Coming into the 2024-25 season, there was only one other Western Conference team expected to be among the worst teams alongside the Utah Jazz - the Trail Blazers. However, there were troubling signs before tonight that Spurs would too.
The Jazz didn't have Lauri Markkanen, among others, coming into their matchup, which seemed like good fortune given their hopes of getting their hands on Cooper Flagg when the season has wrapped up.
At first, the Jazz were giving it to the Spurs in the first quarter, thanks to a barrage of threes at the hands of Spurs alum Patty Mills, but it didn't take too long for the Spurs to show who's in charge. That, of course, was aided by NBA unicorn Victor Wembanyama, who put up the legendary 5x5 that only two other players, including Jazz alum Andrei Kirilenko, have put up in NBA history.
The Spurs controlled the game from the second half onward, eventually winning by double digits. Thus showing that the Jazz likely don't have a ton to worry about with the Spurs. They haven't taken the leap many thought they would since Wembanyama is in his second year, but they are still in a better current place than the Jazz are.
With the win, the Spurs are 2-3, while the Jazz are 0-5. There could have been some slight concerns if the Jazz had won since they would have the same record instead of being two games apart. Luckily, it's games like tonight that the Jazz will look back on and be happy with the final result—that is, if their tanking strategy goes to plan.
It leaves one question though.
When are the Jazz going to win a game?
Starting the season 0-5 is something that pretty much everyone saw coming for the Jazz. Not just because of the Jazz's roster, but because so many teams will compete for the playoffs.
Next, the Jazz will start a four-game road trip, though they are not necessarily going up against the best teams around. However, they are going up against teams desperate to gain some ground in the standings, like the Bucks and Nuggets, two former champions who look like they may not be at the same level they once were.
If anything, facing off against the Jazz is their chance to show that they haven't lost hope for their season. It's not necessarily fun for the Jazz to be the measuring stick one's season is, especially since the season is still pretty young, but this is one of the idiosyncrasies of being a tanking team.