Jazz's Final Eight Game Stretch Among Most Difficult in NBA

The path to a Utah Jazz tank is looking simpler by the day.

It seems the last stretch of the Utah Jazz regular season will not be simple to overcome, as the team will have to endure a gauntlet of challenging teams through their final two weeks. Especially when considering the lineup will be without its best player, Lauri Markkanen, it's looking like a rough few games ahead.

As Tankathon has it, the Jazz are set to take on the league's third-most difficult schedule down the final stretch of games. They trail just behind the Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets, ranking first and second in the NBA.

During their next eight games, the Jazz will be up against the reigning champion Denver Nuggets, the Sacramento Kings, Donovan Mitchell, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, a red-hot Houston Rockets squad, along with the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers on two separate occasions.

Simply put, expect some grueling days to come for this young Jazz roster.

It doesn't help their current lengthy eight-game losing streak to be taking on such steep competition, but it may assist them in the hopes of their draft lottery aspirations. The Jazz's first-round selection is top-ten protected in the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, so if Utah wants to add another top rookie to their roster this summer, it'll come from a placement with the bottom third of the league standings, along with a bit of luck from some ping pong balls.

Without the help of Markkanen, and potentially being without Jordan Clarkson in the lineup, it'll no doubt take a hit to what the Jazz can provide on the offensive side of the regularly. Instead, the load will rely on Utah's youth with budding stars like Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, Brice Sensabaugh, and Walker Kessler.

The Jazz's difficult stretch will start with the Kings on Sunday night as they deal with the recent crushing injuries to guards Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter.

Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and X.

Subscribe to YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live streams!