The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz vs. Chicago Bulls: Keys to a much-needed victory

By Jared Woodcox

PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 19: The Chicago Bulls huddle before the game against the Phoenix Suns on November 19, 2017 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 19: The Chicago Bulls huddle before the game against the Phoenix Suns on November 19, 2017 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Utah Jazz Ricky Rubio Quin Snyder
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – NOVEMBER 01: Ricky Rubio #3 of the Utah Jazz, head coach Quin Snyder and Joe Ingles #2 go over a pay in the second half of their 112-103 overtime win over the Portland Trail Blazers at Vivint Smart Home Arena on November 01, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) /

Key #1 – Play suffocating defense

We all knew coming into this season due to the make-up of the team that the Jazz were going to struggle to put up points. What most of us didn’t foresee, however, was that Utah would struggle on defense. Unfortunately, despite a roster that many felt would make up the most intimidating defense in the league, the Jazz have been less than solid on that end of the court.

The Jazz are fifth in the league in opponent points per game (101.1) which isn’t bad in and of itself, but it’s a significant step down from last season and isn’t all that great considering how slow the Jazz play which by nature tends to help them keep opponent points down. What’s perhaps even more telling is their defensive rating which just so happens to be seventh in the league (102.1), a respectable mark in and of itself.

However, in the last six games that Utah has been without Rudy Gobert, they’re 22nd in the league with a defensive rating of 106.9. It’s been a struggle for them to stop anybody and with their lack of offensive firepower, they simply haven’t been able to make up for their bad defense in any way.

https://twitter.com/utahjazz/status/933039927209500672

Fortunately, the Bulls (much like the Jazz) are a team that has struggled to score this season. They’re just 29th in the league in points per game (95.5) and in offensive rating (95.1). Therefore, if the Jazz can dig down deep and find some semblance of their former bullish (no pun intended) defense, they should be able to completely stop a severely offensively challenged Bulls team.

This is likely to be a low-scoring affair, but if Utah can suffocate Chicago to the point where scoring becomes even more difficult for them than usual, then the Jazz should be able to find some way to produce enough offense to top the Bulls.

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