Utah Jazz: Appreciating Donovan Mitchell’s Game 2 in the WCSFs

Donovan Mitchell’s rookie season may be over, but his performance in Game 2 against the Houston Rockets was his playoff coming-out party.

Donovan Mitchell‘s impressive rookie season has been talked about almost ad nauseam; at least to the casual fan or anyone who doesn’t like the Utah Jazz. (No, we’re not here to debate whether or not Donovan Mitchell should have won Rookie of the Year over Ben Simmons or what the real definition of a rookie is).

Even so, Mitchell’s performance in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets this year may be an indicator of things to come.

As some may remember, the Jazz were without starting point guard Ricky Rubio for this series. Many pegged players like Joe Ingles and Dante Exum as the ones that needed to step up, but it was Donovan Mitchell who became the team’s playmaker, in more ways than one:

Confession: The previous sentence was just an excuse to plug that dunk in, but back to the topic at hand, playmaking.

During the regular season, Donovan Mitchell ranked third on the team in assists (3.7 per game), trailing only Joe Ingles and Ricky Rubio. The number may seem small compared to the league’s premier playmakers, but head coach Quin Snyder runs an egalitarian offense.

In the playoffs, Mitchell upped his personal ranking to second on the team, averaging 4.2 assists per game.

The film speaks for itself, but Mitchell’s Game 2 performance propelled Utah to its lone victory against the Rockets. This was also Mitchell’s only game where he recorded double-digit assists in the regular season or postseason, so this performance isn’t necessarily being brought up to say the Jazz are undefeated when Mitchell records double-digit assists (even if it is true).

With that being said, if Mitchell can continue to increase his assists per game, then Utah can get to the next level.

When at least one of Rubio or Ingles was off the floor during the playoffs, the opposing team threw double-teams and pressured Mitchell or Rubio/Ingles to make a play. Unfortunately for the Jazz, it worked for the most part. The offense would stall and a lot of possessions would end in a turnover and/or points on the other end. Mitchell’s performance in Game 2 offered some insight into what the offense could look like next season.

I am 99.9 percent (barring injury) the Jazz will trot out the starting lineup Snyder rolled with most of the season: Ricky Rubio, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert. That’s three legitimate playmakers who all have the ability to stretch the floor 1-3, along with two lob threats in Favors and Gobert.

In other words, opposing teams can try to pressure one of Mitchell, Rubio and Ingles, but if Mitchell improves as a facilitator, they’re likely leaving the lane open for a drive or a lob, or an open 3-pointer. This isn’t unique to the Jazz, but it will allow Utah to be more methodical on offense.

With Rubio out for the series against the Rockets, many predicted Utah would get swept. The Jazz suffered a gentleman’s sweep at the hands of the Houston Rockets, but for at least one game, they showed they can hang with the best in the league. The upcoming season will provide a good look at how much Mitchell’s playmaking plays a factor in this team reaching new heights.