The J-Notes
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10 Reasons Why the Utah Jazz Won’t Make the Playoffs

By Greg Foster

Feb 29, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Evan Turner (11) celebrates as Utah Jazz forward Chris Johnson (23) reacts during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 29, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Evan Turner (11) celebrates as Utah Jazz forward Chris Johnson (23) reacts during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Raul Neto Utah Jazz youth
Feb 5, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Raul Neto (25) passes the ball during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Jazz won 84-81. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /

5) Youth and Inexperience

Earlier this season, when Derrick Favors was out with his back injury, it dawned on me just how young and inexperienced the Utah Jazz really are.

The starting unit went as follows:
PG: Raul Neto (rookie)
SG: Rodney Hood (second-year player in his first year in a starting role)
SF: Gordon Hayward (only player in the lineup with multiple years as a starter)
PF: Trey Lyles (rookie)
C: Rudy Gobert (third-year player in his first year in a starting role)

The Utah Jazz are a very young team. It’s not an excuse, it’s reality. And with youth comes stubbed toes.

Hood and Gobert are experiencing, for the first time, the rigors of playing starting minutes throughout an 82-game season. Lyles and Neto have been asked to play major minutes without having any experience to rely on. That’s a lot of learning on the fly and it helps explain why the Jazz have struggled so much throughout the season.

You can’t expect mastery when you’ve never done something before.

Next: No. 6: Lack of Toughness

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