This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Jazz have been a hot offseason pick to make it to the playoffs for the 2016-17 season.
Apparently, the NBA's schedule-makers agree.
For the first time in years, the Jazz will open their season on the NBA's opening night, against the Portland Trail Blazers at Portland on Oct. 25.
Utah's home opener will be three nights later (Oct. 28) against the Los Angeles Lakers before traveling to face the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs.
The Jazz face a difficult opening stretch. They play eight of their first 11 games on the road. Looking at that stretch a bit closer, seven of those teams were playoff participants last season, and an eighth, the New York Knicks, is expected to be improved with the additions of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Courtney Lee.
The schedule softens considerably in December, when the Jazz play 11 of 15 at Vivint SmartHome Arena. The only chance for Utah fans to see the Golden State Warriors in the regular season will be when Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Co. come to town on Dec. 8. Golden State is one of four Western Conference teams the Jazz will face only three times this season, along with the Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns.
The defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers make their annual visit to Salt Lake City on Jan. 10. The Jazz have beaten LeBron James and Kyrie Irving at home in each of the past two seasons.
The Jazz will also be prominently featured on the national television schedule, with 17 appearances in all, 11 more than last season. Included on that slate are three TNT games (home games against the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans), and four ESPN games, (home games against the Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers). Utah will also play nine games on NBA TV. Late Thursday evening, ABC picked up the April 2 game at San Antonio.
Utah's schedule features 17 back-to-back sets, down from last year's 18. The Jazz also have one stretch this season of four games in five nights. The Jazz have two five-game road trips, 10 games against mostly Eastern Conference teams.
Utah has one five-game homestand, in early December.
Newly acquired Jazz point guard George Hill will make his return to face his old team, the Indiana Pacers, on March 20. Boris Diaw returns to face the San Antonio Spurs for the first time on Nov. 1. And Joe Johnson's return to the Miami Heat comes on Nov. 12. Former Utah Utes star Jakob Poeltl and the Toronto Raptors come to Salt Lake City on Dec. 20.
The Jazz will have most of the major holidays off this season. They don't play on Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years Day.
On paper, the Jazz appear to have a difficult end to the regular season. Four of their last five games include the Trail Blazers, Spurs and Warriors. Jazz fans are hoping a playoff spot is all but salted away by then.
Twitter: @tjonesltrib —
2016-17 Jazz schedule
Oct. 25: at Portland, 8 p.m.
Oct. 28: L.A. Lakers, 7 p.m.
Oct. 30: at L.A. Clippers, 2:30 p.m.
Nov. 1: at San Antonio, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 2: Dallas, 7 p.m.
Nov. 4: San Antonio, 7 p.m.
Nov. 6: at N.Y. Knicks, 10 a.m.
Nov. 7: at Philadelphia, 5 p.m.
Nov. 9: at Charlotte, 5 p.m.
Nov. 11: at Orlando, 5 p.m.
Nov. 12: at Miami, 6 p.m.
Nov. 14: Memphis, 7 p.m.
Nov. 17: Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
Nov. 19: at Houston, 3 p.m.
Nov. 20: at Denver, 7 p.m.
Nov. 23: Denver, 7 p.m.
Nov. 25: Atlanta, 6 p.m.
Nov. 28: at Minnesota, 6 p.m.
Nov. 29: Houston, 7 p.m.
Dec. 1: Miami, 7 p.m.
Dec. 3: Denver, 7 p.m.
Dec. 5: at L.A. Lakers, 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 6: Phoenix, 7 p.m.
Dec. 8: Golden State, 7 p.m.
Dec. 10: Sacramento, 7 p.m.
Dec. 14: Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.
Dec. 16: Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 18: at Memphis, 4 p.m.
Dec. 20: at Golden State, 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 21: Sacramento, 7 p.m.
Dec. 23: Toronto, 7 p.m.
Dec. 27: at L.A. Lakers, 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 29: Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Dec. 31: Phoenix, 6 p.m.
Jan. 2: at Brooklyn, 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 3: at Boston, 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 5: at Toronto, 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 7: at Minnesota, 6 p.m.
Jan. 8: at Memphis, 6 p.m.
Jan. 10: Cleveland, 7 p.m.
Jan. 13: Detroit, 8:30 p.m.
Jan. 14: Orlando, 7 p.m.
Jan. 16: at Phoenix, 7 p.m.
Jan. 20: at Dallas, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 21: Indiana, 7 p.m.
Jan. 23: Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.
Jan. 24: at Denver, 7 p.m.
Jan. 26: L.A. Lakers, 8:30 p.m.
Jan. 28: Memphis, 7 p.m.
Feb. 1: Milwaukee, 7 p.m.
Feb. 4: Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Feb. 6: at Atlanta, 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 8: at New Orleans, 6 p.m.
Feb. 9: at Dallas, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 11: Boston, 8 p.m.
Feb. 13: L.A. Clippers, 7 p.m.
Feb. 15: Portland, 7 p.m.
Feb. 24: at Milwaukee, 6 p.m.
Feb. 26: at Washington, 3 p.m.
Feb. 28: at Oklahoma City, 6 p.m.
March 1: Minnesota, 7 p.m.
March 3: Brooklyn, 7 p.m.
March 5: at Sacramento, 4 p.m.
March 6: Atlanta, 7 p.m.
March 8: at Houston, 6 p.m.
March 11: at Oklahoma City, 1 p.m.
March 13: L.A. Clippers, 7 p.m.
March 15: at Detroit, 5:30 p.m.
March 16: at Cleveland, 5 p.m.
March 18: at Chicago, 7 p.m.
March 20: at Indiana, 5 p.m.
March 22: N.Y. Knicks, 8:30 p.m.
March 25: at L.A. Clippers, 1:30 p.m.
March 27: Atlanta, 8:30 p.m.
March 29: at Sacramento, 8:30 p.m.
March 31: Washington, 7 p.m.
April 2: at San Antonio, 1:30 p.m.
April 4: Portland, 8:30 p.m.
April 7: Minnesota, 7 p.m.
April 8: at Portland, 8 p.m.
April 10: at Golden State, 8:30 p.m.
April 12: San Antonio, 8 p.m. —
Jazz schedule highlights
• The Jazz will play on national television 17 times this season, including seven games on either TNT or ESPN. All seven of those games are at home.
• The Jazz have one home game each against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.
• Utah will open at the Portland Trail Blazers. This is the fourth time in franchise history Utah opens against Portland, and the first time since 2003-2004.
• The Jazz will play their home opener against the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time since the 2004-2005 season.