11/28 Utah at Brooklyn
5:30 pm MT – AT&T SportsNet/League Pass
Opponent record: 8-13
Season series: Tied 0-0
The Brooklyn Nets are a team that boasts some talent, but is still trying to find their way even in the lackluster Eastern Conference. They started out the year quite nicely, but unfortunately hit a saddening snag when they lost Caris LeVert to an ugly leg injury. Fortunately, an originally gruesome fall reportedly won’t need surgery and may not be as serious as first predicted, but missing the guy who had appeared as a star in the making and the team’s leading scorer will obviously be a major blow.
The Nets have struggled for most of the season, especially after his injury as they’ve gone only 2-5 including a devastating loss on Sunday where they blew a 20-point lead to the Philadelphia 76ers. Brooklyn has been pretty solid offensively, coming in at ninth in the league in offensive rating, but has been putrid defensively with the 25th defensive rating overall.
Hopefully this will allow the Jazz to get their offense going while they punish the Nets defensively. Brooklyn has some nice young scoring weapons and some decent vets, but overall a reputedly stingy Jazz defense should be able to shut them down.
This is the first game of yet another road trip for the Jazz, and since they’ve only had single games at home over the past couple weeks, it will likely feel like merely a tenth straight road game. Meanwhile, the Nets will come in with two full days of rest leading up to the contest. That’s the only area of the matchup that really concerns me, though. Beyond that, the Jazz should have the edge.
And I think we’ll see that in full effect as the Jazz march on to a nice victory over the Nets in the second contest of the week.
My Prediction: Jazz Win
Final Score: Utah 112, Brooklyn 101