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What to Watch for in Jazz’s Season Finale vs. Lakers

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What to Watch for in Jazz’s Season Finale vs. Lakers


The Utah Jazz have just one game left on the calendar to decide their final record to close out the 2025-26 season, and with it, finally determine their official lottery odds headed into the offseason.

While the Jazz might be out of the postseason hunt or anything close to it, their matchup agains the LA Lakers holds some high stakes, strictly because of those upcoming lottery odds.

Utah will also need to keep an eye on the Sacramento Kings’ final game of the year against the Portland Trail Blazers, as their outing will also have implications for where the Jazz will stand when it comes to their final lottery standing.

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With that in mind, here’s what to watch for in both the Jazz and Kings face off in game 82 of their respective seasons:

If Jazz Lose + Kings Win

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Dec 18, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) drives against Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkić (30) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images | Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

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The best-case scenario for the Jazz’s lottery odds would be a combination of their own loss to the Lakers, combined with a Kings win vs. the Blazers. That would then put the 22-win Jazz one game below Sacramento in the end-of-year league standings, and with it, the standalone 4th-best odds in next month’s lottery.

That not only gives the Jazz a 12.5% chance at the number-one pick in the lottery, but also guarantees that they’ll retain their top-eight protected pick currently with the OKC Thunder.

It’s safe to assume this is the ideal outcome in mind for those in the Utah front office, but will require a bit of outside help since the Jazz claimed a win against the Memphis Grizzlies to tie Sacramento’s record.

If Jazz Win + Kings Lose

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Jan 30, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz Owner Ryan Smith (left) and CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge (middle) along with president of basketball operations Austin Ainge watch warm ups before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

This is what the Jazz don’t want to see. A combination of their own win along with a Kings loss means they drop to sole possession of the fifth-best lottery odds; thus dropping to a 10.5% chance of claiming the number-one pick, and helping OKC to a slim 0.6% chance of taking Utah’s pick.

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The fifth-best odds aren’t all bad. You’re given a 44.3% chance that your selection either moves up or stays within that range, and if it remains within the top five, gives Utah a really strong opportunity at a talented player atop the board. But of course, fourth is still better.

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Considering the Lakers have a real incentive to win against the Jazz for their own seeding purposes as Utah has quite the opposite, this feels like an unlikely outcome on the surface. Crazier things have happened in the NBA, though.

If Jazz and Kings Both Win/Lose

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Mar 28, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy reacts against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

If the Jazz and Kings both fall to the same result on Sunday night, nothing changes from where the landscape stands now.

Each team will tie with the fourth-best odds in the lottery with either 22 or 23 wins, and will be forced to a tiebreaker in order to determine who gets the fourth and fifth spots in the drawing come lottery time.

That tiebreaker inevitably comes down to a literal coin flip, and therefore would leave the Jazz with essentially just a 0.3% chance that the Thunder will claim their top-eight protected pick. It’s not officially guaranteed that Utah would be the ones walking away with possession of that pick, but it’s pretty dang close.

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Utah Jazz jump to #2 in the lottery, plus full results

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Utah Jazz jump to #2 in the lottery, plus full results


In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.

Here are the final results, which show all the movement.

Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.

For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.

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The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.

Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!



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Provo’s new Boys & Girls clubhouse gives Utah youth more space to learn, grow and belong

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Provo’s new Boys & Girls clubhouse gives Utah youth more space to learn, grow and belong


PROVO — An organization that has been a beacon of hope for Utah children and families just got a big upgrade in Provo.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County on Friday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newest facility, marking the start of a new chapter in providing support for those who need it the most.

The new Kent B. Nelson Clubhouse, 131 N. Olympic Blvd., replaces the organization’s former Provo clubhouse, which had been in operation for more than 50 years. Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County leaders said they had outgrown the aging facility and needed a larger, more modern space to support more community members.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the Boys & Girls Club of Utah County’s new Kent B. Nelson Clubhouse on Friday. (Photo: Curtis Booker, KSL)

“This new clubhouse is more than a building — it’s a central place where we can coordinate programs, support our staff, and amplify our impact across the region,” said David Bayles, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County, in a statement.

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The organization’s mission was something the late former Utah County Commissioner Tom Sakievich was passionate about. His wife Marji and daughter Emily Sakievich attended Friday’s grand opening ceremony just as if he would’ve wanted to.

“He loved this project, and it meant the world to him,” Emily Sakievich told KSL. “This was actually one of the last places he went before he passed. (He) and my mom stopped by to just see how progress was going; he would be so excited to see this come together.”

The former commissioner died last December at the age of 72. Tom Sakievich resigned from the seat in September 2024 after being diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer.

Emily Sakievich said her father was a big supporter of helping children in the Boys & Girls Clubs feel supported while he was in office.

“He would have all of them come to his office and talk about how government works and how they can be a part of it someday,” she said.

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The new 20,000 square-foot facility expands on resources and programs offered at its previous site for community youth and families experiencing hardships.

The clubhouse will provide safe, engaging, and educational programs in a modernized building fit to serve more than 14,000 Utah children and teens.

A variety of programs including after-school, summer activities and STEM learning will be offered at the new facility. Other resources include internet safety programs, mental health support, nutrition initiatives, and housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness.

“We’ve been able to increase the capacity so much and add preschool and other things; we can even benefit more families — and we can benefit them for a longer period of time, from younger to older, where there are no gaps.” Provo City Council Chair Katrice MacKay told KSL. “So I’m really excited. It’s a fantastic thing for the city and for our residents.”

Leaders of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County say the new $6 million Provo clubhouse was designed as a welcoming space where children and teens can explore new interests, build life skills, and receive mentorship from caring staff.

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“The Boys & Girls Clubs have been a cornerstone of youth development in Utah County for decades,” said Janet Frank, board president, in a statement “This new clubhouse strengthens that mission, allowing the organization to extend its reach and impact across the entire region.”

Friday’s event took place while children who attend the Boys & Girls Clubs were in school, so another ceremony for kids and their families is planned for the end of the month.

“The Boys & Girls Club is for every kid out there,” Bayles said. “We want to accomplish what every parent wants for their kids — we want them to have a safe place to learn and grow, to be successful in school, to build social skills and to go on and be great members of society.”

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.



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Three motorcycles crash on Trapper’s Loop in northern Utah

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Three motorcycles crash on Trapper’s Loop in northern Utah


Three motorcycles crashed on Trapper’s Loop in northern Utah, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.

Officials said one motorcycle traveling northbound on SR-176 near milepost 10 failed to maintain its lane while navigating a curve.

The bike crossed into oncoming southbound traffic, where it collided with two other motorcycles. Officials said all three riders were taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition. All were wearing helmets and protective gear.

Speed is believed to have been a contributing factor in the crash.

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