Preview: Surviving a pack of Wolves

We won’t deny it: the last week or so has consisted of games that have been a ‘must-win’ for Utah. And tonight is included.

The team’s play against Dallas was more on the promising side: fans saw Darryn Peterson start to find his groove and play like the #2 pick he is, Lauri Markkanen hit a mind-boggling eight triples, but it feels like Utah needs to play a perfect and synchronised game of basketball just to win a game of basketball.

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The Jazz road trip concludes with a visit to see our divisional foe, along with former friends in Minnesota. The roster overhaul over the 2026 offseason added star LaMelo Ball to the mix, designed to alleviate the facilitating role for Anthony Edwards. They’ve even got a brand-spankin’ new rebrand as the league adapts to the dying trend of minimalism. The Wolves are so unrecognisable that they even have Rudy Gobert looking like Montel Williams.

The addition of LaMelo and Kuminga has given them an early season boost. They hold a +5.1 rebound-per-game improvement compared to the baseline average of 49.2 rebounds per game last season. They’ve also maintained their defensive core to post a 106.6 defensive rating, second-best in the Association. After a hot 3-0 start, the Wolves have sizzled to a comfortable 7-3 record to sit at the 6th spot in the Western Conference.

Injury Report

Fighting on the glass

Minnesota’s rebounding is arguably Utah’s biggest concern if they’re chasing a win. They rank 2nd in the NBA in offensive rebound percentage (35.6%), making them a formidable foe for a team already missing Jusuf Nurkic. The team needs to stay disciplined, ensuring that every player sticks to boxing out.

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It’s especially important that the Jazz shooting woes need to be put on hold, or else they’ll get punished on the other end. They have converted just 28% of their three-point attempts over the last three games (34-of-121). While they demonstrated minor improvement against Dallas, the overall efficiency continues to be a lingering issue. Missed shots could quickly translate into transition opportunities for the Wolves, while their offensive rebounding allows them to…

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Publish date : 2026-11-08 05:26:00

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