It wasn’t long ago that the Utah Jazz looked more like they’d be NBA bottom feeders than any type of contender for the 2023-24 season. They began the year with a 4-11 record through the first 15 games, and were discussed along with the likes of the Spurs, Pistons, and Hornets for which may be the league’s worst team.
NBA: Jazz Have Won 6 In A Row, 15 Of Last 19
The Utah Jazz have eight wins in 2024.
Nobody else has more than six. pic.twitter.com/3cEPiQDVfM
— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 16, 2024
But a few wins throughout the first half of December got the team back to a respectable spot when it came to their win/loss count, and there hasn’t been a hotter team around the league since the start of the playoffs.
Coming into their game on December 13th against the Knicks, Utah was 7-16 and in 12th place in the Western Conference. Since that time, a span of just over a month, the Jazz are an impressive 15-4. That includes victories in each of their last six games, as they have been able to take down the likes of the Bucks, Nuggets, and 76ers within the past 12 days.
Entering Thursday’s action, Utah is now sitting at 22-20, better than the Lakers or Rockets in the West. They are currently sitting in the 9th spot in the standings, just two games back of the 6th seed.
Can The Thunder Snap Their Mini-Skid And Stop Utah?
Shaq on who’s better, Luka Doncic or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:
“Luka is a fabulous player, but this kid? Listen, he plays the right way, gets his teammates involved… I’m taking him right now.”
Thoughts? 🤔 (via ESPN) pic.twitter.com/0vOySOYGQP
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 17, 2024
But they’ll face one of the biggest tests of the season tonight. The Oklahoma City Thunder have been perhaps the biggest surprise this NBA season so far, as the young and talented team has remained near the top of the standings practically all year long. They had been threatening to take the top spot in the conference away from the Timberwolves in recent weeks, but they’ve lost two in a row while Minnesota has won three, and they are now a full two games back of the #1 seed.
The Jazz had their game on Wednesday postponed due to the death of a Warriors’ assistant coach.
The game against the Thunder will be the final of a five-game home stand, and the Jazz will get a chance to show what they’re truly made of over the next 10+ days. They will hit the road to play 6 in a row, their longest stretch away from home this season, but have a chance to pick up at least a couple of wins when they visit teams like the Wizards, Hornets, and Nets.
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