Following a couple close victories and a close loss back in November, I was feeling that the Utah Jazz were about to turn the corner and post a big winning streak. It was 17 games into the season, and the Jazz had already won exciting victories over the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks on their home floor.
Donovan Mitchell had looked like a superstar at the time, and the Jazz were finding ways to win in the clutch after being plagued by close fourth quarters in the past. Their defense had kept up with the best of the league despite the loss of Derrick Favors and Jae Crowder, and they had posted an 11-6 record despite having two key players going through a major shooting slump.