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In his first year as head coach, Quin Snyder‘s Utah Jazz started off shaky, going 6-19 in the first 25 games of the season. However, as the season proceeded, the youngest team in the NBA began to develop into a formidable force in the Western Conference. Next season, Utah’s roster and chemistry will remain intact as their entire nucleus returns. Because of this, the Jazz have a legitimate shot at being one of the best teams in the league.
During Utah’s turnaround, the team’s defense performed superbly. After the All-Star break, the Jazz notched a 94.8 defensive rating, the best mark in the league. To put this number in perspective, the Golden State Warriors had the best defensive rating over the past season, allowing 98.2 points per 100 possessions.
This success was led by Utah’s center Rudy Gobert, who led the league in block percentage by a wide margin. Clearly, Utah was in a league of their own on the defensive end in the second-half of the season, and much of this rise to supremacy was a result of Gobert playing 12.5 minutes more per game after the All-Star break. If the Jazz find a way to replicate their success on that end of the floor, the team will certainly become a force in the NBA.
Although the defense was incredible, the Jazz have work to do on the other end of the court. Over the last 20 games of the regular season, the Jazz notched the fourth best net rating. Obviously, their 19th-ranked offense during that time span weighed Utah down, even while playing at the highest caliber defensively. Fortunately for Snyder and company, the offense will improve with the return of Alec Burks, who averaged 17.9 points per 36 minutes in the 2013-14 regular season.
In Burks’ absence, Rodney Hood stepped in and provided Utah with more than adequate production. Over the last 20 games, Hood tallied the best net rating on the team at plus-8.8 points per 100 possessions, while playing 27.6 minutes per game.
Even with numerous assets on the roster, the Jazz have a ton of cap room to work with this summer, along with the twelfth pick in the NBA Draft. With this roster flexibility at the hands of Utah’s front office, the Jazz have a pivotal summer ahead of them. Furthermore, as Utah gains more experience, the Jazz will become more consistent. This consistency will propel the team to unthinkable heights, something that became evident throughout the second-half of the regular season. Although there may still be some bumpy roads ahead, the NBA will have to soon take notice of this up-and-coming Jazz team.
Nicholas Sciria is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Nick_Sciria, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
