Game thread: Utah Jazz take on the Dubs (or what’s left of them)

The Utah Jazz look to extend their win streak in a road bout with former Jazzman Alec Burks and the injury-ravaged Golden State Warriors.

Before the 2019-20 campaign tipped off, the Utah Jazz’s current stretch of games looked like one that would give us a good idea of where they stood as a unit. Over a five-game span beginning on November 3, Donovan Mitchell and Co. would face the LA Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks and then close things out with the Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets on a back-to-back.

While the Jazz have definitely made a statement with their play thus far, that run definitely feels less daunting now than it did before the season. The Sixers win was a good one, but Ben Simmons missed much of the game with an injury, and the Nets game will be tough, but Brooklyn has definitely under-performed to this point.

Neither game lost its luster like the Warriors game, though.

We knew Klay Thompson would be a no-show after the sharpshooter tore his ACL during Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals. What we didn’t know, however, was that Stephen Curry would be out as well after fracturing his hand and Draymond Green would be battling a finger injury.

As a result, Monday’s bout between the Jazz and the Dubs suddenly feels like one the purple, green and gold crew really ought to win and win big.

That’s not to say there aren’t some intriguing storylines heading into the contest.

For me, the big story is Alec Burks, who spent seven and a half injury-plagued seasons in Utah. These days, however, the man Craig Bolerjack once dubbed “Houdini” is playing his best ball in years.

Over his first seven games in the Bay Area, Burks his putting up 15 points and five boards a night and knocking down 38 percent of his triples. “He’s a proven scorer,” Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I think that takes the pressure off of a lot of guys where you can go to him, and he’ll get it done.”

After so many false starts, it’s nice to see Burks making a difference. Russell in particular probably appreciates the help. With Curry and Thompson sidelined, the 2019 All-Star has been forced to shoulder the brunt of the load for Golden State. He’s leading his squad in the early going at just over 25 points per game.

Russell will have a hard time going off against the Jazz, though. Utah boasts the league’s best defense, allowing just 97.8 points per 100 possessions. And in his last two games against the Jazz, the former Net shot just 28 percent from the floor and 24 percent from distance.

In addition to the Jazz facing Burks, this game will feature a battle of childhood best friends and former neighbors in Mitchell and Eric Paschall.

Here’s Mitchell on the match-up —

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1193996824501248000

Paschall has looked like a second-round steal early in his rookie campaign. He’s averaging 16 points and four boards per game thus far and has made five starts for Golden State. Mitchell, meanwhile, is looking like an MVP candidate.

Game Data

Broadcast Info

Tip-off: 8:30 PM MT on November 11 from the Chase Center in San Francisco, CA
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: The Zone Sports Network (97.5 FM & 1280 AM Salt Lake City)

Projected Starting Lineups

Injuries

Ed Davis is out after fracturing his left fibula. So, too, is Dante Exum, although he looks to be wrapping up rehab on his right knee and could play sooner rather than later. Emmanuel Mudiay is questionable with right hamstring soreness.

The Warriors’ MASH unit has been well chronicled, but here’s the summation — Thompson (ACL rehab), Curry (fractured hand) and Omari Spellman (ankle) are out. Green is probable, although likely not at 100 percent, and Paschall (hip) should be good to go as well.

Prediction

Our friends at the The Action Network currently have the Jazz as nine-point favorites after the spread opened at 10. Despite the movement of the line, I, for one, expect the Jazz band to take advantage of the injury-depleted Dubs and cover.

Jazz win this one with a score in the neighborhood of 111-99.

Discussion

#UTAatGSW will be the Twitter hashtag for the game; as ever, our sporadic in-game tweets are @TheJNotes. If you’re reading this, though, chances are you’re here for the live comment thread and it will be rocking below as always. Go Jazz!