Jazz Blown Out by the Pelicans, 153-124: 3 Hard Takeaways

The Utah Jazz are in the midst of a three-game losing streak after last night's defeat in the "Big Easy" to the New Orleans Pelicans 153-124. Prior to the team's current slide, the Jazz were red hot and won six straight games in dominant fashion. One may wonder what's happened to the Jazz winning formula as of late, so let's dive into the possibilities of the losing streak.

No Need to Panic

Jazz Nation need not panic too much, as your team is 22-23 and holds the 10th spot in the Western Conference. If the season were to end today, the Jazz would be postseason eligible while participating in the NBA play-in tournament. 

It's a long season, and there's no need to overreact. The next three games will be against weak opponents: the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, and Brooklyn Nets. The Jazz are going to have the opportunity to move vertically in the standings moving forward.

Trade Deadline on Players' Mind

Keep in mind teams are plotting and scheming as the NBA trade deadline arrives on February 8, 2024, at 3:00 PM, where it seems no player on any roster is safe at this point. This may explain (at least in last night's contest) why so many Jazz players played nearly equal minutes. 

Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George are the most likely players to stay in Salt Lake City, but after that, all bets are off. It's very likely a deadline deal involving multiple players will happen at some point.

Uncertainty at the Center Position 

John Collins has been the recent starter at the center position for the Jazz but has struggled with consistent performances. He also has below-average ball-handling skills, seems to lose focus during stretches of games, and, depending on the opponent, can be overtaken by Walker Kessler with regard to minutes. 

Collins logged 24 minutes last night, while Kessler logged 25 minutes. Kessler was by far and away the least effective of the two against the Pelicans and registered a game high -26 rating. He is also a limited ball-handler, has minimal offensive skills, and cannot be trusted as a free-throw shooter at any point during the competition. That said, Kessler is a force on the defensive end and has brought more to the table than Collins.

Bottom Line

The Jazz were in a great winning role, and the chemistry was exceptional! Suddenly, it's the General Managers' time to try to make their teams better or worse, which I think has hurt the Jazz. I think the Jazz slump is predicated on poor center play and the trade deadline. We will have to remain patient and wait to see what direction the organization takes. 

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