Utah Jazz: 3 reasons they will make the playoffs in 2017-18
By Jason Oliver
1. Defense wins championships
The Jazz lost 22 points per game and the reliability of a consistent presence late in games who’s capable of making the game-winning shot. There’s no escaping that. But for opposing teams in 2017-18, there will be no chance to escape the relentless defensive pressure on the court no matter the lineup.
With it made perfectly clear they would be aiming to win games with their defensive performance, Lindsey and his front office went about adding the sort of depth that makes them a 48-minute defensive juggernaut.
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Already with the third best defensive rating (102.7), second in opponent fastbreak points (10.5 per game), opponent second chance points (10.7), opponent field goal percentage (44.3 percent) opponent rebounds allowed (40.2), and first in opponent points per game (96.8), the Jazz have a formidable defense returning for 2017-18.
They’ve managed to add pieces over the summer that possibly improve the less attractive half of basketball, easing the pressure of filling the Hayward-sized void left on offense.
With Gobert occupying the middle for 34 minutes a game, swatting and influencing would-be buckets, the Jazz found the remaining 14 minutes in their signing of Udoh.
As an active shot-blocker in his previous NBA stint from 2010-15, Udoh averaged 2.6 blocked shots per 36 minutes. He’s going to have a clear role in this Jazz team with Gobert off the floor and has the tools to succeed. Any scoring and passing he can offer, as he displays in the below video, will be a bonus.
To add to the defense on the perimeter the Jazz signed defensive specialist, Thabo Sefolosha. The Switzerland-born forward offers coach Quin Snyder an elite on-ball defender off the bench to slow down any firing opposition superstars. His career up to this point has been built on slowing down opposing stars. Sefolosha isn’t likely to be a starter or take up much of an oppositions offensive scouting report, but he connects on 35 percent of his catch and shoot three-point attempts, making him dangerous enough to not leave totally unguarded.
Improving on last year’s prolific defensive numbers is a large reason why the Jazz will continue to have a presence in playoff basketball despite losing their franchise cornerstone.