Five random predictions for the Jazz’s 09-10 season

It’s 1:30 in the morning and I can’t sleep.  I was just thinking about the Utah Jazz a bit and came up with some predictions for the season.  Here’s five for your reading enjoyment.

1. Carlos Boozer will play the entire season for the Jazz, will average 18.6 points and 11.2 rebounds a game.  The Jazz will not consider re-signing him after the season is up. - At this point, there really isn’t a scenario in which I see the Jazz trading Carlos Boozer.  Even if he plays well this season and other teams start having interest in him, then he will be benefitting the Jazz and it will really be in their best interest to keep him around.  And I think Boozer will produce, but there will be enough questions about the future of the Jazz that the team will still consider it best to move on without C-Booz.

2. Kosta Koufos will get 12.3 minutes a game and Fesenko will get 7.2 minutes a game in order to give Okur some much needed rest- This is the scenario I am most excited about.  One of Koufos or Fesenko is going to get some burn, even if there aren’t any injuries.  And if the Jazz want to get serious about contending for a title, then a center not name Mehmet Okur, is going to have to learn to be a contributor for an NBA team.  I personally think that both Kosta and Fesenko have it in them.  They should have played more last season.

3. Jazz will finish the season having won 22 of 30 games and will have great momentum going into the playoffs- Call this season the antithesis of last season, but the Jazz finish their schedule playing mostly winnable games.  The harder part of the schedule is in the front part of the season.  The Jazz are known for their good starts to seasons and the favorable schedule near the end of the season will help.  Really, as far as the schedule is concerned, the Jazz have no excuses.  They have less back to back games and less 5 game road trips.  And…

4. The Jazz will have a winning record on the road- When the Jazz do this, they will be guaranteed 55 wins on the season.  I can’t tell you why or how they will do it, but I just think it will be a point of emphasis this season. This is a prediction straight from the gut, but it’s going to come true.  Just watch.  And when it does…

5. The Jazz will win 55 games this season and will be the 4th seed going into the playoffs- Just count on it.  This prediction of wins is probably higher than most Jazz fans are expecting, but it is certainly reasonable for a team with the league’s best point guard and best one-two punch at the power forward spot.  If Eric Maynor or Ronnie Price can produce anything off the bench, this Jazz team will be much better than last year.  And let’s face it.  Many people are sleeping on the Jazz right now and a lot of people have forgotten how injury plagued the team was last year.  I think the Jazz take some teams by surprise.