The J-Notes
Fansided

Utah Jazz: Top 5 games to look forward to in 2019-20

By Jared Woodcox

DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 5: Joe Ingles #2 of the Utah Jazz and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz celebrate during the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 5, 2019 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 5: Joe Ingles #2 of the Utah Jazz and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz celebrate during the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 5, 2019 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 17: Gordon Hayward #20 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball against the Utah Jazz on November 17, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Steve Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 17: Gordon Hayward #20 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball against the Utah Jazz on November 17, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Steve Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Wednesday, February 26th – Utah Jazz vs. Boston Celtics

Although I feel like in a lot of ways the overall animosity from Jazz fans towards Gordon Hayward has died down due to his brutal injury, his general struggles last season and, most importantly, the ascent of Donovan Mitchell (punctuated by a block at the rim against Gordon himself last season), it’s still no secret that he’s an unpopular guy among the Utah faithful. That in and of itself will make his return to Salt Lake an interesting one.

But combine that with the fact that the Celtics now have another former Jazzman turned villain on their roster in Enes Kanter, and this game could be an absolute nightmare for the visiting Celtics. Expect the fan emotions to be running high, and for Rudy Gobert to want to get the best of former center teammate Kanter and for the entire Jazz squad to want to exact revenge on Hayward yet again.

Factor in as well that Jayson Tatum has long been compared with Donovan Mitchell and that Kemba Walker is a guy that many Jazz fans hoped would join their ranks as a free agent this summer (prior to the Mike Conley trade, of course), and there are a lot of interesting story lines and exciting aspects of the contest to keep an eye on.

Not only that, but while the Celtics may no longer have the illustrious expectations over their heads as they had last season, they’ll still easily be a playoff team in the East, and likely one of the top ones at that. As such, expect this to be yet another hard fought bout between two talented squads.

Even better for Jazz fans, this game comes in the midst of an action-packed six-game home stand (the Celtics game being the fifth of the bunch) that could prove to be an amazing springboard into building momentum for the postseason that will be just barely over a month away at this point. It also just so happens to be nationally televised yet again on ESPN.

In every regard imaginable, this Jazz-Celtics game is bound to be one of the best of the season.

Next. Utah Jazz notes: Exum owns a team, Ingles was almost ‘Inlges’. dark

Those are five games I’m absolutely through-the-roof excited about for next season. But what about you? Which ones did I leave out that you have circled on your calendar? Let me know on Twitter or in the comments below!

Home/Jazz News