The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz vs. Milwaukee Bucks: Keys to winning second straight

By Jared Woodcox

Milwaukee, WI - FEBRUARY 24: John Henson #31 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Utah Jazz on February 24, 2017 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
Milwaukee, WI - FEBRUARY 24: John Henson #31 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Utah Jazz on February 24, 2017 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Milwaukee, WI – FEBRUARY 24: John Henson #31 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Utah Jazz on February 24, 2017 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
Milwaukee, WI – FEBRUARY 24: John Henson #31 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Utah Jazz on February 24, 2017 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Utah Jazz will look to make it two victories in a row as they face off against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks tonight in Salt Lake City.

If there ever was a season full of highs and lows, the Utah Jazz’s 2017-18 campaign has certainly fit the bill. Despite mainly struggling for the better part of the last three weeks which has resulted in an 8-11 record for the Jazz in this early-going, they’ve also just so happened to win their last two games by a combined 70 points.

After a 40-point trouncing over the Orlando Magic last weekend and a 30-point domination of the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, it’s been tempting to say that this Jazz team is slowly but surely starting to put the pieces together. However, after defeating the Magic, the Jazz turned around to produce yet another lackluster effort as they were in turn walloped by the Philadelphia 76ers a game later.

Following the win over Chicago, Utah will now face the Milwaukee Bucks tonight. Will they suffer a similar fate after their previous big win and once again experience a down swing? Or will they be able to figure things out enough to finally earn a consecutive victory, something that hasn’t happened in almost a month?

We’ll find out this evening, but the good news is that Milwaukee has struggled of late, as they find themselves at ninth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 9-8 (one game behind the Sixers that just defeated the Jazz handily) and have lost two of their last three. One of those losses was an embarrassing defeat to the Dallas Mavericks and their last victory was an overtime nailbiter against the less than formidable Phoenix Suns.

But with a superstar in the making in Giannis Antetokounmpo in their ranks as well as newly-added point guard Eric Bledsoe who, the recent mini-slump notwithstanding, has played quite well for the Bucks, this Milwaukee team is not one to be underestimated. They’ve underperformed so far this season, especially considering how they were expected to play, but they certainly ought to be capable of turning it around.

So Utah cannot afford to come out flat as they did after their last big win and allow the Bucks to earn any momentum. Luckily, the game will be played within the friendly confines of Vivint Smart Home Arena, so the Jazz will ideally be able to take advantage of the home atmosphere. But they’ll need more than the home crowd and some luck to win this game, if they truly hope to come out on top and earn a second straight victory, they’ll need to perform exceptionally well in these three areas.

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