Utah Jazz Defense Shows Drastic Improvement

Jan 2, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Thabo Sefolosha (25) pass the ball behind Utah Jazz center Enes Kanter (0) back during the fourth quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Atlanta Hawks won the game 98-92. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

After dwelling the cellar of NBA defenses for well over 100 games, the Utah Jazz defense seems to finally be climbing out. Over the last couple of handfuls of games the Jazz are among the NBA’s best in defensive rating for an extended stretch for the first time in a very long time, showing drastic improvement on D team-wide.

Over the last eight games the Jazz have posted a defensive rating that would be hovering right around the top ten defenses in the NBA, were it a season-long occurrence. Utah’s DRtg over the last ten games is an average 104.5, according to BasketballReference — DRtg being a calculation of how many points a team gives up per 100 possessions.

Strength of schedule and an increased role by Rudy Gobert will certainly be factors, but after posting such heinous defense for more than a season that Utah has habitually been in the bottom three of the NBA in D-rating, this particular light seems to be one occupying the end of the tunnel.

Yes, Rudy Gobert is an awesome and terrifying presence that eyeball tests and numbers can confirm. And yes, the Jazz haven’t been playing the most stellar offenses of late, but considering where the Utah defense was, where they suddenly are now, playing consistently solid defense, is a notable improvement.

The average offensive rating of the last eight teams the Jazz have played is 18.75 in the NBA.

Jazz are 25th best defense over last 20 games. 19th best over last 15. 15th best over last 10 and 7th best last 5 games.
— Clark Schmutz (@Clarkpojo) January 5, 2015

Naturally, when you play the worst offense in the NBA, the Philadelphia 76ers, you expect an outrageous DRtg number such as the Jazz put up for the game: 78.4. Then two games later the Jazz played the next worst offense in the NBA, the Charlotte Hornets, and allowed an equally outrageous 125.8 ORtg (meaning Utah’s DRtg was the same figure.

Previously poor defenders for Utah are working hard to get better on the defensive end of the floor, bad habits being replaced with good ones in the Snyder system

However, in between the two games, the Jazz posted a solid 105.0 DRtg against the seventh-best offense in the NBA, the Memphis Grizzlies. This is a more indicative result to the overall sample size in the last eight games than either of the former outliers.

Just a game prior to Philly, Utah posted a very solid 106.6 DRtg versus the third-best offense in the NBA of the Los Angeles Clippers. It’s been a team effort many games in the making.

For some perspective, the Utah Jazz’s defensive rating has hovered around 111.0 for last and this season.

"All things considered, the Jazz’s front court is protecting the hoop surprisingly well. Within 10 feet, Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward, and even Enes Kanter all fall in the top half of Western Conference starters at their position in defending their man near the hoop. Even Favors’ 13th place showing between 6 and 10 feet represents his holding his man below his typical shooting average from such distance.Perhaps more surprisingly, the Jazz’s starting back court of Trey Burke and Alec Burks, lambasted this season for their poor defense, boasts surprising green ratings for their ability to influence shots on the perimeter. That seems completely anti-intuitive given the wealth of contrary information demonstrating how much these players have struggled.–Clint Johnson, Salt City Hoops"

It’s the in-between portions of the floor that are still killing the Jazz, but there’s little question that the process is beginning to have an effect. Previously poor defenders for Utah are working hard to get better on the defensive end of the floor, bad habits being replaced with good ones in the Snyder system.

What we’re seeing is that light go on for certain players in making proper defensive rotations, coupled with Gobert making it easier for his teammates to gamble a little bit here and there, forcing turnovers. It helps that guards like Burke are fighting through picks now as well.

All in all, it’s taken time, but Quin Snyder is beginning to see the fruits of his laborious teaching on the defensive end of the floor. The result is a commitment to defense as a team, a team that is understanding the fundamental principles of such a thing as a unit for maybe the first time.