Utah Jazz: Top 5 games to watch in 2018-19
By KC Whitten
2. March 6, 2019 at New Orleans Pelicans
This may seem like an odd addition to the list of best games for the 2018-19 season. However, the Jazz traveling to New Orleans to face the Pelicans will be a critical late season matchup for both teams.
Utah and New Orleans closed out last season as two of the top teams in the NBA. The Pelicans rolled to a 20-8 record after the All-Star Break, while the Jazz finished 21-6 during the same timespan. Additionally, both were two of the best defensive teams in the league during the second half of the season.
Each team pulled off a surprising first round playoff upset. The 6-seeded Pelicans swept the Portland Trail Blazers, while the Jazz made relatively easy work of the veteran Oklahoma City Thunder.
With the departure of DeMarcus Cousins in New Orleans moving superstar Anthony Davis to center, the matchup inside between Davis and Rudy Gobert will be exciting. Donovan Mitchell had a breakout performance last December against NOLA, scoring 41 points. Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday dominated the Portland tandem of CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard in the playoffs last season, and it’ll be interesting to see if he can shut down Mitchell offensively.
Utah has handled the Pelicans in recent years, winning six of the last seven meetings. As we witnessed last season, it’s important to win games late in the season and build momentum heading into the playoffs. This face-off on March 6 could impact seeding for both teams, and be a potential preview of a future playoff matchup.