Utah Jazz: 3 reasons to take the Sacramento Kings seriously
Utah Jazz vs Sacramento Kings: Hunger
This may be a less tangible, on-court reason to fear the Kings, but that doesn’t make it an illegitimate one. This Kings team is starving for success.
In fact they’re in the midst of a 15-year playoff drought, which ties them for the longest in NBA history. If you think the players on this team aren’t aware of that, and desperate to avoid a record-breaking 16th non-playoff season, you are wrong.
Consequently, a late October contest against an NBA title contender invariably means more to this club than it does to the contender themselves. The Utah Jazz can afford to lose this game, and that’s precisely why they can’t afford to acknowledge that fact.
Meanwhile, if the Kings were to pull out this W, that’s a green checkmark on their schedule where they’d probably already prepared a red X. Last night, they willed themselves to victory over a significantly more talented Portland Trail Blazers club. They’ll want to ride that momentum into Friday’s game against the Jazz.
The stakes will be a lot higher in this contest for the Kings, and the Jazz will have to play as if they aren’t if they’re going to pull out a victory.
Next. 3 reasons to love the Jazz's championship odds. dark
The Utah Jazz will be heavily favored to defeat the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, and with good reason. They’re more talented, more experienced and more poised. That doesn’t mean the Kings aren’t an opponent to take seriously.