The Jazz (12-9) are not looking great right now. Luckily, they get to kick off their home stand against the best team in the league (blegh) by record, the Lakers (18-3). After a dreadful five game road trip where the team went (1-4) with only a win over the Grizzlies, the Jazz get to take on Anthony Davis and Lebron James without Mike Conley, who suffered a hamstring injury in the game against the 76ers.

While he did well statistically due to a hot 3rd quarter against the Raptors, the rest of the road trip was a dud for Mountain Mike, averaging 9.2 points/4.0 rebounds/5.2 assists on 32.1% shooting (44.4% from three though). Hopefully he take get some real R&R back home, refocusing his mind and body. This does give an opportunity for Dante Exum to step up and really shine, who recorded a DNP against Milwaukee and hasn’t played more than 14 minutes a game this season.

Lebron is also really something else. In his 16th season, 25.6p/7.1r/10.8a on 50.1% shooting (34.2% from three). Despite 46,235 career regular-season minutes played (an average of 38.6 minutes per game) and 8 consecutive finals trips, he’s still going strong, perhaps stronger than ever.

It’s not looking super pretty tonight, but let’s keep this all in mind:

Game Info

When: Friday, Nov. 29, 2019 • 8:00 PM ET

Where: FedExForum • Memphis, TN

TV: AT&T Sports Net Rocky Mountain, Fox Sports Southeast-Memphis

Radio: 97.5 FM | 1280 AM The Zone, ESPN Radio 92.9FM / 680 AM

What to watch for

Where’s the intensity?

Watching the Jazz, it feels like the team is settling a lot for hero-ball and mid range floaters. Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, and Javale McGee are a serious rim protection squad, but the Jazz need to not settle for floaters and jumpers. Defensively, the Jazz need to step it up a notch - after Toronto and Philly the team sports only the tenth best defense in the league, 29th in steals per game and 25th in blocks per game. It seems like the team is feeling the heat from social media, but until their performance and intensity on the court matches that of the Jazz’s rabid fans, the team is going to feel like it’s underperforming.

Mandatory Highlight

Game Thread Ground Rules

Welcome to the SLC Dunk Game Thread.

Dunkers know how this thing works, but for you lurkers ready to make the jump to Dunker, we have a few guidelines. Remember to follow our community guidelines (no swearing, trolling, excessive use of Jerry Sloan’s name in vain, no personal attacks, no debates about Utah liquor laws, etc.). Remember to have fun. Anyone who dare blasphemes that Tim Duncan was a Power Forward (this means you, Pounding the Rock), Ben Simmons can hit threes, Gordon Hayward should not be booed, Exum Island isn’t a 5-Star resort, Donovan Mitchell is Monta Ellis 2.0, men should never cry, or John Stockton is not the best point guard of all-time will receive an automatic ban. Just kidding. But seriously.