Utah Jazz at Sacramento Kings: Keys to finishing perfect in preseason

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 17: Garrett Temple #17 of the Sacramento Kings and Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz shake hands before the game on March 17, 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 17: Garrett Temple #17 of the Sacramento Kings and Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz shake hands before the game on March 17, 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – SEPTEMBER 28: the Utah Jazz celebrate off the bench during the meet the team event at vivint.SmartHome Arena on September 28, 2018 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) Utah Jazz
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – SEPTEMBER 28: the Utah Jazz celebrate off the bench during the meet the team event at vivint.SmartHome Arena on September 28, 2018 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) Utah Jazz

Prediction – Jazz 116, Kings 104

Despite some troubling aspects of Utah’s play up to this point, I really think they’ll get it done on Thursday night and finish with a perfect record in preseason. The Kings may be on the right track to have a competitive team a few years down the road, but they don’t figure to be much of a powerhouse in 2018-19.

Of course, this prediction could be totally thrown out of wack depending on what decisions Coach Snyder and Co. make concerning rotations and playing time, but considering the rust the Jazz starters have shown thus far, I’d expect they’ll get a nice opportunity to shake it off.

As things get closer to becoming much more serious and important in regular season play, expect a much more disciplined and complete game from the Jazz in contest number five. Things haven’t always been pretty up to this point, but I’m anticipating Utah’s best performance yet as they look to fine tune their play in this final audition.

After visiting Sacramento on Thursday, it will be a mere six days until the start of the Utah Jazz’s regular season debut. The long anticipated 2018-19 season will soon be underway, and the Jazz will have a lot to prove as they aim to claim their stake as one of the elite teams in the Western Conference.