Jazz Hold Off Hornets, 134-122: Three Key Takeaways
On Saturday night, the Utah Jazz blitzed the Charlotte Hornets on the way to their second consecutive victory 134-122 in the Tar Heel State. I expected the Jazz to reign victorious with relative ease as they are better coached, have a superior roster, and have multiple-player advantages at several positions.
The Jazz buzzsaw wasted no time in seizing control of the game after dropping 47 points in the first quarter. The Hornets were able to get within striking distance in the fourth quarter but ultimately came up short.
Let's review three key takeaways from the Jazz-Hornets battle.
Jazz Battling Lakers for 9 Spot
The Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers have identical records, with the Lakers currently holding the tie-breaker. Team seedings will begin to shift frequently as the temperature for playoff spots rises.
And teams like the Jazz may begin to implement the phrase "if the season were to end today" approach because of the roller coaster ride we will witness the rest of the regular season.
It should be a back-and-forth battle between the franchises the rest of the way. However, with the trade deadline looming, it will be interesting to see how the rosters shape up for the stretch run after February 8.
Collins in Sync With Starting Unit
The Jazz received another solid performance from John Collins, who scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. It's becoming clear that the center position is pivotal for the Jazz, and when Collins's game is on, this team is a legitimate playoff contender.
Unless he is traded, Collins will likely remain the starter, which was Walker Kessler's spot to lose prior to training camp. When Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, and Collins are all clicking, the Jazz can play with any team in the league.
Fontecchio Continues Steady Play
Each season will yield dividends from an unknown source, and Simone Fontecchio fits this bill for the Jazz. Known in his native country as "Italian Jordan," he is a required "3 and D" guy NBA teams must possess to stay balanced on offense and defense.
Players like Fontecchio usually go unnoticed in the media headlines and are not glitz and glam protégées. They bring a lunch-pale and hard hat to work, go out and guard the opponent's top-scoring threat, are expected to connect on open shots from a distance, and receive nothing except expectation to fulfill this role each and every night.
Fontecchio has provided stability and renewed confidence in the Jazz's small forward position. This has been a big boost for the Jazz, especially given Ochai Agbaji's underwhelming year thus far.
The Jazz's next opponent is the Brooklyn Nets on Monday at 5:30 p.m. MDT. I expect the Jazz to keep this new winning streak intact and win going away.
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