Locke Breakdown of the Utah Jazz Schedule

[Purch]

I am fired up !!! The schedule is out and you can begin to feel the new season coming.


It looks like Wednesday’s are going to be fun this year. On Wednesday Jan 9th Carlos Boozer and the Former Jazz trio (Boozer, Korver and Brewer) return with the Chicago Bulls. On Wednesday Dec 8th the Miami Trio (LeBron, Wade and Bosh) make their one and only appearance at Energy Solutions Arena. On Wednesday November 24th Chris Paul and Deron Williams renew their one-sided rivalry. Plus there are Wedneday games against Houston and San Antonio plus Al Jefferson getting to see his old team on Wednesday.

Sign me up for the Wednesday night ticket plan right now.

The schedule will test the Jazz in the opening weeks something intense. Eight of the opening 10 games will be part of back to backs. Plus, 10 of the first 14 games are part of back to back sets. The Jazz play a total of 19 back to back sets this season.

The Jazz have no road trip longer than 4 games.

Surprisingly, the Jazz have a few gaps without games. In the middle of December they will get 4 days off. The Jazz will play just two games between Feb 12 and Feb 23rd. Deron Williams and CJ Miles will be pleased to see the Jazz open in Dallas the first game after the all-star break.

The month of January will be the Jazz most road heavy month. On the flip side the Jazz will play just 2 road games from November 14th to December 10th.

Jerry Sloan talks about how about somewhere between 10 to 20 games a year on decided on the day the schedule comes out. Where one team is completed rested and the other is exhausted. Without looking at every teams schedule it is hard to see the nights the Jazz will have an edge.

However, there are a few that look awfully tough on the Jazz. In November the Jazz will come home to play Oklahoma City on the 15th of November playing their 5 game in 5 cities in 8 days. January 25th the Jazz will play in LA after having completed a 4 games east coast trip with one night at home and no games at home to make it a 5 game road trip starting in Washington DC and ended in LA. Once again, Oklahoma City will be at Energy Solutions with a schedule advantage with the Jazz playing an 8:30 game in Denver the night before the Saturday Feb 5th match-up. Finally, March 24th the Jazz will play New Orleans at home in the 4th game in 5 nights having played the night before in Oklahoma City.

The best news of the schedule is the Feb 5th game is the Jazz only back to back all year off an 8:30 national TV game.

Finally from the silly prediction department, if the Jazz can survive the first 10 games of the year (7 on road and 7 v. playoff teams) then Jazz play 14 of their next 16 and 15 of their next 18 games at home. Only 7 of those 15 home games are against teams that made the playoff last year. A 20-8 start is not out of the question or even better.]



http://www.nba.com/jazz/features/locked_on_jazz.html

[HolyToledo]

Im very unhappy with the early schedule as way too difficult for a team learning to play together. This makes jelling in the pre-season more important. I would be very happy if we were 6-4 in the after the 1st 10 games but more likely we will be looking at a 4-6 type record.

[nghedman]

Aren't 19 back to backs a lot!? How many did they have last year?

[jazzfan1971]

That'd be about 1/4th of the season in back to backs. That's a ton.

I like a hard start to the season though. The Jazz are usually hot out the gate compared to most teams. That's how I like to see a schedule, tough to start out.

[Hikari]

The schedule will test the Jazz in the opening weeks something intense. Eight of the opening 10 games will be part of back to backs. Plus, 10 of the first 14 games are part of back to back sets.

This makes me think the Jazz will start slow and build as the season goes on.

[Nate505]

Aren't 19 back to backs a lot!? How many did they have last year?

Don't know, but the Jazz put themselves in this dumb position by not having Sunday home games.

[Jazzfan12]

The Jazz are actually near the bottom of the league in back-to-backs this year.



1. CHI 23
2. MIL 23
3. ATL 23
4. CHA 22
5. CLE 22
6. LAC 22
7. NJN 22
8. PHI 22
9. POR 22
10. DET 21
11. HOU 21
12. IND 21
13. MEM 21
14. NY 21
15. WAS 21
16. DAL 20
17. ORL 20
18. BOS 19
19. DEN 19
20. MIA 19
21. MIN 19
22. TOR 19
23. UTA 19
24. GSW 18
25. NO 18
26. SAC 18
27. SAS 18
28. OKC 17
29. PHX 16
30. LAL 15

[Ziploc]

oh poor lakers only get 15 back to back's. wtf

[BarneyGumble]

oh poor lakers only get 15 back to back's. wtf

Jeebus those freaks are given every advantage possible.

[DelaneyRudd]

It's likely a function of sharing a building and getting the prime nights. Jazz might have fewer if they played Sunday more.

[nghedman]

Fortunately for the Jazz they don't play the Lakers on any back to backs. If fact one game they have a three day break before playing the Lakers, and both home games are on a Friday night. That plays to the Jazzes advantage!

I did my evaluation of the schedule layout. My figures are 40 easy wins, 10 probably wins, 23 could go any way, 6 probably losses and 3 for sure losses. Roughly thats 50 - 9 with a 23 games going eitherway! Take that 50 -9 percentage win/loss and put it on the 23 games and the Jazz will go 69-13

More likey the Jazz will win about half. This is still very very good; 61-21

[nghedman]

Chicago has 23 back to backs.

[DelaneyRudd]

I think your predictions are a little optimistic.

They always blow several gimmes. Even the Lakers will blow at least one gimme.

[nghedman]

Ideally they could go 73 - 9 if they go on a super win streak...that would break the Bulls season record

^^^True a bit optimistic I think my prediction was 57 wins. That is even more optimistic then most Jazz fans. But I'm still happy about the schedule the Jazz have this year, it sure is a good one for them. The first 11 games are going to be the toughest stretch for the Jazz all year long. Love this schedule!! It's a great schedule! About time it tends to favor the Jazz

[HammerDunk]

I will be ecstatic with 50+ wins at all. The West is getting tougher.

[nghedman]

Hey I'm curious what you think the schedule is like for the Jazz and the opportunities it is for them. HammerDunk, DelaneyRudd and others rate the schedule and post what you get. Wins, probable wins, 50/50, probable loss, and Loss.

I think you will find as far as the schedule is concerned, I may be a bit optimistic but I'm really am very realistic.

[spoonhoops]

50 is a good estimate

[DelaneyRudd]

50 is always a good estimate

[Sloanfeld]

50 Was like an 8 seed last season. We really need to avoid poor stretches of basketball like the the crappy finish to the 06-07 season, 1-9 road record in 12/2007, poor start in 08-09 (more due to injuries than anything else) then the collapse after the Miami triple OT game, and inconsistent first 2.5 months of last season. Every team has a slump but those are too long if we want a top two seed.

[nghedman]

50 is a good estimate

Chicken?