2021 NBA Playoffs: Contender or pretender with all 16 teams

2021 NBA Playoffs: Contender or Pretender – Utah Jazz

Last season the Utah Jazz landed in the 4-5 matchup and lost a close first-round series to the Denver Nuggets. They bounced back by going 52-20 in a shortened season, with a +9.2 point differential. The Jazz are guaranteed home-court advantage in any series that they play.

Rudy Gobert has been the team’s most important player, lifting them to a top-5 defense despite starting no other elite defenders. He is vitally important on offense as well with how he manipulates defenses with his screening and rim runs. Donovan Mitchell is achieving reasonable efficiency at high volume. Mike Conley and Joe Ingles are the connective tissue every great team needs.

This group hasn’t won at the highest level, so it’s reasonable to expect them to struggle as the favorite. Their backcourt has limped to the finish line and may not be healthy to start the playoffs. Will their hot shooting from the regular season carry over? Will Gobert be marginalized against the toughest opponents?

The Jazz shouldn’t be overwhelming favorites, especially not in this season of chaos and a wide-open field. But they earned their top seed, and they have a head coach with a history of making adjustments if needed. This squad has the pieces in place to win it all; can they buck their own personal history and do that?

Verdict: Contender