Golden State Warriors: Previewing The 7-Game Road Trip

UTAH JAZZ

The first stop the Warriors make on their seven-city trek is in Utah to play the Jazz on Monday. The Jazz currently stand 5th in the Western Conference with a record of 8-7 coming off a home win over the underachieving New Orleans Pelicans. They’ll host the Warriors — fresh off a home win over the always entertaining Sacramento Kings — following a day of rest.

The Jazz have struggled a bit lately to maintain a winning record, but two things have remained constant: their defense, and the pace at which they play. Though their opponents’ field goal percentage is subpar as of right now, they began the season just a single step behind Golden State. They’re also 5th in steals and 6th in opponent’s turnovers per game.

The main problem the Jazz pose to teams is their pace. Per NBA.com, the Jazz play at the slowest pace in the NBA, averaging just 94.75 possessions a game. This coincides with the fact they have the lowest number in opponent’s rebounds (39.3), the lowest number in opponent’s field goals made (33.3) and attempted (75.6), and the 3rd lowest number in opponent’s points (93.2).

That said, it’s important to note the Warriors play at the 3rd highest pace in the NBA, averaging 102.08 possessions per game. They also have the highest offensive rating in the league, averaging 113.5 per 100 possessions. While the Warriors’ small ball lineup is on hiatus with Harrison Barnes out with an injury, their game against the Kings showed they are still capable of playing at a high pace. Therefore, setting the tempo early and keeping up the pace will be key if the Warriors want to walk out of EnergySolutions Arena with the win.

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