Jazz See Huge Shift in Tight Tank Race

The Utah Jazz are back ahead in their race for the number-one pick.

Jared Koch | Mar 27, 2025

Mar 25, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (13) gets past Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells (0) and to the basket during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images / Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

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Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz are right back in the lead for the top odds at landing the number-one overall pick this summer, at least for now.

Following the Washington Wizards' most recent win vs. the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night to make their 16th of the season, the Jazz now have the edge for the number-one odds in this year's draft lottery, standing a half game ahead of the second-place Wizards for the honors.

via Tankathon

The status does come with the Jazz playing one more game than the Wizards, suiting up in 73 regular-season games compared to Washington's 72, but it's a big push in the right direction for Utah as they look to close out their remaining nine games on the year.

Utah's made out well in their recent tanking efforts, especially so when compared to their top threat for those top odds in the Wizards. The Jazz have gone 1-9 in their past 10 compared to Washington's 3-7 record, and while that one victory did come against the Wizards themselves, the needle is still being pushed in the right direction.

It effectively makes for a compelling landscape for the final portions of this regular season. Now with both teams tied up at 16 wins, a single win in either direction could inevitably lead to a significant domino effect for this summer's offseason transpiring shortly after.

Looking ahead, the Jazz's sixth-toughest strength of schedule compared to Washington's 20th-ranked slate makes for a nice boost in optimism to accomplish their season-long goal, but the job is far from complete. If Duke's Cooper Flagg is the main prize to grab, all hands need to be on deck for this tank in the remaining three weeks of the season.

And if both teams tie with the same number of wins and losses at year's end? A random draw will decide each squad's fate for this coming draft. Not ideal.

It's a dire time for the Jazz and their future endeavors closing out this season. Let's see how they cap things off.

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