-2 on the season.

That’s an incredible mark, but what’s perhaps even more amazing is the fact that Utah’s intended starting lineup has only logged 13 total games together.

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So Utah undoubtedly finds themselves in a good spot and appear to be rolling at just about the right time. However, they’ll face a tough task to finish out the week then will need to stay healthy throughout the stretch run if they’re to build off of the statement win they logged last night.

While both of those things will be much easier said than done, Utah’s recent success has me feeling like there may be a change in the wind, and we will indeed see them come together in a big way in the final weeks of the regular season.

All stats courtesy of NBA.com