A win over the Miami Heat is needed for the Utah Jazz to keep this momentum

The 19-12 Miami Heat are coming to Salt Lake City to take on the 13-19 Utah Jazz. The Jazz, who are 8-5 at home this season, are looking to continue this uptrend in quality play. The squad started off horribly this season and with a combination of bad shooting and even worse defense, the Jazz got pummeled early and often by opponents.

Now, the Jazz are in better shape, they're healthier and they're winning finally. Issues with the perimeter defense and shooting still happen from time to time, but the nights aren't as common currently. Still, they're not in a place where they can afford to have a lot of off nights.

The Jazz are in a place where a bad stretch of games could take them out of the playoff hunt entirely and sadly enough, that stretch may be here. Six of the next seven games are against the best the Eastern and Western Conference have to offer (and the Detroit Pistons). Winning games against the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics is a huge ask, especially considering how well both teams are playing.

Demanding that they go 7-0 is unrealistic. Hoping for a 4-3 or 3-4 record, however, isn't. And to get that record, they have to take the Miami Heat down, which isn't going to be an easy task. Tyler Herro is back in the lineup and playing out of his mind following trade rumors that persisted all summer.

Bam Adebayo is as good as ever and Jimmy Butler continues to defy the ravages of time with yet another strong season for the Miami Heat. What is helping out the Heat more than anyone really expected, however, is the return to form for Duncan Robinson, who is competing with Herro for the team's best three-point shooter. The added presence of Kevin Love isn't hurting either, as the future Hall of Famer is proving his worth as a rebounded and bench scorer for the NBA title-contending hopefuls.

The Jazz needs some big wins over good teams and it starts with the Heat.