Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs: Keys to the Game

The Utah Jazz will be in for an excellent test tonight as they host the San Antonio Spurs in the final regular season game of the 2016-17 campaign.

The final game of the 2016-17 NBA regular season is upon us. This year’s 50-win Jazz team has been one of the most exciting Utah squads of the decade and the success that they’ve earned in spite of countless injuries has been an amazing feat.

Tonight this team will take the court one final time before their long-awaited return to the playoffs as they’ll host the San Antonio Spurs at Vivint Smart Home Arena. In a shocking turn of events, according to the latest injury report, Utah may be closer to full strength than they’ve been in a long time as Hayward, Hood and Favors have all been listed as probable for the game.

And although Coach Popovich has stated that he’s not planning to rest anybody for this game either, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him limit some of their minutes given that the Spurs have already clinched the two-seed.

Nevertheless, regardless of who’s on the floor for how long, taking on the Spurs in the final regular season game will be an excellent test to prepare the Jazz for the daunting grind of the postseason where they’ll start out matched up against the Los Angeles Clippers, a team that despite not being as formidable as the Spurs overall, has certainly been a tough match-up for the Jazz in recent contests.

Therefore, it will be vital for Utah’s confidence as well as to keep their slim chances of earning the fourth seed alive, that they come out ready to play tonight and prove themselves against a formidable Spurs squad. It will be even more exciting if all five of Utah’s starters indeed play and we’re allowed a glimpse of how this team then measures up against a solid San Antonio team.

The Jazz came close to arising victorious in the most recent contest against them and were only a few better-executed plays away from doing so, but ultimately fell 109-103. There were a lot of positive takeaways from that game, however, and if the Jazz can use those to improve this time around, particularly in the following key areas, then they may very well be able to conclude the regular season with a bang.