The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz: Five things to be thankful about this Thanksgiving

By Jared Woodcox

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 20: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers hugs Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz after the game at the Wells Fargo Center on November 20, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Jazz 107-86. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 20: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers hugs Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz after the game at the Wells Fargo Center on November 20, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Jazz 107-86. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – NOVEMBER 13: Thabo Sefolosha #22 of the Utah Jazz looks on from the court during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Vivint Smart Home Arena on November 13, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – NOVEMBER 13: Thabo Sefolosha #22 of the Utah Jazz looks on from the court during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Vivint Smart Home Arena on November 13, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) /

Thabo Sefolosha has been solid

When Gordon Hayward left for the Boston Celtics this offseason, Jazz brass was left scrambling. However, they did their best to fill the void left by their All-Star considering the dire circumstances they faced. One of the hopes for the Jazz this season was that the newcomers they added could step up to a whole new level and dramatically help soften the blow caused by Hayward’s departure.

That hasn’t exactly been quite the case so far this year as Gordon’s playmaking and scoring ability have certainly been missed. However, one of the newcomers, Thabo Sefolosha, has certainly been a nice pickup for the Jazz. He was reputed as a defensive specialist prior to joining the Jazz and he has certainly lived up to that on the year so far.

He leads the team in defensive rating at a sturdy 95.4, which is especially solid considering the Jazz’s rating as a team is 102.1. He’s also second on the team in steals at 1.5 and leads the team in both plus/minus (2.6) and net rating (8.9). However, not only has he been formidable defensively as expected, but he’s been surprisingly impactful on the offensive end. He’s among the Jazz’s leaders in offensive rating and is third on the team in both field goal percentage and three-point percentage at 50.0 and 43.8, respectively.

That hot shooting has Thabo at just 7.5 points per game, so there’s definitely an argument to be had that the Jazz should look to involve him even more in their struggling offense. He’s never been known as anything close to a go-to guy, so perhaps that’s an unrealistic option, but it definitely merits consideration.

The fact of the matter, though, is that amidst all the issues the Jazz have had, Thabo Sefolosha has stepped up in a big way. As guys around him get healthy and he becomes even more comfortable with his new Jazz team, particular as a stretch-four threat, he could very well be the heart and soul of Utah’s bench and a critical piece of their ability to turn things around after a slow start.

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