3 Teams Who Could Shift Jazz's Lottery Odds in Final Stretch of Season
For the final 20 games of the Utah Jazz regular season, eyes will inevitably start looking toward how their upcoming draft selection will pan out. As it stands, Utah's 2024 protected first-round pick is in possession of the Oklahoma City Thunder if it falls outside of the top ten.
However, with the recent stretch of struggles Utah has seen (1-8 in their past nine), it leads to the question of whether things could actually fall the way of the Jazz. They're projected to have the current 11th-best odds in the lottery, which would still give the rights of the pick to OKC.
It would take some outside help for this team to retain their lottery pick, but it remains well within reach, standing just a month outside of the season's end.
With that, here's three teams who could jump the Jazz in league standings in the final weeks of the NBA regular season, arming them with a highly-coveted lottery selection this summer:
Feb 26, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) talks with guard Cam Thomas (24) after a foul call during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
© Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Brooklyn Nets
It's going to be a rough final 20 games for the Brooklyn Nets. Not only because they've fallen with a 4-8 record in their past 12 games, but they also don't hold the rights to their first-round pick this season, currently projected 8th overall. Thanks to the Houston Rockets' sending them James Harden in a deal a couple of years back, the Nets' first-rounder remains unprotected and not within their possession.
However, those draft implications could be considered a positive when looking through the lens of the Jazz. The Nets now have no incentive to tank and receive better lottery odds but also hold the 27th-toughest remaining schedule in the NBA. It's the perfect storm brewing for Brooklyn to effectively jump Utah.
While some of Brooklyn's best players, Ben Simmons and Cam Thomas, currently remain out of the lineup due to injury, a 2.5 game difference between the Nets and Jazz is one that's very easy to see shift with over a month remaining in the year.
Feb 3, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) dribbles around Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the second half at Vivint Arena.
Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta Hawks
Despite All-Star guard Trae Young being ruled out for the foreseeable future due to his hand surgery, the Atlanta Hawks are still a prime candidate who could jump the Jazz within the league ranks. While this team currently has the current odds for the 9th-best lottery odds, they're well within the East's Play-In Tournament as the 10th seed in the conference.
In comparison to Utah, these two sit just a half-game apart from each other. The Hawks may be trending down amid Young's recent surgery, but the Jazz have key injuries of their own, with Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler out of the lineup for Monday's game vs. the Washington Wizards. Atlanta may also have some tough games ahead, with the 11th-hardest league schedule remaining, but it doesn't quite match up with Utah's 3rd-toughest.
With over a month to go for the full 82-game season to shake out, these two could eventually flip in lottery odds, depending on how sustainable the Hawks can be without their offensive juggernaut in the lineup.
Jan 20, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) controls the ball as Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) defends during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are the closest within the standings to the Jazz, sitting just a half-game apart from each other in the West. Houston is also a team with little to no incentive to tank to close out their season, considering the Thunder hold their 2024 selection protected just 1-4.
When looking at a squad with the best potential to jump Utah in these final 20 or so games, the Rockets have the best chance to do so. They have the talent to create a formidable core to put together a few wins down the stretch, headlined by rising star center Alperen Sengun and head coach Ike Udoka. Houston currently sits eight games under .500, and while a Play-In appearance may be out of sight, their 26th-ranked remaining strength of schedule adds some optimism for the future of their W/L.
As long as their cornerstone pieces remain healthy and in the lineup, expect to see a few more wins go their way, effectively providing a boost to the Jazz's hopes of getting a top-ten pick.
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