NBA Power Rankings Week 17: A new number one and a lot of injuries

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42-15. Previous: 2nd. Utah Jazz. 3. team. 118.

Last Week: Lost to Washington Wizards 125-121, Beat Oklahoma City Thunder 106-96, Beat Indiana Pacers 119-111, Lost/OT to Los Angeles Lakers 127-115

This Week: 4/19 at Los Angeles Lakers, 4/21 at Houston Rockets, 4/24 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

The injury bug that has avoided the Utah Jazz for most of the season finally bit, knocking Donovan Mitchell out for a few weeks with an ankle injury. Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert joined him on the sidelines for the overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, taking some of the sting out of that loss. The Jazz will have to weather the storm of Mitchell’s absence over the coming weeks as the Phoenix Suns are hot on their heels.

This week, a whopping seven members of the Jazz averaged double digits in scoring, the example of the balance juggernaut that they have been this season. Mitchell led the way (28.7 points per game) but figuring out who can help pick up the scoring load in his stead is pretty simple.

Bojan Bogdanovic was the only starter for the Jazz that played in every game this week and averaged 24.8 points per game. He is a streaky scorer, but if this is a tear that he can keep up for a few weeks, the offensive attack for the Jazz should be fine until Mitchell comes back. The Jazz can afford to be cautious. As close as the race between the Suns and the Jazz is at this point, none of it matters without a healthy Donovan Mitchell.