Where Do The Jazz Go From Here?

The Utah Jazz have started the 2026-27 season in a 1-6 hole after a blowout loss to San Antonio on Monday. The 119-97 loss to the Spurs was its fifth straight defeat. Utah put themselves in a tough position after the first quarter. Utah scored only 16 points in the first quarter, then went to the locker room at halftime trailing by 10 and then got outscored by 15 points in the third quarter.

They never had a chance to make a push in the second half, and a large first-half deficit has become a recurring theme this season so far.

Utah is now heading into the tough stretch of its early-season schedule. If it can somehow break the slump they are in, there is a chance to salvage the first month of the season.

Here is its slate for the next two weeks:

Four of the next seven games are on the road, and the first three are consecutive. The Jazz lost both of its road games this season. Its only win came on Oct. 23 against New Orleans.

Jaren Jackson Jr. will miss all of those games with a torn MCL. Jusuf Nurkic still isn't healthy from his foot injury, but Lauri Markkanen is healthy again after missing one game with a wrist sprain. Utah's frontcourt is bleeding and needs to be better if they want to scrape out some wins.

Interior defense is what has been killing the Jazz. Against the Spurs on Monday, they gave up 52 points in the paint. The Spurs did have Victor Wembanyama patrolling that area, but the Jazz must be more consistent on defense and end possessions with rebounds.

Three road games are never an easy task. However, the Jazz are capable of beating New Orleans a second time, as well as Dallas. Minnesota would take a near-perfect game.

The next four games are the meat of this seven-game stretch. Miami, even at 2-5, still has two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Orlando has been a stingy team the past few seasons. Houston has come out of the gates on fire, sitting at 7-1. Then they face the Spurs for the third time in 10 games.

Coach Will Hardy isn't asking his players to go 7-0 in that stretch. If they go 4-3, it puts them at 5-9, still not where they want to be, but it would steady the ship.

A little rhythm is all they need, and it can come when they travel to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans on Wednesday, Nov. 4.