20. Jazz Return To 82 Game Schedule
Sep 30, 2021, 6:06 PM | Updated: 6:12 pm
(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz open their season on October 20, just 20 days from today. With the clock ticking, we look at 50 things for Jazz fans to be excited about leading up to the 2021-22 NBA season. Coming in at number 20, the Jazz return to an 82 game schedule.
Jazz Return To 82 Game Schedule
The Jazz will return to an 82 game schedule for the first time since the end of the 2018-19 season.
Last year, the NBA schedule was limited to 72 games after getting a late start in December, and the 2019-20 season was shortened to just 70 games after being suspended in March of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The team will open the season on October 20 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and complete the regular season on April 10 in Portland against the Trail Blazers.
Our countdown of the top 50 reasons to be excited for the 2021-22 @utahjazz season. #TakeNote https://t.co/X45AS6m2de
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 8, 2021
While the 2019-20 season was unique due to the four-month suspension between March and July, the 2019-20 season featured little downtime for teams between games over the course of a condensed calendar.
The return to the seven-month, 82 game regular season should be a positive change for the players’ health, and for the young players in the league to get more opportunities to see the floor.
The Jazz have 13 sets of back-to-back games, one shot of the league average. Eight of the 13 back-to-back sets will be played on the road while five will be at home.
However, the Jazz have the advantage of hosting two six-game home stands while playing just one six-game road trip.
Jazz Have Easiest Schedule
According to positive residuals, the Jazz have the easiest schedule this season. The site balances how a team traditionally performs at home, on the road, and how much rest they have before each game.
The Jazz will have will 10 games where they have more rest than the opposing team and just nine games where they will be at a rest disadvantage.
The @UtahJazz full 82 game schedule. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/pUUGrvJpgq
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 20, 2021
An additional advantage for the Jazz is only having to play the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers just three times each rather than four, both of whom are expected to compete for home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Jazz Schedule Heavy On National TV, Holidays
It won’t be difficult to find the Jazz this season as the team will play 26 games on national TV.
The team will play 12 on NBATV, nine games on ESPN, four games on TNT, and one on ABC against the Phoenix Suns on February 27.
Your Christmas Schedule:
Breakfast: 🥞
Presents: 🎁
Nap: 😴@UtahJazz vs. Mavericks: 🎷🎅🎄#TakeNote https://t.co/mGxYqimjXu— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 18, 2021
All 82 games will be radio broadcast on The Zone Sports Network with 20 regular season games also broadcast on the KSL News Radio. Additionally, every Jazz postseason game will be broadcast on KSL.
Halloween @ Milwaukee Bucks
Christmas Day vs. Dallas Mavericks
New Year’s Eve vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
New Year’s Day vs. Golden State Warriors
Martin Luther King Jr. Day @ Los Angeles Lakers
After two shortened seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jazz, along with the rest of the NBA will return to an 82 game regular season. How they navigate the longer season is one of the top 50 storylines to watch ahead of opening night.