Utah Jazz: Next Stretch Of Games More Important Than Ever

People were expecting this Utah Jazz team to compete against the best teams in the league and make the playoffs. Their next stretch of games is going to show if their faith was justified.

It’s Make or Break Time

For a team that finished the regular season 38-44 last year, the Utah Jazz have some very lofty goals of attempting to make the 2016 NBA Playoffs.

Thanks to the 94-90 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at home, the Jazz now are ranked as the eighth best team in the Western Conference and it could get worse before it gets better because their next 12 opponents include powerful opponents such as Oklahoma City again, the San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Houston Rockets.

They also have games against teams such as Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers who also are very competitive teams.

This team has already dropped one of their big games to Oklahoma City, but this stretch of opponents makes or breaks the season for Utah. They need to win around eight or nine games if they want to show to the league and to themselves that they deserve a playoff spot.

It’s even more dangerous now because Utah’s hovering around the last spot in the Western Conference and they need to climb back up the playoff ladder by snatching up some victories against quality opponents.

It won’t be easy, but the good news is Utah’s been playing some of their best basketball recently. Sometimes if you want to become great you need to take it more than people will give it to you. Utah’s shown that they’re ready to take the next step with their game.

Against the New York Knicks, the visiting team came into town sleepy. They weren’t ready to play and it showed. Utah held its largest lead of the season at 33 points and ran New York out of the gym in a 105-86 win.

Who Will Step Up For Utah?

With these upcoming games, it will take more heart and will than it will skill. In the NBA, there are no pit stops. Those don’t come to anyone. It’s an 82-game marathon with back-to-backs, injuries and disgruntled players.

When you play in the league every night someone is out there to bust your butt, get you on a Vine or make you never want to hoop again. It’s a vicious cycle and these stretch of games will either bring out the best or the worst out of Utah.

The question is who will step up for their team?

Against Oklahoma City, two of the most vicious players in the game, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, came into town and had an absolute field day. Durant scored the 11 final points for the Thunder after the 6:24 mark and helped led them to victory, while Westbrook had 24 points, seven points, seven assists and two steals.

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Meanwhile, Gordon Hayward didn’t attempt a shot in the fourth quarter and it only leaves you to wonder. If Hayward can’t produce in the biggest times for this team who will? The Jazz need someone to step up and assume that alpha dog role right now even if there isn’t a clear-cut favorite.

The Jazz have two players in Hayward and Derrick Favors who each could become All-star selections. If they want to make their first All-Star game appearance then these next stretch of games will be the measuring stick if they’re on their peers’ level.

More importantly, if Utah wants to get taken seriously as a team that could compete for the playoffs, then their actions will need to speak louder than their words. This team has all of the necessary talents to make a run and they need to start playing with more urgency if they want to compete.

Next: NBA Power Rankings: Week 7

Against Oklahoma City, they let them off the hook by not capturing their first win of the year against them. Their next few tests they’ll have to play with more viciousness.