The J-Notes
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Three Utah Jazz Christmas Day Match-Ups We’d Like to See

By Jared Woodcox

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Dec 21, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) reacts after missing a basket in the final seconds of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Utah Jazz 94-93. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) reacts after missing a basket in the final seconds of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Utah Jazz 94-93. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports /

While several of the 2016 NBA Christmas Day games left a lot to be desired, here’s a look at three match-ups featuring the Utah Jazz that could have been a lot more entertaining.

Yet another basketball-filled Christmas Day has come and gone. And while the games always tend to feature big market teams and high-profile players, it doesn’t always mean there are going to be great results. With the teams being selected well before the season starts, sometimes a supposed marquee match-up turns out to be a pretty lopsided and boring game.

Of course, it comes as no surprise to Utah Jazz fans that their team wasn’t slotted to play on the day. Not only are the Jazz still trying to solidify themselves as a legit playoff contender in the West, but they don’t have a large national following, boast no headline super star and also haven’t appeared in a Christmas Day game since 1997 where they defeated the Houston Rockets 107-103.

Nevertheless, while this year wasn’t Utah’s year to receive the Christmas spotlight, their continued improvement may turn some heads and put them in a good spot to receive such a recognition in the near future. To be completely honest, with how fun the Jazz have been to watch this year, it’s not unreasonable to say that featuring them in the right match-up would have likely made for a much more exciting outcome than some of the ones we got in Sunday’s contests.

https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/813270024811114496

Of the five games, the Knicks vs. Celtics game at least had a relatively exciting finish and the Cavs vs. Warriors game was undoubtedly the most thrilling of the bunch and really the only true marquee game of the day. However, the other three contests – Spurs vs. Bulls, Thunder vs. T-Wolves and the Lakers vs. a Chris Paul and Blake Griffin-less Clippers team – didn’t exactly make up for the most thrilling of contests.

Therefore, with three mediocre contests in yesterday’s slate, here’s a look at three potential match-ups involving the Utah Jazz that would have made for more exciting games, not only for Utah fans, but for NBA fans around the world.

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