Can the Utah Jazz beat the odds again this year?

It seems like wherever you look you’ll hear about the Utah Jazz and their difficult schedule, especially December, that has left the Jazz with a record of 14-17 and the 14th spot in the Western Conference.

Now that we’re in the heart of this difficult December schedule, the Jazz are facing probably the toughest week of the year starting with the Golden State Warriors then Portland twice then Oklahoma City and finally the Philadelphia 76ers.

This week very well could decide what happens with the team the rest of the year.

After a terrible loss to Orlando in Mexico City and a heartbreaker against Houston, Utah has to find a way to do something they haven’t all season: Beat the odds.

Jorge Mendez-USA TODAY Sports

Last year’s win streak started with a win against the Raptors that was followed closely by a surprising win against the Warriors.

Could a surprise win against the Warriors tonight be the thing that gets them on the right track? We’ll see, but if it doesn’t happen now, it may not happen ever. January’s schedule is tougher than you think and if the Jazz fall even farther below .500 the parity of the league is going to make it near impossible to make up ground.

Look at the standings on NBA.com and you’ll see the biggest win streak is six games for the Brooklyn Nets. Teams just aren’t streaking because there aren’t a lot of tanking teams this season with most teams believing they can make it to the playoffs.

The solution for Utah is simple: Win.

Good Guy Joe Ingles spent time with kids at Shriners Hospital.

As frustrating a season as this has been on the court, off the court the Jazz continue to show incredible character and kindness. It’s nice to know that, no matter what, the Jazz have great people representing the team.

This chart by P3 Sport Science shows a naming system for players based on their physical characteristics. It’s really interesting to think of players in a different light like this. Here is the overall chart and I’ll link some of the names and examples of the players they talk about.

Fascinating stuff! Which types do you think each Jazz player falls into?

I’m a sucker for new jersey and court concepts. I always enjoy vibrant color with jersey’s and court designs (like Miami’s Miami Vice themes). This one really pops!

Grayson Allen, Tony Bradley and Georges Niang were on assignment again with the Stars. It’s nice to see their commitment to improving. Quin Snyder really appreciates guys that work hard and are willing to do whatever it takes to get better. The time they put in now will pay huge dividends down the road.