The season-long outlook for this Utah Jazz squad was beginning to look bleak.
A frigid January saw this team go 3-12. Reports about tensions between star players surfaced. The Jazz looked like they were on a one-way path to internal combustion.
We panicked. Arguably, we overreacted. Now riding a six-game winning streak, these Utah Jazz look exactly like the contenders we envisioned heading into the 2021-22 season.
It’s been a rollercoaster of a season. The uphill portion of the ride was grueling. It may be over.
Here are 3 reasons to believe in your Utah Jazz again.
Reason to believe in the Utah Jazz #1: Good health.
We touched on this recently, but as in life, health comes first in the National Basketball Association.
The Jazz struggled to field their key players throughout their woeful January. It showed. All told, this group is 6-8 without Rudy Gobert, and 5-7 without Donovan Mitchell.
Now, imagine this team trying to win games without either of them.
Nobody should have hit the panic button when this team was losing games led by Eric Paschall and Elijah Hughes. It should have been entirely expected.
When this team goes on a losing skid while both Mitchell and Gobert are available, wake us up. Otherwise, we’re resolving not to overreact (again) if the Jazz lose games in their absences.
In a talent driven league, nobody can survive without their two best players.