Utah Jazz NBA Playoffs Schedule 2012: Odds and Predictions for First Round

The Utah Jazz are back in the NBA Playoffs and here is everything you need to know about the Jazz's upcoming playoff run.

Utah, the No. 8 seed, will need every bit of creative offensive strategy, luck and defensive effort to take out the San Antonio Spurs in the first round!

But the Spurs do have a recent history of early playoff failure so the Jazz can take advantage and move on if they play their cards right.

Head coach Tyrone Corbin has an intriguing roster that is a mix of veteran stars like Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap and young, developing players like Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks, Derrick Favors, and Enes Kanter.

The Jazz's biggest strength is their deep, deep roster of talented front-court players. Jefferson, Millsap, and Favors can all play at a star level and Kanter provides critical depth.  Hayward, who looked like a bust last year, has come on in the second half.

So, if Corbin can mix and match his front-line to keep his players fresh while wearing their opponents down, Utah could really surprise!

Schedule for first-round series:

Game 1 - Sun. April 29, Utah at San Antonio, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 - Wed. May 2, Utah at San Antonio, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 3 - Sat. May 5, San Antonio at Utah, 10 p.m., TNT
Game 4 - Mon. May 7, San Antonio at Utah, TBD
Game 5 * Wed. May 9, Utah at San Antonio, TBD
Game 6 * Fri. May 11, San Antonio at Utah, TBD
Game 7 * Sun. May 13, Utah at San Antonio, TBD

Superstars Who Must Shine

To triumph in the first round, the Jazz will need top-notch performances from their stars on the front line.

Utah does not have a superstar like Derrick Rose or LeBron James, but the Jazz do have two players who can play like All-Stars on any given night: Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap.

Millsap is the Jazz's ultra-efficient power forward.  

This year, he really stepped it up a notch and averaged 16 points, 8 rebounds and a block with excellent shooting percentages.  It all added up to a player efficiency rating of nearly 22, which is top 20 in all of basketball.

Millsap was particularly effective when playing with point guard Devin Harris.  Together, they formed one of the best tandems in the league, according to plus-minus statistics. The Jazz should look to use that lineup in crunch time to maximize Millsap's abilities.  

The other superstar X-factor is Jefferson.  The former Minnesota Timberwolves star came into his own this year, averaging nearly 20 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks.  

More important, he did it very efficiently (his problem in Minnesota) and even became a passable defensive player.

If Jefferson can step up against Spurs' center Tiago Splitter, who is talented but still young, then the Jazz have a good chance to dominate inside and control the post.  

That will make them very hard to beat.  

Role Player Who Must Emerge

Devin Harris is the X-factor for the Jazz in the playoffs.

A former all-star with New Jersey who also took Dallas to the NBA finals, Harris is a talented player who is still on the right side of 30.

He also seemed to turn it on in the last ten games, averaging 18.5 points and 5.7 assists as he led the Jazz down the home stretch and into the NBA Playoffs!

Harris forms a particularly effective pick-and-roll tandem with star power forward Paul Millsap.

If he can continue to perform at his current pace and exploit the matchups Utah creates when its massive front-line controls the paint, then Harris will be the X-factor who could help create a big Jazz upset.  

The Jazz will also need a good performance out of Gordon Hayward.  Their developing small forward has hit his stride late this season and the Jazz will really need him to find his shooting stroke on the wing.  

Offensive Strategy to Watch

The Jazz's offensive strategy should be all about controlling the paint on both ends of the floor.

Utah has big, big bodies in the paint.  Millsap, Jefferson, Kanter and Favors are all big, athletic players who can draw double teams inside.  Like Chicago, Utah has the ability to rotate in fresh bodies and continually dominate the painted area.

That is particularly true against the Spurs.  

Tim Duncan is still effective, but in limited minutes.  He is also susceptible to wearing down against physical players.  

Tiago Splitter is a good alternative, but he is young and limited offensively, so the Jazz have a big opportunity to thoroughly dominate this part of the series.

If the Jazz can do that, they will grab the most available defensive rebounds and close off the lane to penetration, which will really hurt Tony Parker's game.  

They will also be able to get a lot of put-back baskets and offensive rebound resets, which will help offset their lack of a dominant shooter on the wing.

So, if the Jazz can close down the paint, they have a surprisingly good chance to win their opening round series.  

Defensive Strategy to Watch

At the risk of repetition, it's all about dominating the paint.

The Jazz need to use their rotation of big bodies to keep Tim Duncan subdued offensively and deny Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili driving lanes into the paint.  If they can neutralize those two factors, the Spurs will find it very, very hard to score.

They can also look to utilize Raja Bell to defend Ginobili for long stretches.  Bell is no longer an effective offensive player, but he provides defensive value in limited minutes.

Last, Devin Harris will need to step up on defense.  Parker is the Spurs' best weapon so, if Harris can contain him on the outside while the Jazz's post defenders deny him the lane, they have a good chance to win.  

Biggest Hurdle of the First Round

The biggest first-round hurdle is Tony Parker.  

The Frenchman's excellent passing and lane penetration will be very difficult for the Jazz to deal with, particularly because Utah's point guard, Devin Harris, is not known for his defense.

To overcome it, the Jazz will have to close off the lane to Parker's penetration and force him to jack up lots of outside shots.  

Last Second NBA Playoffs Prediction

The Jazz are a team on the rise, but it will be tough for them to defeat the Spurs in the first round.  San Antonio has several valuable role players now; that will make them a tougher out than in recent years.

After that, the Thunder or Lakers will be even harder to defeat.

But the Jazz are cracking open a long window of contention!  

Millsap, Jefferson, Kanter and Favors make up the deepest, most talented front-line in basketball.  

Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks can develop into top starters.  And the Jazz still have two top picks (and plenty of trade flexibility) to add to their roster of talent.

So, it's onward to the future in Utah!