Utah Jazz 2017-18 Week Four Outlook, Predictions

11/11 Utah vs. Brooklyn

7:00 pm MT – NBATV

Opponent record: 3-6

Season series: Tied 0-0

The Brooklyn Nets are somewhat similar to the Philadelphia 76ers in that they can no longer be assumed as an easy win. They have some promising young talent, some effective vets and certainly can’t be overlooked anymore. Even so, while they are improved from recent seasons, they probably aren’t as good as this year’s Philly team and certainly still aren’t anywhere near being a powerhouse.

Long story short, yes, the Nets are better, but that still doesn’t mean they should pose a real threat to the Jazz.

Sure, this game is on the second night of a back-to-back for Utah and last time they played in such a situation they fell in embarrassing fashion to the subpar Phoenix Suns, but considering that the Jazz are playing on their home court and should very well be able to overwhelm a Nets team that is short on talent and depth, I expect Utah to come out on top.

They’ll have to keep the likes of D’Angelo Russell and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, two stellar young guns, in check as well as slow down an offense that surprisingly is putting up the second most points per game in the league. But Brooklyn’s forgettable defense (last in the league in opponent points per game and 27th in defensive rating) and mediocre shooting percentage (43.6 percent from the field – 25th in the league) should open up enough opportunities for the Jazz on both ends of the floor to top a fast-paced, but commonly ineffective Brooklyn squad.

My Prediction: Jazz Win

Final Score: Utah 116, Brooklyn 103

Next: Utah Jazz: Sorting fact from fiction 10 games into the season

So, leaning on the side of either caution or pessimism, I’m going to pin the Jazz as having a 2-1 week. Doing so would put them a game over .500, which at this point of the season isn’t bad, but still isn’t fantastic. Based on what they’ve shown us in their wins, I know they’re capable of also beating the Miami Heat to go 3-0, but from what we’ve seen in their losses, they’ve struggled to string together consistent showings.

Therefore, as this Jazz team looks to still figure things out, I think it’s a fair assessment to pin them as losing one of their upcoming three games. Then, after playing a final road game next week against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Utah Jazz will go on to embark on a four-game Eastern Conference road trip.

A favorable home stand followed by a road trip that features some tough but winnable games should produce a great measuring stick for just how good or bad this Jazz team really is. By the middle/end of November, I imagine that we’ll have a relatively good idea of just what to expect out of this squad moving forward.