Utah Jazz: Four big bright spots after the first four games
By Ryan Aston
The first four games of the 2018-19 season have been a hodgepodge of both good and bad for the Utah Jazz. But fans can feel encouraged by these four things…
Utah Jazz basketball is running strong once again, with the team set to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday in Game No. 5 of the 2018-19 campaign. Entering the season, the Jazz faced huge expectations from fans and pundits alike; the question now is whether or not they’ve lived up to them.
It’s a complicated question that, as of now, may not have a clear-cut answer.
The Jazz have already had a victory that felt like a loss at the Sacramento Kings, a loss that could’ve been/nearly was a statement win versus the Golden State Warriors, a nice W over a shorthanded Houston Rockets squad and one of the more confounding losses in recent memory — an eight-point home loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Along the way, they’ve only been the league’s 22nd-ranked offense despite an early explosion. They’ve looked better defensively, where they sit at No. 8, but their team D-rating of just under 104 and the eye test both suggest they’re underperforming.
Also — Ricky Rubio is struggling hard, Donovan Mitchell has been equal parts good and bad and Rudy Gobert looks like a top 10 player.
So, clearly, there’s been a lot on both ends of the spectrum to dissect. If you’re a pessimistic Jazz fan, though, take heart — here are four things that have definitely gone in the team’s favor during the young season.