3 Reasons why the Utah Jazz are legitimate contenders this season | NBA 2019-20
With the first half of the 2019-20 regular season almost wrapped up, several teams have laid strong foundations for a deep playoff run. But one of the most unexpected storylines has emerged from the Salt Lake City, as the Utah Jazz have picked up steam and made the whole league take notice.
Overlooking their most recent loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, the Jazz had won won 15 of their last 16, with the their last 10 wins being in a row. Their dramatic surge to the upper echelons of the Western Conference standings is unprecedented, yet it serves as a testament that the league is much more than just super-teams.
In this piece, we will try and analyse whether Utah have a legit shot at the gold, based on their imposing 28-13 (0.683) win-loss record to start the season.
#1 Utah's collective offensive prowess is on a whole different level
Over the last 11 games, the Jazz have been posting an NBA-best offensive rating of around 122.0 (beating Lakers to the first spot), along with leading the league in shooting from the field as well as from beyond the arc.
Bojan Bogdanovic had a detailed breakdown of why his team is doing so well,
“Our unselfishness,” said the 30-year-old shooting forward. “A lot of good ball handlers — guys that are really willing passers — and then we got a lot of good shooters on the perimeter. So, then Rudy (Gobert), one of the best rollers in the league, gives us space and an opportunity to attack.”
Despite a 13-11 start to the season, Coach Quin Snyder made sure to work on the spacing on the floor. That resulted in the Jazz shooting over 35 uncontested triples during their winning run.
Their crisp passing has led to open looks on the perimeter, and when the shots aren't falling, the individual talent on the court takes over.