The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz 2017-18 Week 15 Outlook, Predictions

By Jared Woodcox

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 20: The Utah Jazz celebrate during the game against the LA Clippers on January 20, 2018 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 20: The Utah Jazz celebrate during the game against the LA Clippers on January 20, 2018 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 17: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Toronto Raptors looks up against the Detroit Pistons at Air Canada Centre on January 17, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. 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 Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 17: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Toronto Raptors looks up against the Detroit Pistons at Air Canada Centre on January 17, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. 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 Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

1/26 Utah at Toronto

5:30 pm MT – AT&T SportsNet/League Pass

Opponent record: 31-14

Season series: Raptors lead 1-0

The final contest of the three-game road trip is bound to be a tough one for the Jazz as they’ll take on one of the elite teams in the East in the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors have been exceptional this season as evidenced by their 31-14 record as well as their incredible 17-3 mark at home. They’ve of course been led by All-Star starter DeMar DeRozan who’s putting up 25 points per game on his best field goal percentage since his rookie season of 47.9 percent and a career-high from behind the arc of 34.5 percent.

But what makes the Raptors particularly special is not just the backcourt of DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, but also their depth throughout their first and second units. Time and time again, role players such as C.J. Miles, Delon Wright, Fred VanVleet and Jakob Poeltl have stepped up to aid the others. With a constant attack that has resulted in Toronto putting up the third most points of any team in the league, the Jazz are going to have their work cut out for them on defense in this one.

When these two teams met early in the season in Salt Lake City, the Jazz played a pretty tough game for the most part. But, as one might expect, a rough third quarter did the Jazz in as they eventually fell 109-100. The Jazz actually had the edge in several areas in that match-up including points in the paint and turnovers, but in the end, the Raptors simply shot the ball better and won the battle of the boards which led to Utah’s defeat.

As big of a win as this would be and while I think the Raptors are more beatable than their record might indicate, I still think they’ll be too much for the Jazz to handle, especially on their home court. Toronto has been firing on all cylinders this season and particularly with how bad Utah has played on the road, it would take an upset of epic proportions for the Jazz to come out on top.

My Prediction: Raptors Win

Final Score: Toronto 107, Utah 96

Next: Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz outlast Lou Williams and the LA Clippers

If the Utah Jazz are going to get back on track and will their way into the playoffs, it’s not likely that they’ll do it with a mind-blowing run that spans multiple weeks. Instead, they’ll need to chip away at their deficit in the standings little by little. Going 2-1 in this week’s road trip as I have predicted, would be a perfect starting place to do just that.

It’s not going to be easy, especially considering how much Utah has struggled on recent road trips, but with Rudy Gobert back in action and with a confidence-raising win over the Clippers under their belts, perhaps the Jazz will surprise us and indeed log a winning record in Week 15. Each week is becoming more and more vital as the Jazz still find themselves out of the playoff mix with time running out more quickly than it might seem.

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