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Utah Jazz Week 22 Outlook: Jazz in danger of slipping to eighth with busy slate

NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 6: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz celebrates after the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 6, 2019 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 6: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz celebrates after the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 6, 2019 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
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PORTLAND, OR – MARCH 9: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the anthem with Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 9, 2019 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR – MARCH 9: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the anthem with Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 9, 2019 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

3/13 Utah at Phoenix

8:00 pm MT – AT&T SportsNet/League Pass

Opponent record: 15-52

Season series: Jazz lead 1-0

The Jazz took care of business against the Phoenix Suns in the fashion that one would expect in their last meeting with a 116-88 drubbing. To the Suns’ credit, they kept it relatively close through the first three quarters until a 37-17 effort from the Jazz in the fourth quarter put them away for good.

However, the Suns have shown some life of yet with a respectable (by their standards anyway) 4-6 record in their last 10 games. Head coach Igor Kokoskov is obviously all too familiar with the Utah Jazz and their style of play, meaning that in some ways this game has the feel of a trap. We all saw what happened when the Jazz got complacent in games they should have won last week, and they can’t afford to let that happen this time around even against the worst team in the Western Conference.

Fortunately, even though this bout will be on the road, I have a hard time seeing Utah faltering. The Suns are simply too low on talent or depth meaning that even a less than full-powered version of the Jazz should be able to take care of business here. Utah will face the Suns three more times (including this one) before the end of the season, so expect the Jazz to get a lot of chances to beat up on this struggling Phoenix squad between now and the season’s end, beginning with this Wednesday.

My Prediction: Jazz Win

Final Score: Utah 114, Phoenix 100

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