2026-10-16 · 9:00 PM CT · Preseason
Utah Jazz22-60
Phoenix Suns45-37ESPN standings data retrieved October 6, 2026. NBA comparisons use the completed 2025–26 regular season. Each upcoming fixture labels preseason or regular-season status.
Utah Jazz2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 117.6 | 9 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 43.8 | 16 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 29.6 | 2 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 15.0 | 28 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 8.9 | 8 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 3.8 | 30 / 30 |
| FG% | 46.7% | 17 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 34.5% | 25 / 30 |
| FT% | 78.6% | 13 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 53.6% | 20 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 12.8% | 25 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.277 | 10 / 30 |
Phoenix Suns2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 112.6 | 26 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 43.1 | 20 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 24.6 | 27 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 13.5 | 12 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 9.5 | 4 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 4.2 | 25 / 30 |
| FG% | 45.5% | 28 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 36.1% | 12 / 30 |
| FT% | 78.1% | 15 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 53.7% | 19 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 12.0% | 13 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.225 | 28 / 30 |
ESPN team totals and game box scores checked October 6. NBA season averages and ranks use 2025–26; preseason game results are shown separately. Ranks are within the league, with ties sharing a rank; a lower turnover rate is better. Season offensive rebound rate needs opponent defensive-rebound totals, which this feed does not supply. A dash means unavailable. This game’s offensive rebound rate uses the opponent’s actual rebounds.
eFG% gives a made three its extra value. Turnover rate estimates the share of plays lost before a shot. Offensive rebound rate is the share of available offensive rebounds collected. Free-throw pressure is FTA/FGA. The calculations are (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM)/FGA; TOV/(FGA + 0.44 × FTA + TOV); OREB/(OREB + opponent DREB); and FTA/FGA.
This is preseason. Use the team numbers as background and watch how the new lineups play together. No spread or Lab win probability is published for this game.
Last season 22-60 | 15th in the West | Missed postseason
2025-26 efficiency 112.7 offense | 120.8 defense | -8.2 net per 100 possessions
Utah finished last in the West at 22-60, with a defense allowing 120.8 points per 100 possessions. Opponents took 45.1 percent of their shots from three, and 59 percent of those attempts were wide open. The Jazz need a substantial defensive improvement before their growing offensive talent can translate into a dependable winning team.
Darryn Peterson joins Keyonte George, Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. Jackson arrived at the previous trade deadline but played only three games for Utah, so a healthy full season materially changes the baseline. The front office extended George and added Josh Green and Josh Okogie. Walker Kessler went to the Lakers, with Jusuf Nurkic and Jaxson Hayes among the remaining center options.
The roster's clearest unresolved issue is protecting the perimeter and the paint together. Jackson can cover mistakes, but trading Kessler removes a natural rim-protection partner. Nurkic's size and passing are useful without supplying the same defensive mobility. Peterson may be ready to score early, but a rookie guard cannot be credited with solving every creation and defensive problem before his first game.
Projected finish is seventh in the West. This is our largest improvement call, supported by a much stronger available core rather than an ordinary growth adjustment to a 22-win team. We see a Play-In contender with a credible offensive ceiling. Reaching the direct-playoff group would require defensive improvement that we have not yet priced into the forecast.
Last season 45-37 | 7th in the West | First-round loss to Oklahoma City, 4-0
2025-26 efficiency 114.2 offense | 112.9 defense | +1.4 net per 100 possessions
Phoenix finished seventh with 45 wins and reached the playoffs through the Play-In before Oklahoma City swept it. Jordan Ott's first season produced a ninth-ranked defense after the prior year's collapse. The Suns also created extra shot opportunities through offensive rebounding and forced turnovers. That explains why a merely average offensive efficiency profile still supported a winning record.
Brian Gregory traded Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale for Miles Bridges and added Luke Kennard. Bridges brings another scoring forward, and Kennard replaces part of the departing shooting. Phoenix retained Collin Gillespie and other useful contributors around Devin Booker. Gillespie's continued production matters more now that Allen and O'Neale's spacing is gone.
The largest immediate concern is at center. Mark Williams' shoulder surgery leaves a substantial absence with no official return timetable, putting more responsibility on Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro. Adding Bridges does not replace a starting center or guarantee that the defensive gains survive. Management has changed the offensive mix, but the remaining roster still needs stronger finishing and enough size to keep its possession advantage against good teams.
Projected finish is eighth in the West. Booker and Ott give Phoenix a credible floor, but a repeat of 45 wins requires the young centers to contribute sooner. We expect a Play-In team rather than a dramatic rise. The important evidence will be whether the Suns keep generating extra chances while improving the value of the first shot.
A matching published game video is not available in the verified archive yet.
