12/19 Utah vs. Golden State
7:00 pm MT – AT&T SportsNet/League Pass
Opponent record: 20-10
Season series: Warriors lead 1-0
I’ve said several times that the only true opponent that can dethrone the Golden State Warriors is boredom and complacency. While some jump into panic mode quickly every time the Warriors falter the slightest bit, I’d say that such is still an accurate depiction. This team is simply coasting through the regular season, waiting to assert their dominance once postseason basketball gets underway.
And the funny thing is, while the Warriors haven’t been mind-blowing in terms of their regular season success thus far, they’re still an incredible 20-10, good for second place in the Western Conference, behind the Denver Nuggets only by merely mere percentage points in their record (Denver is 19-9, and the Warriors are zero games back). They’re just as good as ever and capable of topping anyone in the league when they play at their full capability.
As such, we could be in for an ugly one on Wednesday. The Jazz played their best half of the season in an earlier home bout against Golden State, but still fell short in the contest. Considering that this will feel very much like just another game on the road trip travel-wise, the Jazz will likely be sluggish and outgunned by the Warriors.
Not only that, but Golden State seems well past its early injury woes as each of its four main players – Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are back in action. Considering how poorly the Jazz have played of late and how dominant the Warriors remain, I’m not expecting a Utah victory in this one.
My Prediction: Warriors Win
Final Score: Golden State 122, Utah 108