Story Created:
Mar 9, 2010
Story Updated:
Mar 9, 2010
With 20 games remaining, the Jazz embark on a crucial four-game road trip beginning tonight against the Chicago Bulls.
The obvious question: How many will they win?
For starters, say goodnight to the season if the answer isn’t at least two. With virtually nothing separating four teams in the West, and with the Lakers coming back to the pack, the Jazz can’t afford anything less than a 2-2 trip. Even at that, they may need three wins to stay in contention for home court in the first round.
To take the pressure off, the Jazz need to beat the Bulls and then do the same 24 hours later against the Detroit Pistons. Anything but a 2-0 start could lead to tension as the Jazz might press to break even for the trip.
One month ago, the Chicago game appeared tougher than it is now. After losing to Orlando at home on Feb.10, the Bulls won four consecutive games. But it may have only provided false confidence, as the streak came at the expense of the Knicks twice, along with Minnesota and Philadelphia.
After winning six of seven games, the Bulls have lost four in a row coming into the Jazz game. Worse yet, the last three have come at home.
Aside from Derrick Rose, and possibly Luol Deng, this team shouldn’t be brimming with confidence. In a top-heavy conference, they are fighting for the right to get obliterated by Cleveland or Orlando.
The key for the Jazz is getting a handle on Rose, a John Calipari-trained point guard with star written all over him. The shoot-first Rose needs to be hot in order for the Bulls to remain competitive.
Even if the game comes on the second night of a back-to-back, the Jazz ought to hammer the Pistons. Simply put, this Detroit team is in as bad a shape as the city itself.
Since the New Year, the Pistons have suffered through losing streaks of four, five and six games. From Dec. 15 through Jan. 11, they lost 13 consecutive games.
Think Carlos Boozer would like to play for this team?
The road trip closes with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Oklahoma City Thunder, two games that should be difficult.
Don’t underestimate the Bucks, who were seven games under .500 as late as Jan. 22. Since then, they have gone 16-5.
The schedule works against the Jazz, who will be playing their third game in four nights. The Bucks, meanwhile, have only two home games this week.
If the Jazz want to keep pace in the Western Conference, they need to win this game. The Bucks are 9-1 since John Salmons came over in a trade with Chicago. The key here is to let Brandon Jennings, he of the 36 percent shooting, keep firing away.
As impressive as the Kevin Durant show has been, the Thunder are beatable. They have lost 11 home games this season, most among the West’s top six teams. If not for a disputed call against Paul Millsap in the final seconds, the Jazz would have won in Oklahoma City on Dec. 31.
But realistically, it will be tough for the Jazz to pull this off. Even with a loss here, a 3-1 road trip is good enough. As long as Milwaukee’s Jennings takes at least 15 shots and doesn’t make half of them, the Jazz will go 3-1. If he’s hot, look for a 2-2 trip.
