Utah Jazz power ranking round-up: Are the Jazz the best of the worst or worst of the best?

DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 26: Coach Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz speaks with Donovan Mitchell #45 during the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 26, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 26: Coach Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz speaks with Donovan Mitchell #45 during the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 26, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Utah Jazz Donovan Mitchell
DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 26: Coach Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz speaks with Donovan Mitchell #45 during the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 26, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)

A tough December schedule and a slow start to January has led many to lose faith in the Utah Jazz and their legitimacy as a playoff contender. That sentiment is echoed in this week’s major power rankings.

As we approach the season’s midway point, the Utah Jazz find themselves trending toward the bottom third of the league. The question that begs to be answered is whether or not they truly belong there.

Are the Jazz the best among the league’s worst teams or are they the worst of the NBA’s middle tier of wanna-be contenders?

Only time and a healthy roster will tell the true story. In the meantime, here’s a roundup of where the team currently sits in some of the major sports publications’ power rankings this week and my thoughts on the placement.