Utah Jazz ’17-18 Review: Injury cuts Thabo Sefolosha’s season short

Thabo Sefolosha started out his debut season with the Utah Jazz extremely strong, but unfortunately it was ultimately halted by injury.

It’s no secret that the Utah Jazz struggled to get going at the start of 2017-18 as they dealt with the incorporation of several new faces as well as the loss of Rudy Gobert to two separate leg injuries. Not only that, but they also faced the toughest month that any NBA team would face this past season in December, which ultimately led to them dropping to 19-28.

You know the story from there. Utah was able to bounce back and push their way all the way to the second round of the NBA Playoffs. However, unfortunately, one of Utah’s more steady players was unable to contribute to the incredible Jazz run. The player I’m referring to, of course, is Thabo Sefolosha.

In that early discouraging part of the season that I just mentioned, Sefolosha was one of, if not the most reliable player for the Jazz. Among Jazz players who had appeared in at least 30 games, Thabo held the highest net rating by a considerable margin, whereas all five of Utah’s starters during that stretch had negative net ratings.

His defensive prowess was clear on both ends of the floor, and his veteran savvy came in handy on more than a handful of occasions. He also put up 8.2 points per game, the second best mark of his career, while shooting a solid 49.2 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from deep.

His versatility as a small forward or stretch-four appeared that it would allow him to be a great fit skill-wise in Utah. Not only that, but he quickly developed a great chemistry with his teammates particularly Donovan Mitchell.

Unfortunately, after appearing in just 38 games, everything came crashing down for Sefolosha.

In a January 12th bout against the Charlotte Hornets, Sefolosha suffered an MCL injury. Mere days later, he opted to undergo season-ending knee surgery to repair the injury. Despite how promising 2017-18 had once looked for Sefolosha, at that very moment it came to an end.

The Jazz were able to go on an enormous run from there which coincided with the healthy return of Rudy Gobert. If the ever versatile and crafty Sefolosha had been available, there’s no question in my mind that Utah would have been even more dangerous. He was one of their most solid players even when the team was struggling and if he had carried that over once the squad really started to jive, he would have been excellent for the Jazz.

They especially missed his defense in the playoffs as he would have been helpful in stopping the likes of Paul George, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Chris Paul, to name just a few of the electric players Utah faced in the first two rounds. Ultimately Utah triumphed over the Oklahoma City Thunder without Sefolosha, but the Houston Rockets proved to be too much.

Nevertheless, although Thabo obviously didn’t have an impact on the court, that doesn’t change the fact that he remained an active force for the team behind the scenes. He could often be spotted encouraging and giving advice to his Jazz teammates from the bench and was heralded as a sensational locker room piece.

His insight and understanding of the game no doubt helped propel the Jazz to the great heights they reached all throughout the season.

Hopefully Sefolosha will make a full recovery and be able to come back strong next season, picking up exactly where he left off prior to the injury he suffered in Charlotte. He faces a little bit of uncertainty this offseason given that there is a team option on his contract which the Jazz must decide on by July 1st. For what it’s worth, all signs thus far indicate that he would like to return.

And my guess is that, assuming all goes well with his recovery, the Jazz will be highly interested in bringing him back as well. His play was just what the Jazz needed early in the year and a big part of what they were missing – experienced defense and solid three-point shooting – in the playoff series against Houston.

Perhaps if the Jazz have some sort of trade or significant free agent signing in the works, they’ll opt to part ways with Sefolosha, but I don’t foresee that being the case. It will be interesting to see how the Jazz manage playing time for both he and teammate Jae Crowder, who joined the Jazz following Thabo’s injury. But if anyone can figure out how to maximize the two of them, it’s Quin Snyder.

Next: One year ago, Donovan Mitchell killed his workout with the Utah Jazz

Since Sefolosha established an impeccable chemistry right off the bat with this Jazz team and was an awesome contributor early, I think it’s safe to assume he’ll be back next year. And if he’s able to build off his early success in 2017-18, he could very well be even better and play a crucial role in elevating Utah to another level.

Here’s to a successful and speedy recovery for Thabo Sefolosha!