Utah Jazz fans, rejoice! Ricky Rubio making progress toward return
By Ryan Aston
Utah Jazz point guard Ricky Rubio looks to be closing in on a return to the hardwood after missing nearly two weeks of action.
When the Utah Jazz lost all three of the point guards on their 15-man roster, it was hard not to wonder how the team would cope with the injuries. Turns out they were just fine — the Jazz have won six consecutive games and eight of their last nine.
Whether or not they can keep it rolling without a true floor general is definitely a matter for debate. Thankfully, they may not have to — starting point-man Ricky Rubio looks to be on the mend.
On Sunday, Rubio was a go at Jazz practice for the first time since suffering a strained right hamstring during his team’s January 7 bout with the Milwaukee Bucks. He had been doing individual drills in recent days; this time he was a full participant.
He was set to be re-evaluated by Jazz medical next week, but is already listed as questionable for the team’s home game against Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. In other words, there’s an outside shot he’ll be ready to play.
This is great news for a Jazz team that has had a major depth shortfall recently. They’ve also lacked a true set-up man to initiate the offense.
Although Donovan Mitchell has shown out in relief of Rubio, averaging 30 points, six assists and four boards over Utah’s last six games, we need to pump the breaks on him being a better option than Rubio on a full-time basis.
He may be the guy one day, but that day isn’t now. You needn’t look further than the Jazz’s three most-used lineups with Mitchell replacing the Spaniard to see why.
The Jazz’s starting five with Mitchell taking Rubio’s place at the point and Royce O’Neale joining the lineup has been great offensively, scoring nearly 110 points per 100 possessions. However, if you swap Jae Crowder in for Derrick Favors, that number drops to 102. Bring Crowder and Kyle Korver in (for Joe Ingles) and we’re talking just 88 points/100 poss.
That’s one really solid scoring lineup, one that’s well below average and a third that’s terrible beyond belief at putting the ball in the hoop. Defensively, the not-so-good lineups have remained positive as the Jazz have shut down inferior competition, but one has to wonder what would happen against better teams.
Like the Blazers, for example, who feature one of the league’s elite players at the point in Lillard and another backcourt gunner in CJ McCollum.
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For his part, Rubio has had his struggles this season, but he’s the more natural fit as a one and has been a positive impact player at the point, even as he ran the show during the hardest portion of the Jazz schedule.
While that schedule is easing up, the Jazz still have a plethora of difficult games left to play. Having Rubio should only serve to help their chances against the best teams in the Association.