NBA Regular Season: Utah Jazz (4-6) @ Washington Wizards (0-7) -- Game Preview

NBA Regular Season 2012-2013, Game 11:

Utah Jazz (4-6) @ Washington Wizards (0-7)

#UTAatWAS Game Stream -- Bullets Forever (SB Nation Blog) -- Jazz vs Wizards coverage

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The Basics:

This is a really bad road team playing against a really bad team. We may see some really bad basketball -- or be surprised with two teams working hard giving both sides something to root for. We're not going to know until the game start.

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History:

The Jazz played the Wizards once last season, and won 114-100 back on February 17th, 2012. John Wall had quite a good game, and Jordan Crawford came off the bench and did a lot of great things. Together they had 45 points, went 14/14 from the foul line, shot 15/26 (57.7 fg%), and added 10 rebounds and 8 assists. Thankfully (for us) Wall will not be playing. The Jazz took care of everyone else on that Wizards squad, and will look to do the same tonight.

The Jazz are 46-44 all time against D.C., but have a 20-25 road record. We usually play in D.C. on MLK day, and get killed for some reason. Hope we can buck the trend and win one in their gym for once. (Well, not true, but a win tonight would make us 6-6 in our last 12 there)

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The Game:

The Wizards are winless, but start a stretch of having 5 of their next 6 at home with a game tonight. They've had a 2 day rest and should be hungry. So far this season they have lost @ Cleveland Cavaliers, vs. Boston Celtics, @ Boston Celtics (in OT), vs. Milwaukee Bucks, @ Indiana Pacers, @ Charlotte Bobcats, and @ Dallas Mavericks. Their schedule hasn't been easy for them either. The Jazz are looking to have a .500 record on this four game win streak. They're looking for their first win.

The Jazz aren't just going to roll over and give it to them. This was my lock of this trip, I expect and always expected a win for this game. They are without John Wall, and Nene Hilario. We may be without Mo Williams (game time decision -- more on this in the injury update). We're already without Earl Watson. We're not going to roll over and gift them a win, but we're still going to have to play well to win.

Right now Paul Millsap is flat out 'ballin' and if he is able to continue his play tonight we should win. He is truly amazing, and has worked his way from being an energy guy, to a finisher, and now he's creating shots for other guys on the floor. HOW CRAZY IS THAT? The Wizards are trying hard with a very balanced attack (eight different players averaging between 12 and 7 points per game). That's really the only nice thing I can say about them right now. They have Emeka Okafor still, and he and Al Jefferson should have a fun time going against one another. They also have Martell Webster, so he, Trevor Ariza and Jordan Crawford will be shooting from deep against us. They're just not shooting very well -- but here I go jinxing us.

Tonight is also the return of Randy Foye -- a revenge game, I guess, as the last time he *had* to play PG was as a member of the Wizards (before he became a full-time SG with the Los Angeles Clippers).

We better not lose tonight.

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Word from the Badguys:

We're did something with Bullets Forever. You can read my responses to Tom's questions on their site over here. Check back in a few minutes to get his answers.

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X-Factors:

I honestly don't know what to expect from our team, game to game. The Wizards are in even worse shape right now as they are 29th in FGM, 29th in FG%, 30th in FTM, 30th in FTA, 29th in Rebounds, #27th in steals, and 30th in total points. They are not playing very well. Perhaps we need to look at if the Jazz continue to play up and down to their competition? If we play down to the Wizards it could be a frightening game for us fans.

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As an aside:

My brother went to undergrad with Wes Unseld's son. Unseld is the guy I most think of when I think of the Bullets franchise, who are now the Wizards. Anyway . . . how the hell did Wes Unseld Jr. get into Johns Hopkins?

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Fearless Prediction:

The Jazz win, why? Because the Wizards are worse than we are.