No Time For Utah Jazz To Lick Their (Defensive) Wounds

Oct 22, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Will Barton (5) goes up for a shot against Utah Jazz guard Elijah Millsap (13) during the first half at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

The Utah Jazz are really good at defense; arguably the best in the league. Last night–not so much. With Jazz Nation primed for an epic win in the home opener at the newly-christened Vivint Smart Home Arena, the team failed to secure their house and fell victim to a Portland Trail Blazers mugging, 108-92.

The worst thing about the PDX home invasion? It was an inside job–Weber State alum and Utah folk hero Damian Lillard led the way for the Blazers, scoring 35 points and banging down five threes as Jazz guards routinely misplayed him in pick-and-roll situations.

Thankfully (or perhaps unfortunately; we’ll see how it goes) Quin Snyder and his motley crew of occasionally awesome defenders get right back on the horse tonight with a showdown against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center.

Tip-Off–7 PM MDT

Projected Starters–Utah Jazz: PG Raul Neto, SG Rodney Hood, SF Gordon Hayward, PF Trevor Booker, C Rudy Gobert

Denver Nuggets: PG Emmanuel Mudiay, SG Gary Harris, Jr., SF Danilo Gallinari, PF Kenneth Faried, C J.J. Hickson

Utah Jazz

The Jazz continue to be tops in the league in defensive rating, but the Portland debacle has bumped the number from 85.5 points allowed per 100 possessions to 92.1. That said, the more disturbing number is the team’s assist percentage; the Jazz are dead last in the league at just over 40 percent.

Pass the rock (and make your shots), gentlemen!

In a development that was previously thought to be unthinkable, Gordon Hayward is putting up Kobe Bryant numbers! Unfortunately, I’m talking 2015 Kobe that recently declared to the world, “I suck right now.” So, with our star averaging 13.8 points per game on 35 percent from the field and 68 percent from the line, are we worried?

Long-term, probably not, but with the Jazz in the midst of a stretch that will see them play 10 of 14 games on the road, they could find themselves in a pretty big hole if he doesn’t get it together sooner rather than later.

Since this is all pretty depressing stuff and we’re all being somewhat reactionary at the moment, how about we take a moment now and remember everything the Jazz have going for them? Let’s live in the time before the Blazers loss when the world was our oyster. Get hyped–we’re still good. I promise!

If you need help feeling the mood, here’s the team’s awesome hype video from the home opener–

Denver Nuggets

The young Nuggets are seemingly the walking wounded of the NBA right now with injuries across the front line. Center Jusuf Nurkic is out with a knee injury and has a long way to go before his return. Wilson Chandler (hip) and Joffrey Lauvergne (back) are also out, while Nikola Jokic (back) may try to suit up against the Jazz.

In response to all the injuries in the frontcourt, the team released Erick Green–the guard acquired in the (unfairly) infamous Rudy Gobert trade–and acquired big man Kostas Papanikolaou. The six-foot-nine forward from Greece played 43 games with the Houston Rockets last season.

Denver’s last game was a 120-109 win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. Kenneth Faried led the way for the Nuggets, scoring 28 points on 10 of 13 from the floor and corralling 15 rebounds.

Next: PnB 2015-16 NBA Predictions and Staff Picks

Prediction

In the preseason, the Jazz lost at home in depressing fashion, got called out by their coach, then responded by throttling the Nuggets in their next game. I’m looking for the same formula to hold true tonight and for the Jazz to win and climb over .500 once again, albeit in less convincing fashion.

The Jazz are 2.5-point favorites on the road with a total score set in the 189-190 range. I’m going with a cover and taking the under tonight.

Final Score: Jazz win, 97-89