UTAH JAZZ

Jazz Face Thunder With Little Need For Victory

Apr 6, 2022, 1:20 PM
Utah Jazz guard Jared Butler fights over an Oklahoma City Thunder screen (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Ge...
Utah Jazz guard Jared Butler fights over an Oklahoma City Thunder screen (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

SALT LAKE CITY – After a season filled with more tumultuousness than expected, the Utah Jazz can finally take a sigh of relief when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight.

On Tuesday the Jazz clinched a spot in the top-six of the Western Conference playoffs, guaranteeing themselves a seven-game opening-round series, and avoiding the play-in tournament.

The team’s focus can now shift to health, harmony, and their preferred first-round opponent over the final five days of the regular season.

Jazz Don’t Need Win Over Thunder

The Jazz enter the evening no longer needing wins to lock up a spot in the top-six in the West and in a potentially advantageous spot to finish the regular season.

With three games left to play in the regular season, the Jazz and the Denver Nuggets have an equal win total of 47 games.

Denver needs to win one of their two final games to guarantee themselves a place in the top six of the West. The Jazz own the tiebreaker between the two teams this season and would own the higher seed in the playoffs if the two teams finish with an equal record.

Understanding that they’re nearly guaranteed to face either the Golden State Warriors or the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round, the Jazz have a good opportunity to align their preferred first-round matchup before the playoffs begin.

Should the Jazz lose out, they’re nearly guaranteed to finish in the sixth seed, matching up against whichever team finishes in the third seed. Should the Jazz prefer to finish in the fifth seed, they’ll need to beat at least one of the Thunder, the Phoenix Suns, or the Portland Trail Blazers before the end of the season.

Either way, the Jazz control their own destiny with three games left in the regular season, and that is a welcome development amid an otherwise difficult season.

Thunder Not Tanking Well

While the Jazz face no urgency to win games, the Thunder should be motivated to lose.

Oklahoma City owns the fourth-worst record in the league which puts them just outside the top-tier of teams most likely to win the top overall pick in the NBA Draft.

The Thunder could pull back into the top tier by losing the remainder of their games, and getting jumped by the Detroit Pistons who would overtake them in the standings with two wins.

Oklahoma City has not helped its lottery odds over their recent stretch of games having won four of their last seven contests, including three of their last five, and two straight before facing the Jazz.

The Jazz and Thunder will tip-off at 7 pm MT and can be heard on The Zone Sports Network. The game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet and FuboTV.

  • Utah Jazz Scoreboard

  • Utah Jazz Team Leaders

  • Utah Jazz Standings

Utah Jazz

NBA-basketball-logo...
Tim Reynolds, AP

NBA, Players Reach Deal For A New Collective Bargaining Agreement

The most financially successful era in NBA history will continue uninterrupted for at least six more years.
20 hours ago
Dwyane-Wade-Miami-Heat-NBA-Finals...
Tim Reynolds, AP

Dwyane Wade Officially Announced As Member Of 2023 Hall Of Fame Class

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame made it official, with three of the NBA’s all-time greats as the headliners of the 2023 class.
20 hours ago
Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz goes over Blake Griffin #91 of the Boston Celtics...
Ben Anderson

Jazz Drop Game To Celtics, Fail To Make Up Playoff Ground

The Utah Jazz fell to the Boston Celtics 122-114 and were unable to make up ground in the Western Conference Playoff race.Β 
2 days ago
Kris-Dunn-Sacramento-Kings-Boston-Celtics-Ejected...
Chandler Holt

Kris Dunn Gets Ejected In Fourth Quarter Against Boston

Kris Dunn was ejected in the fourth quarter against Boston after getting into an altercation with Blake Griffin and Marcus Smart.
2 days ago
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics battles Kelly Olynyk #41 of the Utah Jazz for a rebound durin...
Ben Anderson

Shorthanded Jazz Fall To Celtics In Boston

The Utah Jazz fell to the Boston Celtics 122-114 on Friday dropping the second game of their three-game road trip.
2 days ago
Walker-Kessler-Utah-Jazz-NBA-Block...
Chandler Holt

Walker Kessler Sends Jaylen Brown Packing With Highlight Block

Rookie Walker Kessler got a block on Celtic's All-Star Jaylen Brown in the third quarter. It was the second time Kessler blocked Brown.
2 days ago

Sponsored Articles

High angle view of the beautiful Rose Bowl Stadium...
KSL Digital Sales

How to Prepare for the 2023 Rose Bowl

Everything you need to know to plan your 2023 Rose Bowl trip in Pasadena, California. This year, the Utes will face Penn State.
Jordan-Clarkson-Utah-Jazz...
KSL Digital Sales

Notable Moments From The Utah Jazz Season… So Far

At the beginning of the season, the Utah Jazz were second to last. Now they rank in the top 10 teams in the Western Conference.
Football soccer ball on grass field on stadium...
KSL Digital Sales

Everything You Need to Know to Watch the 2022 World Cup

Find out where and when to watch the upcoming games and final match for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, including where to find live updates.
ksl sports logos...
KSL Sports

KSL Sports Newsletter: Sign Up Now

Sign up today for the KSL Sports newsletter. Get the latest Utah sports news delivered to your inbox.
jimmy-buffett-tour-art...
KSL Sports

Win Tickets Wednesday: Jimmy Buffett

Get your Hawaiian shirts ready.
Iron Maiden tour...
KSL Sports

Win Tickets Wednesday: Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden returns to Utah in 2022 with The Legacy of the Beast tour.
Jazz Face Thunder With Little Need For Victory