Utah Jazz on a Four Game Slide

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The Utah Jazz are expected to finally make it over the hump this year. Last season the the Jazz missed the playoffs by one game and looked poised to make a run at the playoffs this year. After reloading their roster with some veterans and retaining their best players, it is easy to say that they should make the playoffs. The Jazz started off the season 7-4 and were proving doubters wrong early. Even with Gordon Hayward out to start the season the Jazz were able to go 3-3. Once Hayward came back the team went 4-1 in their next five games. But after the 7-4 start the Jazz have been on a four game losing streak. What went wrong?

Injuries are a big part of this teams struggles. The Jazz brought in point guard George Hill this summer to be the veteran presence on and off the court. Hill was a steal for the Jazz because he is still a highly productive player and he knows the point guard position very well. The problem is he has played only 7 of Utah's 15 games. Another injury that has impacted the Jazz is Derrick Favors knee injury. There is no timetable for his return currently, but it is expected he will miss an extended period of time. Favors is one of Utah's best players. With him out it will be harder for Utah to win games. The final injury to the roster is Alec Burks ankle and knee surgery over the summer. He had a ankle surgery done to his left ankle and is also expected to miss an extended period of time. Add that to Hayward missing a portion of the season early on and this team has not had a complete roster this season. Even excluding Alec Burks this team has only had a full roster for one game this season.

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Not only have injuries been a factor in their current down fall, but their schedule has not been friendly either. The Jazz's last four games came against the Grizzlies, Bulls, Rockets, and Nuggets in that order. Three of those four teams have winning records and Denver has a front court advantage with Derrick Favors out. This was a huge change from their 4-1 stretch where they beat the Knicks, 76ers, Magic, and Heat. All those teams teams at the time had losing records and were easy wins for the Jazz. The Jazz harder schedule couldn't have come at a worse time.

In the next week and a half the Jazz face the Nuggets twice, the Hawks, the Timberwolves, the Rockets, and the Heat. They could beat the Nuggets one of those two times and have a chance at beating the Wolves and the Heat. But this schedule does not sound to favorable for a team currently in a rut with two of their key players.

The Jazz take on the Nuggets tonight at home after losing their last game on the road in Denver. Luckily the Jazz had two days of rest while the the Nuggets are traveling to Utah for a second night of a back to back. Joe Johnson and George Hill are both questionable for tonight's game, but the Jazz should be the favorite to come out with a win.