Utah Jazz: 5 reasons to be excited for 2019-20 NBA season
By Dean Hasan
The Utah Jazz made significant strides towards becoming a top contender this summer. Here are 5 reasons to be excited for the 2019-20 season.
The Utah Jazz finished last season with a 50-32 record, good for third in the Northwest Division and fifth in the Western Conference.
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Despite heating up with an 18-7 record after the All-Star break heading into the playoffs, the Jazz were sent home early for the second straight year by the Houston Rockets, this time in the first round following a gentleman’s sweep.
Although the Jazz had a disappointing finish to their season, the team made solid all around improvements as a collective.
Rudy Gobert tacked another Defensive Player of the Year award, All-NBA and All-Defensive team selections onto his resume while improving his scoring and efficiency numbers.
Star 2-guard Donovan Mitchell similarly improved his scoring and efficiency from deep and with another year under his belt, he’ll be looking to take the next step to become one of the premier guards in the NBA.
Additionally, while Joe Ingles saw a dip in his (still-elite) 3-point percentage, he stepped up as a play maker with a career high 5.7 assists per contest and second-year forward Royce O’Neale exhibited strong play in the playoffs.
This off season, Utah has retooled significantly. Through trades, free agency and the draft, they’ve shored up their weaknesses, improved on their strengths and are ready to make a run at an NBA title this year. Here are five reasons to be excited for the 2019-20 season.