Utah Jazz 2017-18 Week 13 Outlook, Predictions

MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 7: The Utah Jazz celebrates during the game against the Miami Heat on January 7, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 7: The Utah Jazz celebrates during the game against the Miami Heat on January 7, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FL – JANUARY 7: The Utah Jazz celebrates during the game against the Miami Heat on January 7, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – JANUARY 7: The Utah Jazz celebrates during the game against the Miami Heat on January 7, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Utah Jazz play just two games in Week 13 as they wrap up what’s thus far been a brutal road trip to start out the new year.

Well, 2018 hasn’t exactly gone quite as the Utah Jazz might have hoped. After facing one of the most brutal stretches imaginable throughout the entire month of December, many theorized that the Jazz would be able to get back to their winning ways in January with a significantly less daunting schedule.

Unfortunately, that’s been far from the case as the Jazz have yet to win a game in January. That’s right, they went 0-3 in their first trio of games in the new year, falling to the New Orleans Pelicans, Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat.

As I admittedly tend to do, I got a bit swept up in the moment of Utah’s impressive win over the Cleveland Cavaliers to close out December and predicted that the Jazz would fare better in the new year by pinning them to go 2-1 last week. I had projected that Utah would stop the New Orleans Pelicans at home and finally reverse their road woes against the Miami Heat.

But as it turned out, the Pelicans used a strong second half to stop the Jazz and then they lost in heartbreak fashion in Miami. Those three consecutive losses dropped the Jazz to a woeful 16-24 on the season while, by correctly projecting the loss in Denver, I raised my record to an only slightly better 19-21.

The Jazz will look to once again reverse their road woes as they wrap up their four-game road trip with a two-game week against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday and Charlotte Hornets on Friday. This road trip has been pretty oddly spaced out, so don’t be surprised if the Jazz show some signs of fatigue and weariness in the coming contests.

And while it would be nice to see them figure out how to play away from home, with a 3-17 road record just before the season’s halfway point, I’d say it’s looking less than likely. Nevertheless, let’s still dive in and take a look at Utah’s pair of opponents in a rather light Week 13.