The Utah Jazz on the Rise to the Top

As the Utah Jazz shift between the top few spots in the league this season, it’s easy to wonder how they got there.

The Utah Jazz on the Rise to the Top 

Prior to the season, the Jazz appeared to be a tanking candidate after trading All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. The moves seemed to be sparked by the resignation of long-time coach Quin Snyder. 

How did the Jazz get so Good?

To state the obvious, the Jazz are outscoring most of the teams they face. They lead opposing teams by fourteen points from behind the three-point line. Despite being out for the past two weeks, point guard Mike Conley has lived up to his floor general title. The 2021 All-Star has dished out double-digit assists multiple times this season.

Defensively, they are limiting teams to the least amount of three-point attempts per game. 

Despite losing their offensive core of Mitchell and Gobert, they are succeeding offensively. The Jazz ranks sixth in offensive efficiency for the 2022-23 season so far. They average 114 points per 100 possessions. Speaking of the sixth, Utah’s offensive assists, sit sixth in the league. While many would say Utah lost all its “stars,” the team has a newfound motivation on the court. 

Lauri Markkanen is in the running for this season’s Most Improved Player award, exploding for the Jazz this season. Markkanen is averaging twenty-one points per game and shooting 64% from the field.

Jordan Clarkson, a returning player from last team’s core, is a key contributor to this team. Clarkson is averaging 19.5 points per game, while leading the team in assists (4.6).

Conclusion

Conley’s return is being monitored on a day-by-day basis since injuring his hamstring several games ago.

The Jazz’s next game will take place Monday, Nov. 28. They face off against the Chicago Bulls, with tip off set for 9 p.m.