Jazz vs. Warriors Preview: Curry & Green’s Status Uncertain, Can Markkanen Lead the Team to Avoid a Losing Streak at Home?

On October 26, the NBA regular season enters its second round with the Jazz hosting the Warriors.

The Warriors secured a strong start in their first-round game with a significant road win over the Trail Blazers. This summer, the team’s Big Three broke up, with Klay Thompson, who played for the team for 13 years, and legendary point guard Chris Paul leaving. However, the Warriors made corresponding reinforcements, bringing in Buddy Hield and Malachi Flynn, along with Li Kai, which keeps the Warriors worth watching, though achieving a breakthrough in performance remains challenging.

In the preseason, the Warriors performed exceptionally well, winning all six games and showing great form. Players like Stephen Curry, Jonathan Kuminga, and new addition Buddy Hield had impressive performances. This young and energetic Warriors team is worth looking forward to in the new season.

In their last game, the Warriors won 140-104 on the road against the Trail Blazers, with the entire team firing on all cylinders. Seven players scored in double digits, and the team was very active on the boards, securing 57 rebounds. Both starters and bench players had excellent performances. Among the starters, Andrew Wiggins led the team with 20 points and 4 rebounds, while Curry contributed 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists, narrowly missing a triple-double. Only Draymond Green did not score in double digits. Additionally, the Warriors’ bench combined for 70 points, with all 14 players contributing to the scoring. Buddy Hield hit five three-pointers and scored 22 points with 5 rebounds, helping the team dominate both inside and outside the paint, leading to a convincing victory and a strong start to the season.

The Jazz retained most of their core roster from last season during the offseason, with minimal changes. They added Yurtseven, Mikhaylyuk, and Mills but let go of Chris Dunn, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Yurtseven. In terms of rookies, the Jazz selected Cody Williams with the 10th pick and Clear with the 29th pick in the draft. The team focused on re-signing their key player Lauri Markkanen, who signed a five-year, $238 million max contract. The Jazz’s goal is clear: to improve on last season’s poor performance and make the playoffs.

Over six preseason games, the Jazz achieved a 4-2 record, maintaining good form. However, in the opening game, the Jazz lost 124-126 at home to the Grizzlies. Markkanen scored a game-high 35 points with 9 rebounds and 2 assists, and seven players scored in double digits. Despite this, the Jazz lacked a player to break the deadlock in crucial moments against the Grizzlies, who had three players score 20+ points, leading to a narrow loss.

Last season, the Warriors swept the four regular-season matchups against the Jazz, holding a clear advantage. For tomorrow’s game, Curry, Green, and Melton are listed as questionable for the Warriors, while Collier and Juzang are out due to injuries for the Jazz. The two teams showed vastly different spirits in their opening games, with both offensive and defensive performances being commendable. Whether the Warriors can secure a road win against the Jazz and achieve a two-game winning streak is highly anticipated.

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