Utah Jazz: Three positives and three negatives about the 2019-20 NBA schedule
Negative #3 – The 3 vs. 4-game opponent matchups
One of the wild cards in any given NBA season is the number of times a team plays the opponents in its conference but not in its division. Obviously, all division opponents are played four times, but for the rest of the conference opponents, the number of games played varies between three and four.
Of course, it’s advantageous for your final record to play the better teams only three times and the bad teams four times. Unfortunately for the Jazz, though, the teams they play three times include the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets. Outside of the Rockets, each of those teams is projected by most to be a lottery squad with the Suns likely to be back at or near the cellar.
On the flip side, the Jazz will be playing the likes of the LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans and – one positive one I suppose – the Memphis Grizzlies four times. If given the choice, obviously the Jazz would prefer to swap the likes of the Clippers, Lakers and Warriors out for the Suns, Kings and Mavs.
But, alas, the schedule didn’t turn out so. And instead Utah will face the deadly California teams four times apiece. While this potentially could damage Utah’s regular season record, on the bright side it will give them extra measuring stick games against teams that project to be among the playoff qualifiers in the West, and could provide valuable experience and insight for potential future playoff series.
dark. Next. Utah Jazz get 2019-20 schedule amenable to their title aspirations
All told, I’m quite pleased with the Jazz’s schedule next season. No schedule is ever going to be perfect. They’ll all feature tough stretches, road trips, back-to-backs and other challenges at some point. At the end of the day, the team has to be ready to go each and every night regardless of opponent, location or situation if they want to reach their lofty goals.
But a more balanced schedule than what we’ve seen in recent seasons with fewer back-to-backs should be a plus for the Jazz, allowing them to get off to a better start before the turn of the calendar year and really get into a groove and build momentum towards the playoffs. If nothing else, the schedule release has me feeling even more optimistic and confident about Utah’s chances to really make some noise this year.
October 23rd – Utah’s home opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder – cannot get here fast enough.