5 Reasons The Utah Jazz Will Make The 2015-16 NBA Playoffs

Mar 30, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) blocks Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) in the second quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) blocks Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) in the second quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Utah Jazz don’t get the national attention they deserve and rightfully so — they haven’t been relevant in basketball terms since the 2011-12 season, when they were swept out of the first round by the San Antonio Spurs. All of that will change this year,

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: How Many Utah Jazz Players Made The 50 Greatest NBA Players of the 1990’s?

Long gone from those days are their top-two scorers in Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson, but they’ve been replaced with a much different frontcourt (with a much different set of skills). More on that later.

Utah went 19-1o to finish the 2014-15 campaign, including big wins over three Western Conference powers — the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.

Returning all of the key players from last season (minus Dante Exum), the Jazz look poised to take the next step in any young team’s maturation process — their first playoff appearance together.

Let’s look at five reasons the Jazz will return to the NBA playoffs this season.

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