Hoops Habit
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NBA Teams Making the Postseason Hunt Interesting

By Maxwell Ogden

Feb 19, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) shoots the ball as Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) and Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) defend in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 98-86. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) shoots the ball as Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) and Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) defend in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 98-86. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 19, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder talks with forward Gordon Hayward (20) during the second half against the Boston Celtics at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Jazz won 111-93. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder talks with forward Gordon Hayward (20) during the second half against the Boston Celtics at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Jazz won 111-93. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /

Utah Jazz

Record: 34-36

Last 10: 6-4

Current Seed: No. 9

Current Streak: Won 1

Leading up to the 2015-16 regular season, the Utah Jazz were projected by many to reach the playoffs. A slew of injuries, including those to guards Dante Exum and Alec Burks, have damaged Utah’s odds of doing so.

Fortunately for fans of the Jazz, their favorite club is catching fire at the perfect time.

Utah has won five of its past six games, which coincides with both the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers hitting rough patches. Thus, the Jazz have positioned themselves to be break through, after all, and secure a berth in the postseason.

For those concerned with Utah’s legitimacy, note that it defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in impressive fashion.

The key part of that tweet: Utah defeated Cleveland without Gordon Hayward.

Hayward is back and healthy now, which means Utah’s vaunted frontcourt will be tasked with leading this final push. Derrick Favors has played at a star-caliber level in 2015-16, Rudy Gobert has been wonderful when healthy, and Hayward continues to be one of the most well-rounded players in the NBA.

Favors and Gobert’s dominant patrol of the defensive interior is a major part of what makes Utah such a special team.

Utah is one of two teams holding opponents below 50.0 percent shooting at the rim. It’s also No. 2 in scoring defense, No. 10 in defensive efficiency, and No. 3 in points allowed in the paint per game, per NBA.com.

More hoops habit: Which NBA teams are getting hot at the perfect time?

Just 1.0 game back of both the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds, Utah is a team to keep a very close eye on entering the closing stretch of the 2015-16 NBA regular season.