On Friday night, the Utah Jazz fell short again in a close 100-101 loss to the Houston Rockets. The Jazz now have an eight-game losing streak, while the Rockets have won a league-best 11 games in a row.
The Jazz started the game with three rookies, and got off to a strong start in the first quarter, leading 23-13 after 12 minutes, but couldn't hold on the rest of the way. Two veterans, John Collins and Collin Sexton, led the offense and combined for 59 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome red-hot Jaylen Green, who had 34 points himself.
However, although it was a loss in the end, this bodes well for the Jazz's draft odds entering this summer. Since the trade deadline in February, Utah has been slowly increasing its odds of acquiring a better draft pick, and that continued after this game.
Well, according to Tankathon, the Jazz had better odds than the Brooklyn Nets with the eighth selection in the lottery after going 1-9 in their past 10 games. As things stand, Utah has a 23.5% chance of moving into the top four and a 5.3% chance of being the No. 1 overall pick.
Of course, with two weeks left in the regular season, these numbers and standings could change significantly. Still, he would be a breath of fresh air for the Jazz entering this offseason. Their pick is guarded in the top 10 by the Oklahoma City Thunder, so if this front office wants a chance to add another top-end rookie, it's likely that their pick will fall within the first 10. I need to hope for it.
The recent decline in the league standings makes it increasingly likely that the Jazz will remain in the first round. It may not reach higher numbers (considering how far ahead the Memphis Grizzlies are in seventh place), but it's an exciting addition to the Salt Lake City team with a young player with high potential. It's a great opportunity.
Jazz fans will need to keep an eye on the lottery odds heading into this final April of the regular season.
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