4/7 Utah at Los Angeles
7:30 pm MT – NBATV
Opponent record: 35-42
Season series: Jazz lead 2-1
About a month or so ago, I saw this game as a potential dangerous one for the Jazz. If the Los Angeles Lakers were in the playoff hunt and LeBron James was firing on all cylinders, this could have very well been a daunting game for Utah.
Instead, the Lakers limped down the season’s stretch (figuratively and literally) and have been out of playoff contention for a while now. Not only that, but James has been shut down for the remainder of the season so he can recover from his nagging groin injury.
In other words, the same rag-tag Lakers squad sans their legendary best player that the Jazz faced a week ago will be the one they’ll visit this time around again. Sure, that doesn’t make them complete pushovers as they proved in Sunday’s blowout win over the New Orleans Pelicans, but when going up against a deep and talented team such as the Jazz who have critical playoff positioning on the line, I have a hard time seeing this Los Angeles team keeping up.
Beyond just James, they’re far too banged up, don’t have nearly enough talent or depth and, considering that they’re already eliminated from the playoffs, likely won’t be nearly motivated enough to compete. The Jazz took care of business against the Lakers quite easily last time, and I suspect they’ll do so yet again on Sunday.
My Prediction: Jazz Win
Final Score: Utah 118, Los Angeles 102
So there you have it, folks. My super optimism worked last week, willing the Jazz to an undefeated mark, and I’m pulling for it to happen again as I’ve picked them to go 4-0 in Week 25, which would put them at a seven-game win streak at the conclusion of the week if they can pull it off. It won’t be easy, particularly the games against Charlotte and Sacramento, but it’s certainly doable.
And considering that while the Jazz face a host of lackluster lottery-bound teams the Blazers face the dangerous Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, then the Denver Nuggets twice this week, it’s entirely feasible that an undefeated slate could result in the Jazz sneaking into fourth place by week’s end.