Game thread: Shorthanded Utah Jazz take on Atlanta Hawks

Once again the Utah Jazz will be without Mike Conley as they take on one of the best point guards in the league.

Currently the Utah Jazz are on a three game win streak, and tonight they will be looking to tie their season best winning streak. After nearly a week of being home they will kick off a three game road trip before heading back home for Christmas.

Their opponent, the Atlanta Hawks currently sit at dead last in the Eastern Conference and are coming off the heels of an embarrassing loss to the New York Knicks in the Garden. Many were hopeful the Hawks would be in the playoff conversation this season but that has been far from the case.

Their big man of the future John Collins was hit with a 25 game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. Tonight’s game will mark game 23 of the suspension, meaning his return is close. They have largely had to rely on a group of players under 25 years old, and their coaching staff is inexperienced at the NBA level too. Perhaps some of their early struggles have had to do with the surprising strength and depth of the Eastern Conference this year.

But whatever the case may be, Trae Young is not the reason they are losing this year. Young picked up right where he left off his sensational rookie year, currently averaging the fourth best points and assists per game in the league. Young is an automatic shooter despite being only 6-foot-1, and he has put the team on his back countless times only to fall short.

Earlier this year I pegged the Hawks quick pace as a factor that could bug the Jazz when they matched up, but this year Atlanta’s pace has fallen from first in 2018-19 to ninth this season. The Hawks sheer lack of experience has come to haunt them when they try to run up the pace. For the second year in a row the Hawks are one of the worst teams at coughing up turnovers.

The Jazz meanwhile are missing their point guard Mike Conley who would be the one to guard Trae Young. Conley has had a terrible individual season across the board but the Jazz have played better with him on the court all year long. When Conley had to exit the last game early the Jazz allowed the Magic to go on a run that nearly cost them the game.

The keys for the Jazz to win this game will be to win the battle in turnovers and points scored off turnovers. If both the Jazz starters and bench can get back on transition defense and cut down on sloppy passes, everything else should take care of itself.

Game Data

Broadcast Info

Tip-off: 5:30 PM on December 19 from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA

TV: AT&T SportsNet

Radio: The Zone Sports Network (97.5 FM and 1280 AM Salt Lake City)

Projected Starting Lineups

Utah Jazz                 Position           Atlanta Hawks

Rudy Gobert                 C                    Damian Jones

Royce O’Neale             PF                  Jabari Parker

Bojan Bogdanovic       SF                  De’Andre Hunter

Joe Ingles                       SG                 Kevin Huerter

Donovan Mitchell        PG                 Trae Young

Injuries

Yesterday the Utah Jazz ruled out Mike Conley for the forseeable future. He will likely be out even longer than the five game absence he previously had, and that might mean trouble for the Utah Jazz. That means more extended minutes for Mitchell, Ingles, and O’Neale will put them at further risk for injury, but luckily for the Jazz those three players have been durable this season.

For the Atlanta Hawks, Trae Young is listed as probable. He has been dealing with a right calf contusion. Chandler Parsons is questionable to play after missing Tuesday night’s game with an illness. And as previously mentioned, John Collins is out due to suspension.

Prediction

Over at the Action Network the Jazz are listed as the favorites to win this game by a margin of 6.5 points. I feel like this game could be a trap game for Utah since Atlanta isn’t doing too hot right now.

The Jazz have struggled with young teams that like to push the pace, as evidenced by their losses to Memphis and Sacramento on the road earlier this year. My gut feeling is that the Jazz will lose this one but bounce back on Saturday in Charlotte, but I’m going to go against my gut and pick the Jazz to win.

The Hawks have a crappy defense and turn the ball over way too much, something even the shorthanded Jazz can take advantage of. Utah’s bench might give this game away and make me look silly, but I’m predicting the Jazz to win it by five points 122 to 117.

Discussion

#UTAatATL with the the hashtag for the game and as always the comment thread below will be available for live game reactions and comments. Go Jazz!