Who: Phoenix Suns (8-2) @ Utah Jazz (2-7)

When: 7:00pm Arizona Time

Where: Delta Center — Salt Lake City, Utah

Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports

Listen: KMVP 98.7

It’s NBA Cup time! Following their second loss of the season, the Suns head out on a four-game road trip that kicks off in Utah. This marks the first of four games in six nights and, on paper, the most manageable matchup of the trip. While calling any game “easy” comes with caution, the Jazz’s 2-7 record and position at the bottom of the Western Conference suggest this is indeed the most favorable challenge the Suns will face on their journey.

The hope is that a banged up Phoenix squad can doesn’t have any issue with Utah. That they don’t play down to the level of their competition, and despite notable injuries to Kevin Durant and quite possibly Jusuf Nurkic, they can easily dispatch Utah.

That would be nice, wouldn’t it? But the Suns haven’t had an easy win all season. Every game has been a battle, coming down to the wire and requiring strong clutch performances to secure victories. To their credit, they’re 7-1 in clutch-time situations, but it’s not exactly the real estate you want to own.

The potential is there for an easy win over the Jazz, but any team can make it a contest. With talented professionals on every roster, playing on the road means Utah will have a puncher’s chance.

Probable Starters

Injury Report

Suns

• Jusuf Nurkic — QUESTIONABLE (Left Ankle Soreness)
• Kevin Durant — OUT (Left Calf Strain)
• Collin Gillespie — OUT (Right Ankle Sprain)

Jazz

• Keyonte George — QUESTIONABLE (Left Foot)
• Collin Sexton — AVAILABLE (Left Fourth Finger Dip; Avulsion Fracture)
• Taylor Hendricks — OUT (Right Fibula Fracture)

Uniform Matchup

What to Watch For

Uh, the court? Duh!

The NBA Cup brings with it a differentiator, something that even the most casual person walking by a bar with open seating and access to television can ask, “Uh, what’s going on there?” That differentiator is the design of the court.

That being said, the Jazz NBA Cup court is rather basic. It almost looks as if they are playing in Brooklyn. But the subdued mountains in the background are a nice touch.

As for what happens on the court, it starts with the rookies for the Jazz. Isaiah Collier — someone I was high on in the draft — and Cody Williams both are starting for the team. The rookies are getting plenty of playing time as Utah is attempting to do two things: develop their young players whilst tanking for the possibility of drafting Cooper Flagg.

We’ve seen the “rookie goes nuclear” scenario before, haven’t we? Victor Wembanyama had a breakout performance against the Suns last season. Keep an eye on how the Suns approach their defense this time. Will they be aggressive and disrupt the rookie’s rhythm? Or will they make the mistake of letting him settle in, energized by the home crowd and gaining confidence, making him even tougher to stop?

Utah comes into this matchup with the league’s weakest offense, averaging only 105 points per game on a league-worst 42% shooting. They also lead the NBA in turnovers, committing 19.3 per game, and rank 26th in steals at just 5.8 per game.

Lauri Markkanen, however, has consistently been a challenge for Phoenix, seeming to thrive against the purple and orange. He averages 21.1 points per game against the Suns, his second-highest scoring average against any team. Keeping him in check will be crucial.

Key to a Suns Win

Why does it always feel like I’m emphasizing rebounding? With Walker Kessler on the other side, the last thing the Suns want is to give Utah second-chance opportunities. Those extra chances can deflate a defense. While winning the rebounding battle isn’t mandatory, limiting second-chance points is crucial.

The Jazz average 14.3 second-chance points per game, ranking 19th in the NBA (side note: the Suns are at 9.9, 29th in the league). If the Suns can hold Utah to under 10 second-chance points, they’ll be in a strong position to win comfortably.

Prediction

I can imagine a scenario where Phoenix loses this game. Such is life as a Suns fan, or a basketball fan in general. There’s always a twist, isn’t there? But while that alternate reality exists, I believe the Suns have too much firepower and talent to let this one slip away. Expect some back-and-forth in the first half, with the Suns holding an eight-point lead at halftime. In the end, depth and skill will prevail, and Phoenix will secure their ninth win of the season.

Suns 123, Jazz 108