The J-Notes
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Five things that need to happen for the Utah Jazz to make the playoffs

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. 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. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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DALLAS, TX – FEBRUARY 13: Zach Randolph #50 of the Sacramento Kings handles the ball against the Dallas Mavericks on February 13, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX – FEBRUARY 13: Zach Randolph #50 of the Sacramento Kings handles the ball against the Dallas Mavericks on February 13, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Take Care of Business Against Lesser Teams

In Utah’s final 24 games, they’ll face off against 12 teams that currently find themselves below .500, most of which you could make an argument for as being largely done for the season anyhow and possibly looking to tank down the stretch to increase their odds at a better draft pick.

Those 12 games include the Dallas Mavericks twice, the Sacramento Kings twice, the Orlando Magic, the Memphis Grizzlies twice, the Detroit Pistons, the Phoenix Suns, the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Lakers twice. Honestly, aside from the Pistons who will certainly be pushing for a playoff spot with Blake Griffin among their ranks, none of those teams have any real hope of making the playoffs and, especially if the Jazz can continue to channel their solid play from before the break, it’s not unrealistic to expect Utah to win at least 10 of those 12.

If they do that, then they’ll only need to win a pair of games against tougher opponents to reach that 42-win mark. Or if they go 12-0 against these lesser opponents, that in and of itself will do the trick meaning that any additional wins will just be gravy that could propel the Jazz further up the standings.

Sure, that’s not very realistic and they’ll likely drop some of these games as such is the nature of basketball, but they’ll also probably win some against teams ahead of them in the standings for that same reason. The point is, as long as the Utah Jazz can take care of business for the most part, winning around nine of the games against these lesser teams, it will put them in an awesome spot to go .500 the rest of the year and likely end up with that coveted playoff spot.

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