Jazz, Hornets set for battle for the bottom; tickets available for as low as $1

In an NBA game that no one wants to win, the Utah Jazz visit the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.

This is what’s known as a fight to improve your lottery odds, as the Jazz (16-59) and Hornets (18-56) are riding five-game losing streaks — and if they weren’t playing each other, they are streaks that might never end.

In other words, the majority of the league is jostling for playoff positioning. Utah and Charlotte are fighting for their right to tank. 

Given that the majority of sports fans fit the “casual” variety, it’s no surprise this is a game that no one really wants to watch. Hence, tickets are going for as low as one buck.

No, really. The game tips off Monday at 7 p.m. EST at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. In the event you thought otherwise, it won’t be nationally televised.

But perhaps it should be. All of America should get to see this intense battle for the bottom. For now, most seats for $1 are located in the nosebleeds. But by tipoff, you could find some in the lower bowl for $3 or $4.

Anyway, in case you’re wondering, the Jazz are viewed as the NBA team that could use the No. 1 pick, and a shot at Duke star Cooper Flagg, more than any other team. Yes, even more than the Hornets.

“Utah has a greater need for Flagg than any of the other teams jostling for a superior lottery position,” Kram wrote. “The Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets are still early in their rebuilds, while the Charlotte Hornets already have a potential dynamic duo in LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. Plus, the New Orleans Pelicans and Philadelphia 76ers should be competitive again next season with better health.”

So that leaves Utah.

“But the Jazz traded Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert three years ago, and they’re still stuck without a young star to build around. Flagg would fill that void,” Kram wrote. “And though the Duke freshman would be a great fit for any team in the lottery, he’d look particularly potent in Utah, forming a dominant defensive front line with Walker Kessler and partnering with another big, skilled forward in Lauri Markkanen.”

For $1, you can catch the Jazz and Hornets live, as the battle for NBA lottery supremacy rages on.