Utah Jazz: Top 3 hardest stretches on the 2019-20 schedule

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 20: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz reacts to a foul called on him in the second half of Game Three during the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 20, 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 - APRIL 20: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz reacts to a foul called on him in the second half of Game Three during the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 20, 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)
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 09: Head coach Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz grimaces on the sideline against the Denver Nuggets in a NBA game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 09, 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 – APRIL 09: Head coach Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz grimaces on the sideline against the Denver Nuggets in a NBA game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 09, 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)

Although the 2019-20 Utah Jazz schedule is overwhelmingly positive, they’ll face three daunting stretches in particular that feel like they’ll be quite a challenge.

As discussed earlier in the week by both myself and my J-Notes partner in crime Ryan Aston, the 2019-20 Utah Jazz schedule is far more favorable than we’ve seen the past two years. Accustomed to brutal road trips and a gauntlet of a December, the latest version of the Jazz schedule appears far more balanced and conducive to an exhilarating regular season and a potential Finals run.

The Jazz have just two road trips with over three consecutive away games in them, and the latter of the two features contests against the hapless Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks. Utah also was fortunate enough to be tied for the fewest back-to-back sets of any team in the NBA with 11 in all.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean their entire schedule is all rainbows and unicorns. In fact, they have some notable stretches that will be quite difficult and will provide a great proving grounds for the Jazz.

While they’ll certainly face tough challenges during the entire course of the season and will likely run into the occasional bad loss that should have been a win, there are three specific stretches that really stand out as the most daunting of the bunch.

Disheartening though it may be to dwell on them this long before the season has even gotten underway, I feel it my duty to warn my fellow Jazz fans. As such, buckle up and hold on tight, because we’re about to look at some nasty spans of schedule that the Jazz will be forced to cope with during the 2019-20 campaign.