The J-Notes
Fansided

The 2017-18 Utah Jazz: An Unexpected Season

By Tyler Thorpe

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 23: The Utah Jazz huddle up during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 23: The Utah Jazz huddle up during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Paul George Donovan Mitchell
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 27: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz and Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder greet each other after Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The OKC series

Out of all the memories that this season provided, this one was my personal favorite.

Utah lost its top two scorers from last year and was still able to win a first-round series. If that doesn’t prove that (A) Quin Snyder is coach of the year and (B) the Jazz belong among the league’s top teams, I don’t know what will.

The series began with Paul “Playoff P” George living up to his odd, self-given nickname. The rest of the series (besides one historic collapse), belonged to the Jazz.

Utah went on to win three straight games, taking a commanding 3-1 lead over the Thunder.

Russell Westbrook, after giving up a triple-double to Ricky Rubio in Game 3, guaranteed that he was going to “shut that ____ down” in the next game. Despite some heroic scoring efforts, the former MVP was eventually sent packing by Rubio and the Jazz in six games.

I will never forget All-NBA level players, Westbrook and George, getting frustrated and ultimately outplayed by Rubio, Joe Ingles, Royce O’Neale and Co.

Again, outside of a historic 25-point meltdown in Game 5, the Jazz outclassed the Thunder and proved that a well-coached, selfless team can outplay a few stars.

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