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Why the Utah Jazz need Joe Ingles to step up

By Mitchell Hansen

DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 5: Joe Ingles #2 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 5, 2019 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 5: Joe Ingles #2 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 5, 2019 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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With injuries to a few key pieces in the Utah Jazz’s rotation for the next few weeks, it’s time for Joe Ingles to step his game up in Salt Lake City.

Throughout the 2018-19 NBA season thus far, the Utah Jazz have had a roller coaster season filled with ups and downs.

That bumpy start to the year has led Utah to a 21-21 record, which is good enough to sit in ninth place in the packed Western Conference standings. The Jazz enter Friday’s slate of NBA games still very much in the playoff hunt, just two games back of the Los Angeles Lakers and the No. 8 seed.

Despite being on somewhat of a roll of late, winning four of their last six games, the Jazz received some concerning injury news earlier this week.

Starting point guard Ricky Rubio (thigh) and backup guard Dante Exum (ankle) both will be forced to miss some time for Utah with injuries that are expected to sideline them for about two weeks.

With their absence from the rotation, that means it’s time for multiple Utah players — most notably wing Joe Ingles — to step up.

While appearing in all 42 games so far this season for the Jazz, Ingles is one pace for one of the best seasons of his five-year NBA career. He is averaging a career-high 11.7 points, 4.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds and a career-high 1.5 steals in 31.1 minutes per game. He is also shooting 43.7 percent from the field, which is the third-best mark of his career.

Ingles ranks fifth on Utah in scoring, second in assists, fourth in rebounds, second in steals and third in minutes played.

Throughout the course of the year, Ingles has been fairly streaky when it comes to his performance on the floor, often seeing his play directly match the team result in a game.

In the last 15 games, where the Jazz have held a record of 8-7, here is how Ingles has performed in wins compared to losses:

  • Wins: 13.8 PPG, 4.6 APG, 4.1 RPG, 48.2 FG%, 40.0 3P%, +10.7 plus-minus
  • Losses: 6.4 PPG, 5.6 APG, 3.6 RPG, 28.8 FG%, 23.3 3P%, -1.9 plus-minus

That trend for Ingles has really been the case throughout his entire season up to this point. Here is how he has performed in 21 wins compared to 21 losses in all 42 games played:

  • Wins: 13.5 PPG, 4.9 APG, 4.0 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 49.0 FG%, +11.7 plus/minus
  • Losses: 9.9 PPG, 4.6 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 38.3 FG%, -3.7 plus/minus

Behind the curtain of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert leading the charge for the Jazz this season, there have been a mixture of key pieces that have contributed to the success or failure in Salt Lake City throughout the 2018-19 campaign, with one of them being Ingles.

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Now, with a few of those pieces missing due to injuries and expected to be sidelined for the next couple of weeks, it’s time for Ingles to step up in Utah and help the Jazz make a second-half push into playoff contention in the Western Conference.

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