The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz: Three positives and three negatives about the 2019-20 NBA schedule

Jared Woodcox|
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 23: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz reacts to a play during the game against the Denver Nuggets on January 23, 2019 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 23: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz reacts to a play during the game against the Denver Nuggets on January 23, 2019 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – JANUARY 14: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz reacts to his basket and a foul in the final minute of the 100-94 win by the Jazz over the Detroit Pistons in a NBA game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on January 14, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – JANUARY 14: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz reacts to his basket and a foul in the final minute of the 100-94 win by the Jazz over the Detroit Pistons in a NBA game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on January 14, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)

Positive #3 – 25 Nationally televised games

The Utah Jazz received an almost unprecedented amount of praise this offseason for the savvy moves they made to bolster their roster. In some ways, that is exhilarating, in other ways it’s terrifying as the Jazz will now be under a microscope and pressured to live up to the high expectations facing them.

That was further magnified with the schedule release, considering that the Jazz will appear on national TV 25 times in the 2019-20 season – that’s over 30 percent of their contests. 10 of those will come on ESPN, six on TNT and nine on NBATV. This has the Jazz at the tenth-most nationally televised games in the league.

Set aside for one moment the superstition that the Jazz seem to find a way to choke and/or under-perform on national television (yes, I’m a little frightened by this), and it’s most definitely an exciting development to see that the Jazz will be so heavily featured on the big stage. The national attention only further proves that the team is quickly arriving and that rising star Donovan Mitchell as well as the rest of this exhilarating roster is in high demand.

The Jazz will have no choice but to adjust and cope with the added attention and pressure all regular season long. Hopefully the additional attention will inspire them to rise to the challenge and help them be well-prepared as soon as the far more important postseason rolls around.

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