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What to Watch: 10 highlights from the Utah Jazz schedule

DEFENDING CHAMPS

October 19 — Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, along with free-agent signing DeMarcus Cousins, will be at Vivint Smart Home Arena for the Utah Jazz’s home opener.

 

BEST OF THE EAST

November 5 and 9 — Kawhi Leonard has gone north to help push the Toronto Raptors, last year’s No. 1 seed from the East, over the top. Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving should be back from injury to help the Boston Celtics build on last year’s trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.

 

ROAD WARRIORS

November 12 through December 2 — The Jazz’s schedule is front-loaded with road games. From November 12 through December 2, the team will play 10 of 12 games away from home.

 

EL JAZZ (LOS JAZZ?)

December 15 —  For the first time in franchise history, the Jazz will play a regular season game in Mexico. The Jazz will take on the Orlando Magic at the Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City.

 

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

December 25 — Unwrap your gifts and then get ready for some Jazz basketball. The team will wrap up the holiday with a night game at home against Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers.

 

NOT ROOKIES

December 27 — Donovan Mitchell and Ben Simmons spent last season locked in a heated battle to be named the league’s best rookie. The super sophomores will get another chance to square off when Simmons, Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers visit Utah in late December.

 

(LA)BRON

January 11 and March 27 — Can LeBron James bring Los Angeles back to the postseason? King James and the new-look Lakers visit Utah twice in 2019.

 

DIVISION DÉJÀ VU

The Jazz will host the Portland Trail Blazers on January 21, kicking off a stretch of five straight games against Northwest Division foes. The Jazz will play the Denver Nuggets on January 23, face the Minnesota Timberwolves in back-to-back games on January 25 and 27, and then see the Blazers again in Portland on January 30.

 

TOP PICK

February 6 — The Phoenix Suns drafted center DeAndre Ayton with the No. 1 overall pick in June. The 7-footer, along with former Jazz assistant coach Igor Kokoskov, will lead the Suns into Salt Lake in February.

 

STRONG FINISH?

Only three of the Jazz’s final 16 games of the regular season are against teams that made the playoffs in 2018.

You can access the full schedule HERE.

Utah Jazz single-game tickets go on sale August 16. Mini-plans are on sale August 21.