Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks

The Jazz open the 2012-13 season on Halloween night with a team that’s very different from just this past spring—but also much the same. Mo Williams, Marvin Williams and Randy Foye were all added to the roster over the summer in an attempt to get some much-needed outside shooting, and Dennis Lindsey is the new GM. What’s the same is trying to decide who gets front-line minutes and shots between A. the future of the franchise, Derrick Favors; B. the guy with the biggest contract, Al Jefferson; and C. the team’s most reliable veteran, Paul Millsap.

Whoever ends up in the lineup, this could be the first time in three years Jazz fans can see their team, as presently constituted, play a full regular season. Last season, the lockout kept the season from starting until after Christmas; in February 2011, the franchise got blown up with the retirement of coach Jerry Sloan followed shortly by the trade of franchise player Deron Williams.

Highlights for the coming season include seeing the Jazz take on the likes of LeBron James (Jan. 14), Blake Griffin (Dec. 3, Dec. 28), Kevin Durant (Feb. 12, April 9), a collection of West Coast All-Stars in purple & gold uniforms (Nov. 7) and a popular food-storage pitchman named Jimmer (Nov. 23, Feb. 4).

There are also nights when the Jazz play teams like the Raptors and Wizards, and for games like that, just $10 gets you in the arena of Utah’s only major-league pro-sports team. (Geoff Griffin)