Utah Jazz ready to move up in Western Conference hierarchy

Storyline 3: Can the Jazz make it past the second round?

If there has ever been a problem for the Utah Jazz, the second round has been it. Forget injuries and disappointing seasons. The second round has been the Kryptonite for the Jazz.

Yes, they got bounced from the first round last season, however, the year before that they advanced further, yet lost to the Rockets again. Maybe the Rockets are the Kryptonite to the Jazz, but nobody knows. Regardless, if the Jazz don’t get past the first round or lose in the second, it will have been a disappointing season.

This team has Finals potential and fans expect them to perform like it.

It’s tough to say that the Jazz can win a conference semifinals series, especially given how the West has improved drastically over the past three months. If the Jazz get caught up against an LA team in the second round, that may spell the end for the Jazz.

However, if the Utah Jazz can avoid the LA teams until the conference finals, they have as much of a chance as anyone of making it past the second round. A match-up with the Denver Nuggets, Rockets, Golden State Warriors or even the Portland Trail Blazers in that round would probably result in a series win for Utah.

Fans just have to hope they avoid the two powerhouses of the West, the Lakers and LA Clippers.

So, the odds are they get matched up with the Lakers or Clippers in the second round and lose in a tight series. If any team can deliver an upset to those two, the Utah Jazz are that team. They have the personnel to do so. The conference finals is a possibility though, and they need a bit of luck to make it happen.