The J-Notes
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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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PORTLAND, OR – MARCH 3: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts to a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 3, 2018 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. 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 Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR – MARCH 3: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts to a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 3, 2018 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. 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 Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) /

#3 – Portland Trail Blazers

Last of all among this hotly contested group is the third-seeded Portland Trail Blazers who have a “whopping” 2.5-game lead over the eighth-place Nuggets and just a four-game lead over the 10th place Jazz. In other words, as incredibly as the Blazers have been playing of late, they’re just a losing streak away from plummeting out of the playoff mix entirely.

However, I don’t see that happening at all. Portland has rattled off seven in a row and, unlike the Pelicans’ streak, the Blazers have beat some extremely heavy hitters during that run with wins over the Thunder, Timberwolves, Jazz and Warriors. And while the Blazers have some tough games to close out the year, they also benefit from having seven games against teams that are currently out of the playoffs, including the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies twice.

Therefore, considering that they have the best record of this bunch right now, own the most impressive win streak and have one of the easier schedules to close out the year, I’d be perhaps more shocked about the Blazers falling out of the playoffs than any other team listed here. If the Blazers maintain their hot play, they could potentially turn into an ally that knocks off some of the teams closer to Utah in the standings rather than just another team they’re vying with.

Still, Portland has had its ups and downs this season, so there’s no telling whether this recent streak will hold or not. Depending on what happens this month, Portland’s final game of the season against the Utah Jazz could end up being very telling for both teams.

Next: It isn’t too early for Utah Jazz fans to jump on the #Stayvors bandwagon

So while amidst Utah’s incredible 15 wins in 17 games streak, it’s been somewhat disappointing to see them not get any help from the teams above them, I have a strong feeling that, beginning with contests taking place tonight, the Jazz’s fortune is about to change. Nearly every one of the seven teams immediately ahead of the Jazz in the standings have either a tough remaining schedule, injury woes, are simply slumping or experiencing some combination of two or more of those things.

Meanwhile, the Jazz are in the midst of an extremely favorable stretch that, aside from a tough game here and there, should allow them to rack up multiple wins and finally zoom up the standings. Based on the schedule make ups of the 3-9 seeds in the West, I wouldn’t be surprised to finally see Utah jump into the top eight by the end of March.

They need to focus on what they can control and take care of their own business, but with what lies ahead, it appears very clear that help is finally going to be on its way. Several of the closest teams in the Western Conference standings look primed to start losing very soon.

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