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SALT LAKE CITY - The Jazz schedule has been released and with two fewer months and only 16 fewer games the season will come and go quickly. The Jazz will play back-to-back 18 times (they only had 13 back-to-back games last year) along with one brutal back-to-back-to-back. They begin the season with some conference rivals and end the season on a nice home stretch.
Some interesting quirks of this season are: The Jazz will be the last team to start their season. The Hawks will also play their first game on Dec. 27, but they will start earlier in the day. The first five games will be against playoff teams last year: Lakers, Nuggets, 76ers, Spurs and Hornets.
The Jazz will only play three games on the road in January, the lowest amount of road games in a full month of play since February of 2009 when they again played three. They will play three division opponents in January. The Jazz only have six home games in February, the lowest amount in any full month this season.
The Jazz play the Blazers three times in April. They will play the Lakers, Portland, San Antonio, Sacramento, Dallas and Golden State four times. They play division opponents Denver, Oklahoma City and Minnesota three times.
Here is a look at some highlights of the schedule that Jazz fans can look forward to:
December
Dec. 27: The season starts with the Jazz visiting the Lakers on Dec. 27. It will be the Lakers third game and the tail end of their back-to-back-to-back.
Dec. 28: The Jazz play the Nuggets for the first time this season.
January
Jan. 3: Former Ute Andrew Bogut and the Bucks play in Energy Solutions Arena.
Jan. 11: The Jazz will play Kobe and the Lakers for the first time in Utah.
Jan. 14: Deron Williams comes back to town with the Nets.
Jan. 21: Jazz will play division Timberwolves at home.
Jan. 28: Jimmer will return to the Utah twice in the new schedule, Jan. 28 and March 30. The Jazz will play the Kings in Sacramento Feb. 28 and March 22.
Jan. 30: Wes Matthews will come back with the Trailblazers for the first time this season.
February
Feb. 10: Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook bring the Thunder to Energy Solutions Arena for the first matchup between the division teams. They will play again four days later in Oklahoma.
Feb. 12-14: The Jazz play their back-to-back-to- back as they travel to Memphis, New Orleans and Oklahoma City.
Feb. 29: They will play on Leap Day for the second straight Leap Year. They play Houston at home. They lost last time 110-98 in New Orleans.
March
March 2: LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh bring the Miami Heat to Utah.
March 3-10: The Jazz play five-straight road games, the longest of the season. They visit Dallas, Cleveland, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Chicago. Last season they had one such streak and went 0-5.
March 10: The Jazz play their lone game against Carlos Boozer and the Bulls in Chicago.
March 30: The second time Jimmer returns to Utah.
April
Apr. 8-9: The Jazz play the Spurs two nights in a row, at San Antonio then at home. They have play one team two games in a row every year since the '06-'07 season.
Apr. 13-14: The last back-to-back of the season, at New Orleans and at Memphis.
Apr. 18: Final road game of the season at Portland.
Apr. 26: Final game of the regular season home against Portland.
