Ricky Rubio picking up where he left off
Ricky Rubio’s 2017-18 season was undoubtedly a tale of two halves. From the start of the season up until January 31st, Rubio averaged 11.4 points on just 39.3 percent shooting from the field and 30.4 percent from deep. He hit a low point in December as he averaged just 9.2 points on abysmal shooting splits of 37.4 percent from the field and 24.4 percent from deep. There came a point when several fans wondered if Rubio could even remain playable.
Then, near the end of January, it was as if a switch flipped within Rubio and he was lights out to finish the season. From the start of February until the end of the regular season, Rubio put up 16 points per game on astounding shooting marks of 45.6 percent from the field and 43.1 percent from deep, while chipping in 5.1 rebounds, six assists and 1.6 steals.
Suddenly, he had transformed into an even better version of the player Jazz fans hoped they were getting when Utah traded for Rubio last summer. It was an impressive finish that saw the Spanish Samurai play the best ball of his career while revolutionizing the Jazz.
And in order for the Jazz to continue to compete at a high level next season, Rubio needs to have an incredible offseason that allows him to pick up right where he left off (if not even better). Despite the slow start, Rubio still posted the best field goal shooting and three-point shooting marks of his entire career, meaning he can certainly still get better. If his shooting remains high to start next season and throughout the entire year, he will make this Jazz team exceptional.
Ricky Rubio's turnaround was one of the most impressive parts of an incredible 2017-18 Utah Jazz season. Via @john_keeffer #TakeNote https://t.co/P7h4ZOZkmV
— The J-Notes (@TheJNotes) May 13, 2018
Along with continuing to improve his three-point shooting and dangerous mid-range shot, Rubio should put a heavy focus on getting better at finishing at the rim. He shout under 50 percent from within five feet of the basket and barely above 50 percent in the restricted area during the regular season. Rubio is crafty with the ball in terms of his handling and getting to the rim, but he needs to work on his touch and scoring methods once he gets there.
Although Rubio now has a full season with the Jazz under his belt, this year’s training camp will be extremely valuable for him as well. Now, instead of coming in having to learn everything new, he’ll already be familiar with Utah’s schemes and simply have a chance to further his cohesion and performance with the team.
Ricky Rubio’s midseason improvements took the Jazz to an entirely different level this past year. If he can now experience another leap from 2017-18 to 2018-19 which sees him better his shooting, get more confident around the rim and increase his cohesion with this Jazz squad, we could see the Utah Jazz truly reach new heights next season.
Next: Utah Jazz ’17-18 Season Review: Royce O’Neale finds a home
The Utah Jazz closed out the regular season phenomenally and especially after advancing to the second round of the NBA Playoffs, you could make a strong argument that they are now the third best team in the Western Conference. Sure, some things could change both for the Jazz and their conference rivals this summer, but as things stand currently, they have a good chance of defending that argument next year.
And if all four of these internal improvements are executed well, those chances will actually be really, really good. The Jazz have already showed how dangerous they can be. If their rising guys can take yet another step forward, a top-three spot in the West could very well be within reach.