Before today, the Utah Jazz had little reason to be down about how their season had started. Yeah, they were 1-4, but outside of their blowout loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on opening night, they had hung with their competition. It took a Luka Doncic magnet ball for the Los Angeles Lakers to beat the Jazz. Then it took overtime for San Antonio to beat Utah.
Those losses aren't fun, but they are easy to stomach. Today was a different story. The Portland Trail Blazers are also a pretty good team. They only have one loss on the season, and that was to who but the Grizzlies. Hence, it comes off as no surprise that the Jazz lost to a worthy opponent like them. However, this felt different.
Utah was outclassed for pretty much the enitre game. The Trail Blazers just knew how to come at them. Even worse, while the Jazz are dealing with their injuries, Portland is missing the resurgent Ja Morant, meaning that beating them could have been an easier task than usual.
The Jazz made their mini-runs, but never really got back into the game against the Trail Blazers. Portland controlled the game. It's not surprising that they did this, but if this had been a repeat of what we had seen, it wouldn't have been as painful.
It shows the Jazz have a long way to go
Yes, the Jazz are not living up to expectation, but no one was wrong about their talent level. The Trail Blazers are arguably more talented, but they are also a more functional group. They had an edge because they have been trying for a few years compared to the Jazz who haven't been up until now.
Games like these are good reminders that Utah has some work to do. What matters from here on out is how the team responds when blowout losses like these happen. It is extra disheartening when losses like these happen after close losses against tough competition. At least we will get to see the Jazz's true colors when they respond at times like these.
It's not completely out of right field that process was going to be slow for the Jazz this season, but starting the season 1-5, with the latest loss being a blowout loss, makes the situation become more restless.
Here's to hoping that losses like today are more the exception than the norm long-term. We'll know more about this team come December, but the fans are completely justified to be frustrated.
Happy Halloween, everybody!
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