Utah Jazz
Current Record: 4-6
Standings: 4th in Division, 10th in Conference
Last but not least comes our beloved Utah Jazz. There seems to be an odd split going on right now in the Utah Jazz fanbase. One portion has hit the panic button, is screaming to the high heavens that this team is doomed and is expressing wild concern about this team underperforming and failing to live up to expectations.
The other portion is taking an almost nonchalant approach, shrugging off the bad record and poor play as nothing more than an early slump that will be no problem to overcome. Honestly, I think both sides are in the wrong, one too panicked and the other too complacent.
For one thing, 10 games into the season is far too early to throw in the towel or to start proclaiming a team dead in the water. For example, if Utah had started out the year 10-0, then went on to lose six of 10, no one would be panicking in the slightest. Losing streaks and slumps happen. The fact that Utah is going through a streak where they’ve lost six of their first ten to start out the year is no indication that they’re going to be an awful team. We need to let much more of the year play out.
On the flip side of that, while there’s no need for wide-spread panic, there certainly is reason for concern. For me, it’s not so much the 4-6 record that has me worried, it’s the way the Jazz have performed in those 10 games. If they had played and executed well in those games, brought energy to the contests and simply faltered, I’d be OK with that mark. But the fact that the Jazz have simply played downright bad and have looked unfocused is what has me feeling uncomfortable.
Their typically staunch defense is currently 16th in the league in terms of defensive rating. They’re letting teams put up over 110 points per game on them, and are fourth-worst in the league in terms of opponent field goal shooting percentage at 48.3 percent.
To no one’s surprise, the offense has been quite mediocre. In year’s past, when Utah’s offense has struggled, they’ve made up for it with a relentless defense. So far this season, though, the defense has been worse than the offense, which is an alarming trend that has resulted precisely in a losing record.
With all this said, let’s try to maintain some perspective. The sky isn’t falling yet and the Jazz have plenty of time to turn things around. Then again, there is ample reason for Jazz fans to be nervous. Being nervous, though, does not equate to giving up on the team or losing faith in what they can become. They showed quite clearly what they’re capable of to close out last season, and to believe that’s all but vanished would be a foolish opinion.
Utah isn’t where they want to be right now, and if they keep up this level of play, they’re likely to stay at fourth in the division and out of the playoffs entirely, just as they are now. Thankfully, I think we’ll see a significant turnaround sooner rather than later which will instill faith and optimism back in a discouraged Jazz fanbase.
Their start has created some uneasiness, but don’t sleep on the Jazz bouncing back to become a force in the West. They have the depth, discipline and coaching to do just that. Now it’s time for them to put it into practice, execute and reverse their early misfortune such that they can keep pace with the stalwart Northwest Division foes ahead of them in the standings.
I can hardly wait to see how things will stand a month from now, when we revisit the Northwest Division standings anew in December.