Five reasons why the Utah Jazz will make the playoffs in 2018-19

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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – MAY 06: Head coach Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz looks on prior to their game against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of Round Two of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena on May 6, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) /

Coach Quin Snyder’s Prowess

There are a lot of figures that deserve credit for the Utah Jazz’s rise in the Western Conference. Star players Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert certainly. Dennis Lindsey for constructing an incredible team for sure. And many other coaches, scouts, players and other personnel.

But one who truly stands out in my mind is head coach Quin Snyder. Quin is an absolute genius on the court and has proven during his time in Utah that he can take any group of players imaginable and transform their whole into an exponentially greater force than the sum of their parts. He gets the most out of his players and is a wizard at producing a prolific offense and a daunting defense.

And while one of Quin’s greatest tools this season coincides with the first reason I already stated, it deserves mentioning once again. Rather than having to figure things out with a new-look squad, Quin will be able to apply his genius towards a team that he’s already extremely familiarized with.

The Jazz building chemistry last season was largely because Quin figured out how to make all the ‘different-shaped’ parts work together. Without having that obstacle to work out, he’ll simply be able to focus on game planning for each individual opponent and getting his team to do exactly the things that he knows they’re capable of.

And one area where Quin has absolutely excelled is in making adjustments. Look at Game 1 of both of Utah’s most recent first-round playoff series for some excellent proof of that. In Game 1 in 2017 against the LA Clippers, mere seconds into the game, Rudy Gobert went down with a knee injury. The big man had appeared in 81 games that season and the Jazz had next to no experience playing without him.

Regardless, Quin adjusted on the fly, sent in Derrick Favors to carry an enormous load, and the Jazz were able to adapt, catch the Clips off guard and win the game.

In last year’s series against OKC, the Game 1 result wasn’t nearly as nice, but the moral of the story remains the same. Instead, the Jazz lost that first contest to the OKC Thunder in relatively convincing fashion. However, from there, the Jazz changed their game plan, locked up Paul George, forced OKC into the shots they wanted and ultimately won the series in six games.

Had it not been for the Thunder’s outrageous and improbable comeback effort in Game 5, the Jazz likely would have pulled off a gentleman’s sweep after making adjustments from the initial loss.

That adaptability speaks volumes to the brilliance and prowess of Coach Snyder as a coach in this league. As he continues to work his wonders with the Jazz, he should very much be able to help them weave their way through the Western Conference, despite it being even tougher than last year, and lead them to the postseason.

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