Utah Jazz Report Card: Player grades through Utah’s first 10 games
By Tyler Thorpe
![SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 30: Rodney Hood #5 and Ricky Rubio #3 of the Utah Jazz talk during a second half time out during their 104-89 win over the Dallas Mavericks at Vivint Smart Home Arena on October 30, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 30: Rodney Hood #5 and Ricky Rubio #3 of the Utah Jazz talk during a second half time out during their 104-89 win over the Dallas Mavericks at Vivint Smart Home Arena on October 30, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/757a6c66eb770efe79a565d5c0f872f62bd3267343a0ee931b56c906d7b36ef8.jpg)
C+. . G/F. Utah Jazz. JOE JOHNSON
It’s been a disappointing start to the season for the ageless Joe Johnson. After appearing in the first seven games of the season, Johnson has been out with “Tendon Instability” for Utah’s last three games and is expected to be out at least another week.
Before the injury, Johnson was never really able to get into any sort of offensive groove. The offensive specialist shot a miserable 11.8 percent from downtown before the Jazz decided to shut him down to recover.
While Johnson has proven to be a valuable asset, especially late in games, giving him time to fully recover may be the best move the Jazz can make. If this team wants any chance to make a post-season push and compete in a seven-game series, they will need a shot-creating, go-to option down the stretch of close games.
Even at 36, Johnson provides Utah with just that.
We are just seven months removed from this…