The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz: One bold prediction for every player on the roster

By Jared Woodcox

DALLAS, TX - MARCH 22: Jae Crowder #99 Donovan Mitchell #45 and Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz look on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 22, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 22: Jae Crowder #99 Donovan Mitchell #45 and Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz look on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 22, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Ricky Rubio from Spain of Utah Jazz during the charity and friendly match Pau Gasol vs Marc Gasol, with European and American NBA players to help young basketball players and developing teams in Fontajau Pavillion, Girona on 8 of July of 2018. (Photo by Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Ricky Rubio from Spain of Utah Jazz during the charity and friendly match Pau Gasol vs Marc Gasol, with European and American NBA players to help young basketball players and developing teams in Fontajau Pavillion, Girona on 8 of July of 2018. (Photo by Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /

Ricky Rubio will hit career-highs in scoring and shooting

In the final three months of the 2017-18 regular season, Ricky Rubio was absolutely phenomenal. He averaged 16 points per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 43.1 percent from deep. Those numbers helped him set career-highs in several areas, despite getting off to a slow start in Utah.

Rubio finished the season with career marks in points per game at 13.1, field goal percentage at 41.8 and 3-point percentage at 35.2. But guess what? I predict that he’ll blow those out of the park in 2018-19. His incredibly efficient marks from the final three months last season may not be sustainable over 82 games, but I still think we’ll see Rubio have his best season yet.

Considering that for essentially the first time in his career he’ll have continuity from one season to the next in terms of teammates, system and coaching staff, there will be no adjustment period for Rubio. Ideally, he’ll be able to pick up pretty much right where he left off, and if he does, having a career year should be essentially a done deal.

I’m expecting Rubio to land right around 15 points per game, 43-45 percent from the field and 38-39 percent from deep. Doing so will make him a highly valuable asset for the Jazz and one of the more reliable point guards in the NBA, even in the deep Western Conference.

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