The San Antonio Spurs have had one of the quickest organic rises to the top in recent memory. Having just dethroned the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West, there's a fair amount of faith that they could emerge as NBA Champions. The fact that they are this good this quickly in the Victor Wembanyama era is a scary thought for the rest of the NBA.
With the Utah Jazz's hopes of returning to the playoffs, and maybe more so, they know the Spurs stand in their way. While San Antonio will definitely be a threat, Utah might just be their kryptonite because Jaren Jackson Jr. has historically dominated his matchups against Wemby.
In the seven games the two have faced off against each other, JJJ has won every single one of them. He did this despite the fact that the Memphis Grizzlies have gone through one of the swiftest downfalls in recent memory.
Obviously, the team makeup is different in Utah, but there's enough objective data here to sway fans to believe that the Jazz have the ultimate antidote against the Spurs. Having one of the league's premier floor-spacing rim protectors could throw San Antonio for a loop in their matchups.
No one's suggesting Utah is better than San Antonio, but they just might be the team the reigning Western Conference Champions won't want to face in the playoffs.
Adding Walker Kessler may make it even tougher for the Spurs
Everything regarding the Jazz's overall talent and ceiling remains hypothetical until proven otherwise. However, many are looking forward to the eventual team-up of JJJ and Kessler next season, especially given that Kessler will likely be on a team-friendly deal.
What will make the two of them so fearsome is that Kessler's bread and butter is the rim while Jackson can do that while also being able to guard along the perimeter. Wembanyama has a variety of moves, but JJJ's repertoire can limit what he can do.
Plus, even if Wemby brings Jackson out to the three-point line, Kessler will still be there protecting the rim, limiting the Spurs' options. No one's saying Wembanyama, who might already be the NBA's best player, would be stopped, but Utah definitely has the assets to force San Antonio out of their comfort zone.
The Spurs beat the Thunder because they designed their team to make the reigning champs as uncomfortable as possible. They have the ultimate cheat code, but that doesn't mean teams like the Jazz can't do the same if all goes right next season.
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