The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors Playoff Schedule Set

By Jared Woodcox

Apr 30, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) cheers from the bench after fouling out in the fourth quarter of game seven of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) cheers from the bench after fouling out in the fourth quarter of game seven of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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The schedule for the Utah Jazz’s second-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors is set and will begin this Tuesday evening at Oracle Arena.

After a hard-fought series against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Utah Jazz came out in Game 7 and put up their most convincing victory of the postseason so far which saw them win by a score of 104-91. It was the only double-figure victory of the series and Utah was well in control for essentially the entire game.

The series win was also Utah’s first postseason victory since 2010 when they toppled the Denver Nuggets. Considering that the Jazz were a team that missed the postseason last year, the fact that they now find themselves advancing to the second round of the playoffs after winning three games on the road against LA is an enormous and in some ways unforeseen step forward.

Make no mistake about it, this is a team on the rise and their quick ascension into the thick of the Western Conference playoff mix is an excellent sign that their rebuild is ahead of schedule and that their future is bright.

However, while the series against the Clippers was a grueling and challenging one that went seven games, the Utah Jazz will be in for an exponentially tougher contest as they now find themselves matched up against the top-seeded Golden State Warriors in the second round.

There’s not much more that needs to be said about the Warriors than what is already common knowledge. They boast a starting lineup with four elite All-Stars including two former MVPs in Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. They posted the best record in the league for the third straight year and are the overwhelming favorites to win the NBA Championship this year, a feat they did as recently as 2015.

In short, this is an astronomically talented team and to say that the Jazz are going to have their hands full is a vast understatement.

However, to say it’s impossible for them to win also wouldn’t be accurate either. As I brought up last week, the Jazz enjoy a few unique traits that could help them expose some of Golden State’s minor weaknesses and get an edge in the series.

Be sure to stay tuned to Purple & Blues for in-depth analysis on the series leading up to Tuesday’s Game 1 and throughout the match-up. For now, here’s a look at the upcoming schedule between these two teams in the Western Conference Semi-Finals bout ahead so that you can mark your calendars:

Game 1: Utah at Golden State – Tuesday, May 2 at 8:30 PM MT on TNT

Game 2: Utah at Golden State – Thursday, May 4 at 8:30 PM MT on ESPN

Game 3: Golden State at Utah – Saturday, May 6 at 6:30 PM MT on ABC

Game 4: Golden State at Utah – Monday, May 8 at 7:00 PM MT on TNT

Game 5: Utah at Golden State – Wednesday, May 10 TBD on TNT *if necessary

Game 6: Golden State at Utah – Friday, May 12 TBD on ESPN *if necessary

Game 7: Utah at Golden State – Sunday, May 14 TBD *if necessary

What stands out the most right off the bat is the fact that the Jazz will go into the series with just a single day of rest while Golden State has been waiting to face their next challenger since sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers on April 24th. While it would be nice if Utah had more time to prepare, the Warriors earned that right by nabbing the top seed in the regular season and taking care of business so quickly against their first-round foe.

Fortunately the Jazz will be heading straight from LA to Oakland, so they should still have ample time to rest and prepare for the upcoming contests. After Game 1, each game will come with just a day in between throughout the series.

Of course Games 3 and 4 in Salt Lake City are bound to be madness once again just as they were against LA. The only difference this time around is that the Jazz will be hosting one of the most incredible teams the league has ever seen that as such is both revered and hated by fans across the country.

That polarizing effect should make for a rabid bunch of Jazz faithful within Vivint Arena and an incredible atmosphere for the biggest games of the year.

More from The J-Notes

The Jazz have given us fans a thrill ride all season long and the exhilarating Game 7 series against LA couldn’t have been much better. As Utah heads into the second round, it’s great to know that we’ll get to enjoy at least four more games (and hopefully even more) of this incredible 2016-17 Jazz season.

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