Game Info

  • Tip Off: 5:00 PM PT
  • Television: CSN-BA

Utah Jazz Team Profile

  • Offensive Efficiency: 103.9 (11th in NBA)
  • Defensive Efficiency: 104.6 (21st in NBA)

Leaders

  • Points: Al Jefferson, 17.4 PPG
  • Rebounds: Al Jefferson, 9.0 RPG
  • Assists: Mo Williams, 6.3 APG
  • Steals: Paul Millsap, 1.3 SPG
  • Blocks: Derrick Favors, 1.6 BPG
  • Field Goal Percentage: Enes Kanter, 54.4% FG
  • 3-Point Field Goal Percentage: Gordon Heyward Hayward, 41.5% 3PT FG

Scope the Opposition: Salt City Hoops.

Preview: Golden State Warriors’ (44-32) fans are all too familiar with the feeling. The one where divine intervention steps in and gives a specific team the right amount of help needed for a victory…or a string of them.

The sentiment of hope.

Some Utah Jazz (40-37) fans are going through that exact conflict of emotions right now. If Tyrone Corbin’s group is going to make the postseason this year, assistance will be needed.

Should the final spot of the Western Conference playoffs come down to a tie, the Jazz own the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the regular season series against the Los Angeles Lakers (40-36).

But this is where things get tricky: the Jazz have one more defeat than the Lakers at press time, which obviously has them looking up at the Lake Show in the standings.

In other words, Utah needs to win every game if they are going to make the postseason. But that’s not enough.

They also need the Lakers to lose at least one more time. Put it all together and it means one thing: the playoffs have already begun for both the Lakers and Jazz.

This seems awfully pertinent for the Dubs considering they play both teams. Golden State faces off with Utah today and then draws Los Angeles on April 12.

The Warriors have not yet clinched a playoff spot, thus they need the wins as well, but their heads aren’t exactly close to being submerged under water like their counterparts.

Nothing can truly replicate that sense of desperation. Thus, no matter how hard Mark Jackson’s players play tonight, their intensity level might not match that of their opponent.

Desperate teams often play aggressively and with a lot of emotion. If the Warriors can hone in on this, they might be able to use that against the Jazz in the head-to-head contest today.

Playing smart and disciplined basketball is the way to go.

Utah might opt to crash the boards and get into passing lanes, but provided that Jackson’s troops are ready for the challenge, they might just pull out the home victory.

Golden State enters the lion’s den tonight.

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section or you can contact me by email at [email protected].