The Utah Jazz’s 1-5 start has been rough enough on its own. Then came the home loss to Portland, and that one stung a lot more.
It wasn’t just the fourth straight defeat. It was the way it happened - a blowout in front of their own crowd after the earlier losses had at least stayed competitive enough to leave room for optimism. That cushion is gone now, and the frustration around the start is impossible to miss.
Still, there’s a reason this beginning deserves a little more context. Utah hasn’t exactly been eased into the season. ESPN’s Strength of Schedule rankings have the Jazz facing the third-toughest slate in the NBA so far, with a .614 mark that trails only Houston and Dallas.
That doesn’t erase the losses, and it doesn’t make 1-5 look good. But it does explain why the early returns may not tell the full story. The Jazz are only now settling into a new approach this season, and losing five of six while taking on one of the league’s harshest opening stretches is a brutal combination.
The quality of the opposition has mattered, too. Memphis’ 7-0 start says plenty about how real that team is.
The Lakers, Spurs, and Trail Blazers all look like clubs that will be in the playoff race. And the only opponent Utah has seen that was supposed to be on the softer side of the schedule, New Orleans, may not be as weak as expected after all.
There’s also the matter of Jaren Jackson Jr., who is out until well into December at the earliest. That leaves Utah without its prized acquisition from last season while the schedule has already been punishing.
The next six games bring San Antonio, New Orleans, Dallas, Minnesota, Miami, and Orlando. On paper, that’s a slightly friendlier stretch - maybe. But the first four are on the road, which makes the road ahead no easier in practice.
So yes, the hole could get deeper before it gets better. But if that happens, it may say more about the schedule than about what kind of team the Jazz really are.
In Other News...
Jazz Struggles Are Putting Lauri Markkanen's Future In Focus
Lauri Markkanens name is already hovering over the Jazzs early-season struggles, but the organizations stance remains clear: he is viewed as a core player, and Utah wants to make the most of his prime years. Even with the team off to a slow start, the front office is not treating a Markkanen deal as the first answer to the problem, especially with the roster still searching for the kind of support that can stabilize a rough stretch.
Utah is expected to look for help around him before it ever gets to that point, with the focus on improving the supporting cast and giving the team a better chance to climb out of its current hole. If the situation ever changes enough to force a bigger decision, the Jazz believe Markkanen would still carry major value on the market, the kind of value that could bring back a significant return. [Read more 🡒]
Will Hardy Just Put The Jazzs Biggest Early Problem On Blast
The Jazzs rough start kept rolling against Portland, and Will Hardy did not spend much time dressing it up afterward. Utahs fourth straight loss came with the kind of offensive mess that makes a coach sound more frustrated than angry, as Hardy pointed to sloppy possession play and cold shooting while still saying the defense was good enough to give the team a chance.
For a young group still trying to find its footing, the concern is not just the result but the pattern behind it. Hardy has been stressing that every game has to teach something, and this one offered a blunt lesson about how hard it is to survive when the ball keeps getting turned over and the shotmaking never arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face A Costly Lauri Markkanen Decision
Lauri Markkanen keeps surfacing in trade chatter, and it is easy to see why the Jazz forward would draw attention from a team like Golden State. Utah has been open to listening on veteran pieces as it continues to shape its roster, and Markkanens blend of size, scoring and versatility makes him one of the more intriguing names on the market. The catch is that he is not the kind of player a team simply picks up for a modest return, especially with his contract adding another layer to the discussion.
For the Warriors, the interest runs straight into the realities of their cap sheet and their long-standing reluctance to give away draft capital. Any serious pursuit would likely force them into a difficult balancing act, and that is before the Jazz even factor in what they would want back for a player of Markkanens caliber. So while the fit makes sense on paper, the price and the mechanics of making it work could be enough to keep this one in the rumor stage for a while. [Read more 🡒]