Prediction – Jazz 98, Suns 91
Make no mistake, the Utah Jazz have played extremely well the past three games. However, they have a long way to go to prove that they’re truly out of the woods. Consistency is an issue that has plagued them all year long and while it would be surprising, in some ways dropping a game to the Suns right after beating the Warriors would sort of feel like par for the course.
Nevertheless, while I have had an issue with getting overly optimistic and jinxing the Jazz as a result, I truly think they are really on the upswing this time. Rudy Gobert is getting healthier, Ricky Rubio is getting more effective and chemistry across the board looks much better. The early season loss to the Suns now feels like it was somewhat of a fluke and I believe that the Jazz will get it done this time around, albeit in a closer contest than some might think.
Next: Utah Jazz: An All-Star Game return to Salt Lake City is long overdue
A win tonight would be yet another nice step in the right direction for a Jazz team that will have to desperately fight to get back into the playoff race. After going nearly two months without winning consecutive games, Utah is now on the verge of a four-game winning streak if they take care of business tonight.
The Jazz and Suns tip-off at 7:00 PM MT at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix.