Game #2 Preview: Utah Jazz at the Phoenix Suns

Utah Jazz (0-1) @ Phoenix Suns (1-0)

The Utah Jazz look to gain their first victory of the season, tonight against the Phoenix Suns on the road in Phoenix. Before the season began many fans and experts would have predicted a Jazz victory tonight. The preseason and the first game of the regular season for both teams may have changed many's opinion regarding tonight's game.

The Suns:

First year head coach, Jeff Hornacek has his team off and running. The Suns finished 5-2 in the preseason and 1-0 in the regular season.

The Suns beat the Portland Trailblazers in their opening game. The final score was 104-91, it was pretty much a wire to wire victory for the Suns. Hornacek brought back the run and gun style as head coach his team scored 31 fast break points in their season opener.

Dragic was superb in the opener, actually both starting guards had fantastic games. Dragic had 26 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. Bledsoe had 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists. To say I"m a little worried about what Dragic will do to Lucas and Tinsley would be an understatement.

Markieff Morris returns for the Suns after serving a one game suspension.

Suns Injuries:

Okafor is out.

The Jazz

The Jazz lost a hard fought game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. The bench's play in the second quarter and maybe some questionable substitution patterns in the 4th quarter hurt the Jazz most in their season opener.

The Jazz did do well passing the ball for most of the game finishing with 25 assists. I highly believe if the Jazz continue to share the ball the way they did on Wednesday they will win most of those games.

The Jazz's backcourt may be weak compared to the Suns backourt, our bigs however should be able to hold their own against Phoenix.

Jeff Hornacek had nice things to say about Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors. (via Matt Peterson of suns.com)

"You can’t let [Favors or Kanter] get the ball down low," Suns Head Coach Jeff Hornacek said. "They’ve got excellent moves down there and they’re both strong as oxes. If you think you’re going to stop them from driving or making a quick move to the basket with your arm, you can forget it. These guys will go right through that."

Jazz Injuries:

Trey Burke

Jeremy Evans

Brandon Rush

Marvin Williams

The Starters:

PG - Goran Dragic v. John Lucas III

SG - Eric Bledsoe v. Gordon Hayward

SF - P.J. Tucker v. Richard Jefferson

PF - Markieff Morris v. Derrick Favors

C - Miles Plumlee v. Enes Kanter

Conclusion:

I think the Jazz will have a hard time winning tonight. Jeff Hornacek knows everything that the Jazz want to do, the Suns defense will be prepared because of that. It will take creative coaching for the Jazz be able to contain Dragic and Bledsoe, I don't know if we are there yet as a team.

If the Jazz are able to pull out a victory it will be due to big games from Favors and Enes and better rotations from Tyrone Corbin. The Jazz will have to execute their offense, not get trapped into taking the first shot the Suns will give them, the Jazz will have to play as a team and once again have 25+ assists.