Utah Jazz: 3 reasons to love the team’s championship odds
Utah Jazz talent
We’ll start this slide with a confession: the Utah Jazz are not the most talented team in the NBA. However, given their league-wide advantages in continuity and harmony (plus roster construction), they may be close enough.
Any discussion of Utah’s overall talent starts with the most talented player on this roster. Donovan Mitchell is only 25. This is a player who just finished a season averaging 26.4 points per game (not to mention a jaw-dropping 32.3 in the playoffs), and he stands to improve.
That fact alone is enough to inspire confidence, but the Utah Jazz also roster a 3x Defensive Player of the Year in Rudy Gobert. Voter fatigue may prohibit the Stifle Tower from picking up his fourth award, but he figures to remain the best rim protector in basketball heading into the 2021-22 season.
Outside of the Jazz’s two best players, Mike Conley is coming off the first All-Star appearance of a rock-solid NBA career. While the 14-year pro is entering his age 34 season, fans in Salt Lake City will hope that the nature of his game can stave off age-related decline. Conley is not dependent on superhuman athleticism, but instead earns his keep with a high basketball IQ and flawless fundamentals. Those attributes tend to age well.
Furthermore, the Utah Jazz probably have the best second unit in basketball. They’ll be bringing back Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson and his runner-up Joe Ingles. The offseason additions of Rudy Gay, Eric Paschall, Hassan Whiteside and rookie Jared Butler only bolster what was already one of the NBA’s best benches.
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The Utah Jazz present as a club who know how to play with each other, know what they want, and have the talent to get it. They may not be overwhelming favorites to end this season with the NBA Championship, but fans of the team should still be happy with their odds.