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Utah Jazz 2017-18 Week 14 Outlook, Predictions

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 12: Jazz Bear, mascot for the Utah Jazz rubs a fans head during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New York Knicks on January 12, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 12: Jazz Bear, mascot for the Utah Jazz rubs a fans head during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New York Knicks on January 12, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JANUARY 12: Jazz Bear, mascot for the Utah Jazz rubs a fans head during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New York Knicks on January 12, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JANUARY 12: Jazz Bear, mascot for the Utah Jazz rubs a fans head during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New York Knicks on January 12, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

The Utah Jazz are in for a busy and important four-game slate in Week 14 where none of the teams they face hold an above .500 record.

With news that Thabo Sefolosha is likely done for the season and after dropping a disappointing game in Charlotte, it seems that each and every passing day just points to the likelihood that the Utah Jazz are going to fail to make the playoffs. Sure, they’ve struggled in Charlotte in recent years making that loss less atrocious, but it doesn’t change the fact that it was a very winnable game and that the Jazz are failing to step up after big wins. They have yet to string together a two-game winning streak in over month.

It was a light Week 13 that saw them go 1-1 with a win over the Washington Wizards and loss to the Charlotte Hornets. I was on the pessimist train last week and picked Utah to go 0-2, so I likewise went 1-1 as well. Those results brought Utah’s record to 17-25 and my predictions record to 20-22.

However, with losses becoming seemingly easier to predict, it wouldn’t surprise me to see my record take a leap as Utah continues to slump. Hopefully they’ll prove me wrong and take advantage of what I previously identified as a key stretch of winnable games, but based on the start they got off to on Friday, I’m feeling less than optimistic.

Utah will be in for a busy Week 14 that fortunately features three of four games at home where they’ve been significantly better than on the road. They’ll start out the week by hosting the Indiana Pacers on Monday, then go on to visit the Sacramento Kings in the lone away game of the week on Wednesday. After that point, they’ll play a home back-to-back on Friday and Saturday against the New York Knicks and LA Clippers, respectively.

The higher number of games in a short period of time will be quite the change from last week’s two-game slate, but playing the majority at home will be a much-needed change of pace. With all that being the case, let’s take a look at how we can expect the Jazz to fare in the first full week following the season’s midway point.

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