4/5 Utah vs. Sacramento
7:00 pm MT – AT&T SportsNet/League Pass
Opponent record: 38-39
Season series: Jazz lead 2-1
In the midst of the Los Angeles Lakers’ struggles during LeBron James‘ missed time with a groin injury and later following the trade deadline where the LA Clippers traded away Tobias Harris, many thought that the Sacramento Kings may find a way to sneak their way into the playoffs. Instead, they pretty much fell apart down the season’s stretch and were recently officially eliminated from postseason contention.
It was a valiant effort of a season for the young Kings, but their NBA-leading playoff drought will continue for yet another year.
Even so, this is easily the most dangerous game of the week for the Jazz, if you ask me. The Kings have had their struggles of late only winning five of their last 10, but they’re still a gifted squad. With the likes of De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Buddy Hield, this is a team that can get hot and do some damage. They showed as much in a surprising 113-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.
Sacramento’s quickness and athleticism can cause Utah some problems, so if they fall into complacency at all, this could turn into a disappointing loss even though the Kings have little left to play for this season. Despite their lottery-bound status, they still definitely want to finish the season with their pride intact, so expect them to come out and play hard.
Fortunately, they’ve been pretty poor on the road with a record of just 15-24, so I’m expecting the Jazz to weather whatever storm the Kings throw at them and arise victorious once all is said and done.
My Prediction: Jazz Win
Final Score: Utah 111, Sacramento 105