You live in Utah, maybe even Salt Lake City. You don’t pay much attention to the NBA, so you don’t know much about the Jazz.
Your friends and family are Jazz fans, they’re starting to get excited about the team, and you begin to wonder why. Well, the playoffs begin May 22 and this particular Jazz team is pretty good. Actually, in fairness, this particular Jazz team is best-record-in-the-league, can-win-the-championship good.
With everyone around you talking enthusiastically about the Jazz, you want to get in on the fun, so you decide it’s time to hop on the bandwagon. Don’t know where to start? Here is a handy guide to coming aboard.
The Jazz play aesthetically pleasing basketball
No team in the league takes more 3-point shots or makes more 3-pointers per game than the Jazz, who also rank in the top-3 of the league in 3-point percentage, points per game, offensive rating and defensive rating.
The Jazz do a lot of things at a high clip, and they do them at a fast pace. Simply put, the Jazz are a lot of fun to watch.
Donovan Mitchell is quite a player
At just 24 years old, Mitchell is headed toward career-bests in points, assists, rebounds, and field goals made per game, plus 3-point percentage.
Twice an All-Star and possibly nearing his first All-NBA citation in the coming weeks, Mitchell is the key cog for this title contender, and it’s not every year the key cog on a title team is this young.
Of course, it would help if Mitchell’s sprained right ankle were fully healed in time for the playoffs. Same goes for Mike Conley’s right hamstring.
That big French guy is pretty good, too
Nearly five months after signing the largest contract ever for a center, Rudy Gobert has been terrific, averaging 14.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game through May 10.
The rebounding and the blocks are, of course, important, but his general protection of the rim and the lane are immeasurable for one of the league’s elite defensive outfits.
[Read more: Complete Utah Jazz playoff coverage]
The Jazz bench is talented, not to mention crucial
The Jazz average roughly 38 points off the bench, good for top-10 in the NBA, but among legitimate title contenders, that number is probably third behind the Lakers and Clippers.
Within that production, they have two legitimate Sixth Man of the Year candidates, Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles. Those two combine for about 75% of those 38 bench points per night.
Jordan Clarkson will drive you crazy, but he’s fun
If you enjoy a conscience-free guy with questionable shot selection, but also a microwave scorer who can take the building over, get to know Clarkson.
Acquired on Christmas Eve 2019 from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Dante Exum and two second-round picks, Clarkson offered the bench pop the Jazz badly needed.
His field goal percentage is at a career-low, but scoring, rebounding and assists are all up, as is his usage percentage, which is hovering around 30, a career-best and nearly five points higher than his career average.
The full Jordan Clarkson experience was on display May 10 against the Golden State Warriors when he scored 41 points on 16-for-33 shooting, including 5-for-16 from 3-point range. Clarkson shot the Jazz out of the game, shot them back in, and almost stole it at the end.
Quin Snyder’s hair is too good for an NBA coach
That unfairly handsome man with the tremendous head of hair stalking the sideline? Yeah, that’s Quin Snyder. He is the head coach, and he looks exactly the same as he did 20-plus years ago when he was at the University of Missouri as an early-30s coaching wunderkind.
Seriously, though. Snyder has not taken the traditional route to be in this position, coaching an NBA title contender. If the Jazz win the whole thing, it will make for a great story.
