The Utah Jazz have already faced a long list of unexpected trials — and the season is only a quarter of the way through.
They weren’t expecting to play without Dante Exum for most (possibly all) of the year. They hoped to have Joe Johnson and Rudy Gobert healthy. They probably didn’t expect to bring their leading scorer off the bench, or start a rookie in 12 games, but they have.
And for all of that, the Jazz have a 9-11 record, which as of Sunday afternoon is the eighth-best in the West. For everything they couldn’t have predicted in the first 20 games, they’re not done yet.
“It’s very early, but yeah. I think we can be happy with that,” said Thabo Sefolosha after a 121-108 win over the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday. “Definitely not satisfied, we want to keep moving up in that ranking. For now, we’ll take that and keep working.”
If that seems counter to expectations for what the Jazz would be this season, consider how careful Utah was in forecasting expectations.
Back in September, coach Quin Snyder didn’t set a baseline for expected wins, and he was circumspect about discussing Utah’s strengths. He did say three things: He expected the team would compete hard, that it would be unselfish, and it would play good defense.
“I think we’ve established a culture that transcends any group, any player or coach,” he said during Media Day. “And that’s something that we’re really pleased with. We know that foundation is there, and how it manifests itself on the court as far as our competitiveness, as far as our unselfishness, and as far as players trying to make strides and improve.”
The season so far has already seen some hot streaks (such as the Jazz winning their first five home games) and some cold patches (going 1-7 during an eight-game stretch). But taking stock of the team through 20 games shows that despite the unexpected, they’ve at least made some good on the team they were expected to be.
On defense, the Jazz have a 104.0 rating for the season, which is seventh-best in the league. That figure has been profoundly influenced by Gobert’s absence for the last eight games, during which the team has posted only two efforts lower than its season average. It hasn’t been easy to adapt — Snyder said the Jazz have had to change many of their defensive habits to deal with the shift. But with three wins in the last four games, it seems something is starting to click.
Where the Jazz stack up <br> At 9-11 and eighth in the West, here are some key statistics through 20 games for the Jazz: <br> Statistic • Number (rank in NBA) <br> Offensive rating • 105.9 (22nd) <br> Defensive rating • 104.0 (7th) <br> Effective FG percentage • .510 (18th) <br> Defensive FG percentage • .518 (17th) <br> Turnover percentage • 14.3 percent (21st) <br> Opponent turnover percentage • 16.2 percent (2nd)
Whether or not there was a hangover from losing Gobert for four to six weeks, the Jazz won’t say. But the last week has shown signs of increasing confidence that they can play well in the meantime.
“We all support Rudy, we’re all praying that he comes back very soon and I think he will,” Donovan Mitchell said. “But it’s stepping up and playing with heart. I think that’s the biggest thing. And I think [Derrick Favors] is doing a great job.”
The Jazz came into the year knowing that offense wouldn’t be their strong suit, and they’re now 22nd in offensive rating for the year (105.0). But this is the area where Utah seems to be rapidly improving, and it might have everything to do with familiarity.
In many of Utah’s early losses, there was a connectivity that seemed to be lacking, translating into ugly shooting nights at home against Philadelphia and Miami. But since those losses, the Jazz have posted seven offensive ratings better than their season average in eight games. In three of their last four games, they’ve had at least 23 assists.
Those concepts are related, they say: They’ve gotten a strong feeling for where their teammates are on the court, which has enabled them to move closer toward Snyder’s vision of an unselfish, balanced offense.
“I think we are starting to be a little bit more connected together as far as setting screens, knowing where guys are going to be, knowing where guys like the ball and knowing how to get guys going,” Favors said. “I think we are starting to get the chemistry down.”
But does the fact that the Jazz are competitive after 20 games mean they are destined to be competitive this season? Utah isn’t that naive. The hardest portion of the schedule looms directly ahead, and will go a long way to determining if Utah can make a playoff push this season. Nine of 15 December games will be played on the road, and 12 of them are against teams with .500 records or better (and two more against the Oklahoma City Thunder, whom many expect to improve).
They know that segment of the season will be decisive. But the Jazz are trying to go forward without putting pressure on themselves to come out on the other end still among the top eight teams in the West. For now, they just want to keep improving.
“We had a great practice yesterday, and I think we came out of shootaround smiling,” Mitchell said. “We just gotta keep the positive energy like we have been.”
