Prediction – Pistons 105, Jazz 94
Earlier in the week, I pointed out how well the Utah Jazz matched up against the Detroit Pistons last year as a potential reason to feel optimistic about this week’s contest. With that being the case and considering how well the Jazz played against the LA Clippers to close out last week, I went ahead and pinned Utah as coming out on top in a hard-fought bout over Detroit.
However, after seeing the egg they laid in Atlanta, I’m changing my tune. The road woes are so very real and so very discouraging. Unless the Jazz have a major mental revamp from Monday night and come out with a totally different energy, the Pistons will likely enjoy a nice bounce-back game as they topple the Jazz by double digits.
Next: Could the Utah Jazz pull off a trade for Damian Lillard?
If you’re looking for some good news, well, it’s that there’s only seven more games between now and the trade deadline. That means we may have to suffer through only that many more contests before the Jazz finally have a refreshed mentality and focus. Their play has been extremely spotty this season, but hopefully they’ll at least be able to close out the year with some semblance of consistency.
Unfortunately, until some players are dealt and trade rumors are either validated or proven wrong, I don’t know that there’s much reason for optimism for the current Jazz squad as they visit Detroit or in the upcoming slate of games.
I suppose we’ll find out on Wednesday night at 5:00 PM MT when these two teams tip off at Little Caesars Arena.