The J-Notes
Fansided

Utah Jazz haven’t gotten much help from West opponents, but that may change soon

By Jared Woodcox

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 5: the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Orlando Magicon March 5, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 5: the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Orlando Magicon March 5, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – MARCH 5: the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Orlando Magicon March 5, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome 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 – MARCH 5: the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Orlando Magicon March 5, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome 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) /

The Utah Jazz have been stuck in 10th place in the West because of all the success of the teams just above them in the standings. Fortunately, that’s likely about to change.

Despite the fact that the Utah Jazz have now won 15 of their last 17 contests, they still have yet to budge from their 10th place spot in the West. While their 11-game winning streak leading up to the All-Star break helped them actually have a shot at the playoffs, their solid play of late hasn’t been enough because seeds 3-9 in the conference continue to play phenomenal for the most part as well.

The number of comeback wins that various teams ahead of Utah in the standings have been able to pull off has been nothing short of mind-blowing. Just last night the Portland Trail Blazers overcame an 11-point deficit with just over five minutes left in the game to the Los Angeles Lakers. The New Orleans Pelicans were recently down by 18 to the Milwaukee Bucks but came back to win in overtime. The list goes on and on.

It has seemed on several occasions that Utah’s closest competitors in the standings have been on the cusp of losing only to find a way to win. That happening time and time again is what has kept the Jazz out of the top eight in the West.

Fortunately, though, the Jazz are now just 1.5 games out of the playoff mix and while fortune hasn’t seemed to be on their side of late, there’s a good chance that such is about to change. Several of their opponents are in for tough stretches ahead and/or are facing some tough obstacles on the injury front.

With that being the case, let’s break down each of those seven teams immediately ahead of the Jazz in the standings and explore what lies ahead for them.

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