Although it’s been mainly bad news for the Utah Jazz lately, Donovan Mitchell’s updated injury status and the debut of the purple jerseys are reasons for excitement.
Things are far from swell in Utah Jazz land as the team finds itself under .500 in the season’s early-going. The offense has struggled, the defense has been worse and a team that preached continuity and cohesion has looked anything but.
Nevertheless, it’s far from time to panic as the future is still quite bright for this Utah Jazz team. They know they’ve under-performed and they’ve been the first to take accountability towards the fact that things need to change. Watch for them to right their wrongs and make the appropriate adjustments sooner than later as they aim to get back on track.
Not only that, but leading up to Wednesday’s contest between the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks which will take place within the friendly confines of Vivint Smart Home Arena, there are two bits of news that ought to have Jazz fans feeling elated. The first is that Donovan Mitchell, who missed Monday’s game with an ankle sprain, is listed as probable for Wednesday’s contest.
Donovan Mitchell is probable for tomorrow night's game.
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 6, 2018
To be safe, it’s important to note that such is not a guarantee that he will play. If he experiences a setback or any unexpected soreness, he could very well err on the side of caution and take another game off to continue to heal. However, the listing of ‘probable’ isn’t misleading. It certainly indicates that he’s more likely to play than not.
That’s exciting news, obviously, for the simple reason that the Jazz need Donovan Mitchell if they hope to have any creativity offensively. As their leading scorer and most prolific shot-maker, his presence is vital to their success. He’s struggled with efficiency so far this year, but he’s bound to break out sooner than later, and his return to action on Wednesday would be a great sign if he does indeed suit up.
Not only will it be a welcome sight to have Donovan back on the court, but the entirety of the Jazz team are primed to look even more sharp than usual when they take on the Mavs. Hopefully that applies to their performance and quality of play, but I was mainly referring to the new jerseys that will be debuted on Wednesday night. That evening, Utah will be donning the throwback purple uniforms for the first time during the regular season.
https://twitter.com/utahjazz/status/1059945983734362113
The purple threads are an awesome nod to the incredible Jazz teams of old. The team gave them a trial run during this year’s ‘Meet the Team’ event prior to the season’s start, but seeing them donned in action in a meaningful contest will be an awesome blast from the past. They look great, and the Jazz figure to play great while wearing them as well.
I have the Utah Jazz pinned as winning in quite easy fashion against a struggling Dallas Mavericks team on Wednesday night. With Mitchell likely back in action and the excitement surrounding the new jerseys present at the arena, Utah’s chances should only go up.
That said, they can’t be complacent or lazy against a dangerous Mavs team. Despite a 2-7 record heading into Tuesday night’s slate of games, Dallas has some talented players and has been competitive in nearly every game they’ve played. Still, I’m liking Utah’s chances of earning a much-needed first home victory that will hopefully help them build momentum and turn things around after a discouraging start to the 2018-19 NBA season.