#3 First-round loss feels like a step backwards
Let’s be honest, the Houston Rockets are far from your average number four seed. A slow start and a host of injuries prevented them from reaching their regular season ceiling, but they could very well be considered the best or second best team in the West. Instead, they fell to fourth and the Jazz were unfortunate to draw them in the first round.
Nevertheless, Utah’s poor matchup against Houston notwithstanding, losing in the first round in five games undoubtedly feels like a step backwards from a year ago. Last season, the Jazz weren’t even expected to make the playoffs by many, especially after sitting at 19-28 in late January. Nevertheless, they fired on all cylinders down the stretch and ended up reaching the fifth seed for the second year in a row.
Therefore, many presumed that the Jazz would be able to take a massive leap from there in 2018-19. Some had Utah projected as high as the second best team in the West heading into the season. Instead, they finished at the fifth seed yet again, which felt like an under-performance in and of itself. Then, instead of advancing to the second round, they were thoroughly beaten in round one. Not to mention, the defeat came in five games, just as it did to Houston a year ago.
All those incidents make it hard to not feel as if the Jazz didn’t really progress this season and instead took a step backwards. Now, I don’t think that’s entirely fair considering the nature of their first-round matchup and that, truth be told, they competed much better against Houston this year than they did in 2018, but that doesn’t change the fact that none of that amounts to much.
This Jazz team was supposed to build off last year’s unexpected success and be much better in 2018-19. Instead, they were out-shined by the likes of the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers, and didn’t do anywhere close to as well in the playoffs as they did a year ago. Say what you will about moral victories, unfortunate circumstances or anything else in between. It doesn’t change the fact that the feel of regression is a clear and crushing disappointment, especially just before one of the most important summers in Jazz history.