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Utah Jazz: 40 reasons to get excited for Utah’s 40th season

By Braden Stringer

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - SEPTEMBER 28: the Utah Jazz celebrate off the bench during the meet the team event at vivint.SmartHome Arena on September 28, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) Utah Jazz
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - SEPTEMBER 28: the Utah Jazz celebrate off the bench during the meet the team event at vivint.SmartHome Arena on September 28, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) Utah Jazz /
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Utah Jazz Rudy Gobert
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert dunks against the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., on Saturday, March 3, 2018. The Jazz won, 98-91. (Hector Amezcua/Sacramento Bee/TNS via Getty Images) /

Alley-oops and Dunks. If the preseason has been any indication of how the regular season will go, it’s safe to assume that the Jazz will be throwing it down against opponents on a nightly basis.

3-Point Barrages. Utah’s got one of the best 3-point shooters out there in Joe Ingles. On a good night any one of Mitchell, Allen, and Rubio can be very legitimate threats also. I would like to see Royce O’Neale improve this aspect of his game; he’s a strong defender and talented all-around athlete. If he becomes a real threat from beyond the arc, opposing teams will definitely have their hands full trying to defend Utah’s offense.

Jae Crowder’s Fire. I feel like every time that Jae Crowder takes the floor there’s a 50/50 chance that he gets ejected. He brings it every night. Jae is fueled by his passion and while that occasionally can get him into trouble; frequently though, it lifts the team. Jae’s fire provides a spark coming off the bench that allows Utah to compete with anyone.

Dante Exum’s Potential. Injuries have plagued Dante Exum. He hasn’t played a full season for a very long time and it’s hard to know exactly how much of an impact Dante will have. The Jazz seem to believe that he has enough potential to warrant 3-year, $33 million contract. I don’t know how this season is going to turn out for Dante, but watching him in preseason so far it is clear that he is always one of the quickest, most explosive players on the court. If he stays healthy, Exum will add athleticism that the Jazz will need to challenge the league’s best teams.

The Shoe Game. For the first time ever, NBA players will be able to wear sneakers of any color at any time during the season. Many players like to write messages or put crazy designs on their shoes. I believe that the NBA is so successful because it allows players to express themselves. This is one of the ways many players like to do that.

Social Media Trash Talk. Many NBA players are very active social media users. They use these platforms for all sorts of reasons, but one of the most popular is trash talk. Whether it’s Joe Ingles roasting Blake Griffin (or anyone for that matter), Jae Crowder challenging Jimmy Butler, or Rudy Gobert’s general savagery the Jazz know how to hold their own in the virtual world.

UTA VS OKC. Last season’s playoff battle between the Jazz and Thunder was one to remember. These two teams are good and they match up well. On top of that, I think that each team improved this offseason. The Jazz retained their guys and the Thunder were able to get rid of Carmelo Anthony, who was clearly not a strength to the team during the playoffs. Every time these teams get together it’s a rumble. I expect the regular season series to be pretty evenly matched, but I think that Utah comes out on top.

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