The J-Notes
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Five things that need to happen for the Utah Jazz to make the playoffs

By Jared Woodcox

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 20: The Utah Jazz celebrate during the game against the LA Clippers on January 20, 2018 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 20: The Utah Jazz celebrate during the game against the LA Clippers on January 20, 2018 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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SAN ANTONIO, TX – FEBRUARY 3: Head coach Quin Snyder and Ricky Rubio #3 of the Utah Jazz celebrate a win against the San Antonio Spurs on February 3, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX – FEBRUARY 3: Head coach Quin Snyder and Ricky Rubio #3 of the Utah Jazz celebrate a win against the San Antonio Spurs on February 3, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Get the Ricky Rubio from the win streak back

Make absolutely no mistake about it, one of the key components of Utah’s stunning win streak has been the play of Ricky Rubio before he became sidelined with hip soreness. In the first seven games of Utah’s streak, prior to Rubio tweaking his hip in the eighth win against Charlotte, he averaged 20.7 points per game on astounding shooting splits of 53.8 percent from the field and 56.5 percent from three-point land.

Those numbers were as impressive as they were uncharacteristic. After having largely a negative impact while on the floor for the Jazz previously, it was as if a switch flipped or something clicked within Rubio and suddenly he was humming alongside his Jazz teammates. He also averaged nearly eight assists per game during that stretch and finished with a positive plus/minus in all but one of the contests, which had also been a rarity for him for much of the season.

Therefore, if Utah is to continue to have success and build on the already established 11-game win streak, it will be imperative that the team gets back that same confident and efficient version of Rubio that was so prevalent prior to the All-Star break. His injury wasn’t believed to be too serious, so it should be safe to assume that he’ll be back in action for Utah’s first game after the break against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.

Hopefully, beginning right away with that contest, he’ll simply pick back up right where he left off and continue to will his team to victory. Even though the Jazz won all three games that Rubio missed before the All-Star break, there were clear moments, particularly in the bouts against the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns, where it was obvious that the Jazz missed their starting point guard.

If he’s back strong and the offense continues to roll just as it did before his absence, then Utah will be a very dangerous squad down the stretch that should easily be able to muster enough wins to qualify for postseason play.

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