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

By Michael Dunlap

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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2. Gordon Hayward Continues To Evolve

If you had asked me after the 2012-13 season, I’d have told you Hayward was heading for stardom in the NBA. His 2013-14 season followed a similar path, though he struggled with his expanding role in the offense. Last year, he finally seemed to get comfortable and we got to see what kind of player he can be.

For the uninitiated, Hayward does a bit of everything for the Jazz. He scored 19.3 points per game with 4.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game in 2014-15. Only seven other players could boast those numbers and only two others are non-point guards (LeBron James, Kobe Bryant).

Hayward posted a career-best 20.2 PER and turned a career-high usage rate (26.2) into a stellar .425 free-throw rate. He lit it up from 16-feet to the 3-point line (45.8 percent) and finished inside 3-feet at a career-best 64.3 percent.

Simply put, Hayward continues to improve in every facet of his offensive game and there’s no reason to believe the 25-year-old will stop now.

Next: Shifting Balance Of Power

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