Jazz vs. Suns preview: In-Season Tournament group play game three

The NBA’s In-Season Tournament rolls on tonight with more group play games. The Utah Jazz are 2-0 in Tournament play so far. They trail the Lakers for the group lead due to the point differential tiebreaker. Utah will host the Phoenix Suns, who are 0-1 in group play.

Tonight will be Utah’s first and only ESPN game this season. The star power of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker will shine a national spotlight on the Jazz. The Suns’ third star, Bradley Beal, will miss the game with an injury.

Game info

When: Friday, November 17th, 2023 8:00 PM MT

Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT

ADAD

TV/Streaming: Jazz+, KJZZ

Radio: KSL 1160 AM & 102.7 FM

Betting line via Draftkings.com: PHX -5.5, O/U 237

Uniforms: City Edition

What to watch for

Will Jordan Clarkson continue his hot streak?

After a poor start to the season, Jordan Clarkson has found his groove. In the last three games, he’s averaging 29.7 points and four assists while shooting 55% from the field, 41% from three, and 100% from the free throw line. That’s how you break out of a slump.

Guarding Devin Booker

Devin Booker is an elite scorer who has historically torched the Jazz. The current Jazz roster struggles with defense overall, especially in the backcourt. Guarding Booker will be a challenging task. Recent Jazz games have seen an improvement defensively, especially in creating turnovers. If Utah can push to get under his skin and get steals, they may affect Booker’s scoring.

Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images