Utah Jazz 2012-2013 Schedule: February Preview

Previous Schedule Previews: Full Season -- OCT+NOV -- Dec -- Jan -- Feb -- Mar -- Apr -- May

Previous Schedule Reviews: Oct+Nov -- Dec -- Jan -- Feb -- Mar -- Apr -- May

.

The Month that is:

• Total Games: 12
• Total Days: 28
• Home Games: 8
• Road Games: 4
  
• Longest Home Stretch: 3 games in 6 days
• Longest Road Stretch: 1 games in 1 days (4 different times)
  
• Games vs. West: 8
  
• Games vs. East: 4
  
• Back to Back Sets Remaining: 3 (vs POR/ @POR, vs CHI / @SAC, vs OKC / @MIN)
  
• Three games in Four Nights: 3 (NOR/x/POR/POR; POR/POR/x/SAC; MIL/x/CHI/SAC)
  
• Four games in Five Nights: 0
• All-Star Break happens in this month (5 nights rest)
  
• Longest (other) Rest: 3 nights

We've played 8 of those 12 games already and went 5-3, pulling off a split against with the home and home series with the Portland Trail Blazers; beating the Sacramento Kings in Overtime; beating the Milwaukee Bucks without their best bigman; losing to the Chicago Bulls at home by 4 points; losing to the Sacramento Kings in their gym on a very important night for them -- and then coming back to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder on our court, and then the Minnesota Timberwovles the very next night on the road. We snapped a losing streak on the second game of back to backs with that win. The Jazz went into the All-Star break in the playoffs, and in striking distance of the #6 spot.

.

Games Left:

• Tuesday 19th -- Golden State Warriors (30-22) @ Utah Jazz
• Saturday 23rd -- Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Clippers (39-17)
  
• Monday 25th -- Boston Celtics (28-24) @ Utah Jazz
• Wednesday 27th -- Atlanta Hawks (29-22) @ Utah Jazz

So, the team has won 5 games so far, and lost 3. There are four games left this month, and they are against the team directly ahead of us in the playoff rankings in the Western Conference, the #6 Warriors, and then the #3 Clippers. The two eastern foes are also playoff teams, the #7 Celtics, then the #6 Hawks. The Jazz also have 5 off-days scattered about between each of these 4 games. We're not at full health, but we should be ready.

Tonight we face the Warriors in their first game from the break as well, but they went into the break winning 4 straight, then then dropping 5 straight. They want to get back to winning, and this is a one off road game before going home. They play tonight and the night after they play us. And they are super healthy only missing Brandon Rush right now. We haven't seem them with Andrew Bogut yet, ever. We'll see him tonight.

The Clippers host us in the middle of a three game home stretch to start the second half of the season. None of the games are back to back games, and they are pretty darn healthy right now. Only Trey Thompkins is out, and Lamar Odom should be ready to go. In previous matchups we've played against a gimpy Chauncey Billups and no Chris Paul at times. When we play them we should be playing against a fully operational battle station.

Boston is a mess, but still a threat --and could be a team that looks a lot different because of trades. Jared Sullinger, Leandro Barbosa, and Rajon Rondo are all out for the rest of the season. Paul Pierce is also dinged up right now, but he should be healthy when we play next week. We host them in their last game of a 5 game Western Conference road trip. They'll be weary and injured after playing @ Den @ LAL @ PHX @ POR, and then flying into Utah after their bout against the blazers to face us, who would have been off the night before and waiting. This looks like the first time Al Jefferson will win a game against the team that drafted him in his career. Or at least, we really *should* beat them if a) they don't make any crazy trades, and b) we don't either.

The last game is against the Hawks this month. They'll be in the middle of a 6 game road trip that goes @ MIL @ DET @ UTA @ PHX @ LAL and ends @ DEN. They have a travel day the day before we play them, so they'll be less weary. They'll also be without Lou Williams, but still filled with lots of talent. They seem to always cause match up problems for us, and we owe them (Boston too) for early season defeats. You could call Atlanta a hotbed of former Jazz players as they have Devin Harris, DeShawn Stevenson, and Kyle Korver on their squad. This would be, effectively Devin Harris' revenge game. We're going to hope one of our PGs d's him up, or that Marvin Williams finally breaks out of his slump.

.

Amar's Prediction:

The Jazz go 3-1 (yes, that means we have to win tonight), and finish February with a 8-4 record, and an over-all record of 33-25. I believe in our team, like our players, and am a loyal Jazz fan. We're *kinda* healthy (you know, missing two key rotation guys in Mo Williams and Gordon Hayward); but are playing at home for the most part and should be rested.

What do you guys think?