The Utah Jazz is coming off an impressive 2020-2021 season. The Jazz has been playing their best basketball in years. After all, aside from Donovan Mitchell, they have two-time Defensive Player of the Year winner Rudy Gobert, All-Star guard Mike Conley, and strong Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jordan Clarkson. They have a 38-11 record with a tough western conference that features the Lakers, Clippers, and Denver Nuggets. Here’s Reasons why Utah Jazz can win it all.
Although there was a backlash last year where they blew against a 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets, I think that the Jazz can make a run for their money and doubt everyone when the playoffs arrive.
1. Donovan Mitchell
The Jazz are fourth in PPG as a team; most of the points stem from Donovan Mitchell. Having a career season, he�s doing the most for his team. Averaging the most points on his team, with 25.7 points. This season, he became the second-fastest player in NBA history to make 700 career three-pointers, right behind Buddy Hield.
“Whether he’s making a read and taking a pull up or some of the times he’s got the ball late (in the) clock with his step back that he’s worked on. But some of those other shots that we’re talking about, whether it’s a pull-up, at the rim, off the dribble, or catch-and-shoot, I think he’s getting more and more comfortable taking what could be a good shot into a great shot.” says head coach Quin Snyder to Donovan Mitchell.
2. Legendary Second Unit
Let’s not forget about the Jazzs’ second unit, Jordan Clarkson, Joe Ingles, Royce O’Neal, Bojan Bogdanovic, and others.
The Jazz is currently 4th in bench PPG.� Lead by Jordan Clarkson, who�s in conversations for the 6th Man of the Year award. Both Joe Ingles and Bogdanovic are averaging career numbers and are an important piece of the Jazzs’ success.�
3. Rudy Gobert Is the Real Deal
Many people have been saying Rudy Gobert has been overpaid with the five-year, 200 million contract extension he signed last offseason. He’s second in both rebounds and blocks per game with (13.3 and 2.9). The back-to-back Defence Player of the year has been quieting all the haters this season with his play-hard mentality as he is on track to win three straight.
“I don’t know what word you’d use for it, but the gravity that Rudy has as a defender with keeping guys out of the paint is one that is � like one I’ve never seen,” Georges Niang said about his teammate. “It’s realistically the way we play defense is, if your guy does beat you, you continue to stay on his hip � and good luck.”
4. Mike Conley is Healthy.
When the team traded Mike Conley last season, the expectations were low due to his lackluster injuries. Averaging a career-low in points, rebounds, and assists. This season he has shown that he’s still got something in the tank; the veteran guard has turned things around.
All he seemed to need was some time with the squad. He�s scored 16.5 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game this season as a compliment to Donovan Mitchell. He’s also been effective on the field, with a 45 percent effective field percentage and a 41 percent three-point percentage.
5. Dangerous from the 3 point line.
So far this season, the Jazz have made the most three-pointers in the league and have the second-best three-point performance. Many of that has been credited to the form of players such as Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Ingles. Bogdanovic and Ingles have connected on 40.9 percent and 45.4 percent of their three-point attempts, respectively.�
Quin Snyder’s method has played a major part in Jazzs’ success. Snyder has invented a fast passing scheme that stresses the importance of locating the open shooter. So on the court, they can maximize the odds of hitting the shot. So far, it’s done well for the Jazz, but the real question is if they can hold it up for the playoffs.
The question that everyone wants to know is that if the Jazz could make a run for their money. In my opinion, yes, they can be capable of making it deep into the playoffs and doubting the haters. Despite their achievements this season, they are being disrespected and underestimated.
Many feel that they do not deserve to be listed in the same conversation as some of the other consensus title contenders. The Jazzs’ season can only be justified if they can follow up their regular-season performance with playoff success. Those 5 reasons why the Jazz can try to win it all can make the Utah Jazz a dangerous team.
