The J-Notes
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How will the Utah Jazz struggle against the East?

By Caleb Manser

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 27: Joe Ingles #2 of the Utah Jazz and teammate Rudy Gobert #27 defend Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during their game at the Vivint Smart Home Arena on December 27, 2018 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 Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 27: Joe Ingles #2 of the Utah Jazz and teammate Rudy Gobert #27 defend Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during their game at the Vivint Smart Home Arena on December 27, 2018 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 Chris Gardner/Getty Images) /
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Utah Jazz struggle
DONGGUAN, CHINA – SEPTEMBER 11: Rudy Gobert #27 of France and Myles Turner #12 of USA fight for a rebound during FIBA World Cup 2019 quarter-final match between the United States and France at Dongguan Basketball Center on September 11, 2019 in Dongguan, Guangdong Province of China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images) /

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Solid young core
  • Rebounding

The Cavs are rebuilding, but they still have a great young backcourt in Collin Sexton and Darius Garland that can light it up offensively.

They also have great rebounders on the glass. Utah is projected to play lineups with a stretch 4 next to Gobert most of the time, whereas Cleveland can play Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love together because of Love’s spacing abilities. They also boast Larry Nance Jr off the bench who grabbed 8.2 rebounds per game in just 26 minutes of playing time last season.

Indiana Pacers

  • Revenge game: Myles Turner vs. Rudy Gobert
  • Scheduling disadvantage
  • Potent defense

It’s no secret there was a small beef between Myles Turner and Rudy Gobert in the FIBA World Cup. That was very well documented by our own Jared Woodcox.

Via TheJNotes.com

"“When asked about the task of going up against Rudy Gobert, Turner spoke very resolutely saying, ‘Looking forward to it. He’s a good defensive player. I’m a good defensive player. So it’s going to be a good game. You know, he’s the Defensive Player of the Year…’ But then Turner added in the kicker to the end of that quote ‘…according to some’ … I, for one, was already looking forward to the matchup between Gobert and Turner as two rising bigs in the league that are exceptional on D. Now that Turner has made it clear how ready he is for the challenge, and merely assuming how feisty Rudy is going to be as a result of Myles’ comments, the center battle should be one for the ages.”"

Gobert dominated that international game against Turner, going off with 21 points and 16 rebounds, whereas Turner put up a meager two points and one rebound. That alone should make Turner more fired up than he already was next time the Jazz and Pacers meet.

Speaking of when the two teams meet next, the first battle is on November 27th in Indiana, the second of a five game road trip for the Jazz. Not only that, but that is in the middle of a stretch where the Jazz play 22 of their first 26 games against competitive teams. This will undeniably be a tough one for the Jazz to steal on the road.

The second time they meet is January 20th, which by then the Pacers should  have a fully healthy Victor Oladipo available to play.

The Pacers boasted the third best overall defense last season, and should maintain a hard nosed defense with Myles Turner remaining and Malcolm Brogdon joining the ranks.

Chicago Bulls

  • Solid young core
  • Bubble playoff team
  • Outside shooting

The Chicago Bulls are in a similar situation with the Atlanta Hawks. They have drafted and acquired a good young core, and are ready to compete for a playoff berth, which means they will be playing hard every night.

Wendell Carter and Lauri Markkanen are looking to take the next steps in their development to become stars as modern day bigs that can stretch the floor. They are joined by more established young guys Zach LaVine and Otto Porter, who are both looking to gain league respect on whether or not they can contribute to winning teams. This is a great young core that is hungry for success.

Don’t sleep on the Bulls, who can play five outside shooting threats on the court at once, opening lanes for a devastating LaVine dunk. This team has the potential to challenge for a playoff spot out East, which means they will likely play hard.

Detroit Pistons

Detroit will also be vying for a playoff spot out East. They will want to win every game they can down to the wire.

Last season, Blake Griffin put up 26.5 points per game against the Jazz, and Derrick Rose (then a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves) exploded for a 50-point performance against Utah.

Also keep in mind we play Detroit in their arena on the back end of a back-to-back to close out a four-game road trip. Jazz players could be exhausted in that one, especially since it is late in the season in March.

Milwaukee Bucks

  • Greak Freak
  • Two-way basketball team
  • Schedule

First off, it’s no secret that the former MVP will be a handful to contain.

The Bucks have surrounded Giannis Antetokounmpo with plenty of shooters, and plenty of plus defenders. Wes Matthews, George Hill, Brook Lopez, and Kyle Korver can all hit the three-point shot efficiently. All four will be playing their 10th season or above in the league this year.

The Jazz play the Bucks twice within the first 26 games of the year, also the same 26-game span predicted to be tough because of the level of competition.

The East has been the weaker conference in the league for over two decades, but that doesn’t guarantee any wins for the Jazz. Due to travel and the grind of an 82-game season, Quin Snyder would do best to keep the team on its toes for every Eastern Conference foe.

Next. Utah Jazz: Most intriguing individual matchups series – Pacific Division. dark

Well now you have it, the advantages and mis-matches every Eastern Conference team has over the Utah Jazz. Stay tuned for the analysis of how the brutal Western Conference could give the Jazz fits this season.

All stats a courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com

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