3/20 Utah vs. Atlanta
7:00 pm MT – AT&T SportsNet/League Pass
Opponent record: 20-50
Season series: Hawks lead 1-0
Considering how well the Utah Jazz have been playing of late, one would assume that they would be able to make light work of a 20-50 Atlanta Hawks team that currently finds themselves in dead last in the Eastern Conference. However, that was far from the case the last time these two teams faced off. Back on January 22, Atlanta obliterated the Jazz 104-90 in a disheartening contest that plunged the Jazz nine games below .500 and felt like the season’s rock bottom.
Sure, Utah rattled off an 11-game win streak from there and have won 21 of their last 23 since, so maybe the wake-up call loss was actually a blessing in disguise, but at the time it was ugly.
And while as a whole the Hawks are a less than formidable squad, they have certainly had a knack for playing spoiler this year with a slew of surprising wins such as over the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers. That’s an impressive compilation of victories for a 20-win team.
The fact of the matter is that, while the Hawks are young and low on talent, they’re still well coached by Mike Budenholzer and play a brand of basketball that allows them to sneak up on teams that are caught unaware. If they’re kept unchecked just as they were when the Jazz visited Atlanta, this could turn into yet another disappointing bout.
Fortunately, I have a feeling that game will still be fresh in the minds of this Jazz team and they’ll be looking to get revenge and show that the loss was little more than a fluke. They learned their lesson against the Hawks the hard way and should be ready to go this time around.
Plus, the Hawks are a pathetic 5-28 on the road, meaning that the Jazz should have an even more significant edge inside the friendly confines of Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah will need to do a much better job against the likes of Dennis Schroder and Taurean Prince if they are to win on Tuesday, but I’m confident that they’ll do just that and make a return to their blowout ways from the previous six games prior to the close call against Sacramento.
My Prediction: Jazz Win
Final Score: Utah 115, Atlanta 91