Utah Jazz at Phoenix Suns Game Preview: Feeling Horny?

Tonight the Utah Jazz tip off for the first game of a back-to-back set, their second straight if you are keeping track at home. While @ Portland Trail Blazers / vs. Memphis Grizzlies resulted in two losses, this set of @ Phoenix Suns / vs. Sacramento Kings could go much differently. The Suns currently sit at #8 in the West, and making the playoff this season is the goal after just barely missing out last year. They are 10 games ahead of the Jazz in the standings, and in the rankings up five spots. This season they are only 15-10 at home, and 18-14 against the West. The Jazz, clearly, aren't up there yet, but their 8 road wins so far this season before the All-Star break could come as a surprise, last season the team managed only 9.

The Jazz play better than expected on the road, and in general are involved in more close games. The game tonight against the Suns could satisfy both criteria. Utah blew them out when they met back in November (in Utah), and the Jazz have won three straight games against Jeff Hornacek 's team. Overall, though, Quin Snyder 's club is only 78-89 against Phoenix, and 24-58 in Arizona.

A loss is expected. They are a playoff team in the West, at home, and this is Utah's third game in four nights. And, let's not forget, that as much as we love our guys they are still a team that wins once every three games. If you just look at the winning percentages PHX @ 54.9% is much greater than UTA @ 34.7%.

FURTHERMORE, people regard their players to be better. Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe will cause havoc. They'll have to because no matter how many three point shooters Phoenix has, they just don't have the inside muscle to deal with Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, and Rudy Gobert. Alex Len will be out tonight again, and on some nights *I* am a better basketball player than Miles Plumlee. Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris will be annoying, Gerald Green will be a tough cover, but if Utah can recapture some of what they did in their blowout win months ago this will be a great example of what this team can do -- go out there and beat West playoff teams on the road.

The game is in one minute from now, so I'm just going to post this preview now. And oh yeah, Gordon Hayward is due for a bounce back game. Watch out.