Utah Jazz fans have five reasons to be excited as their team's whole starting lineup cracked the Sports Illustrated Top 100 NBA players of 2017 rankings.
Without further ado, let's see what Sports Illustrated's Ben Golliver and Rob Mahoney had to say about the teammates.
No. 85: Rodney Hood (SG)
“In Year Two, Rodney Hood completely flipped the script from ‘Boy, he really slid on draft night' to ‘Boy, a lot of teams regret that he really slid on draft night',” wrote Golliver.
The lefty was fearless to the rim and showed the ability to score, despite the fact that there were two other players who took the majority of the shots.
His defense has room to improve and his clutch shooting could use some help, but for a 23-year-old, he could be close to a breakout year.
No. 56: George Hill (PG)
Fresh off a shipment from his native Indiana, George Hill is the point guard the Jazz had been waiting for since the departure of Deron Williams.
Hill is a capable scorer who chooses to get his teammates involved unselfishly, his elite three-point shooting and reliable defense make him a lock at the starting point guard position.
“He’s a smart, balanced practitioner of the screen-and-roll with the experience to run an offense. He also just happens to be perfectly willing to take a backseat while another teammate drives or pick up a challenging assignment to save someone else the trouble. Hill is game for whatever, and his open-minded play only serves to broaden his team’s options,” wrote Mahoney.
No. 33: Rudy Gobert (C)
At 24-years-old, Rudy Gobert hasn't remotely reached his ceiling. The French international is a monster on the glass, finishing tied-sixth in the league with 11 a game, plus a third-best 2.2 blocks per game.
The 7-foot-1 center is not just a shot-blocker but a shot disruptor. His sheer length will take up a massive amount of space and intimidate opponents challenging him at the rim.
“With good health, Gobert should be firmly in the mix for All-Defensive Team and Defensive Player of the Year honors,” wrote Golliver.
No. 28: Derrick Favors (PF)
Derrick Favors is a multi-dimensional forward that has done a lot for this team.
“With so many teams hoping to play smaller and faster, the 25-year-old Favors makes for a nightly mismatch. His strength, honed scoring ability and motor are tough to handle for perimeter-oriented fours, as he can pound the glass on both ends and work his way to high-percentage shots against undersized defenders,” wrote Golliver.
A well-rounded contribution of 16.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game kept the Jazz afloat during the season. If his footwork continues to improve and if he can remain healthy, it won't be long until he evolves into a 20-point scorer.
No. 27: Gordon Hayward (SF)
Gordon Hayward has earned the “franchise” tag with his performance last season. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 19.7 points, five rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in a team that was as close to a local hospital as it gets.
“While Hayward might fall short on the “Can he be the No. 1 guy on a championship team?” question, he absolutely aces the “Would he be able to make strong contributions regardless of the players around him?” test,” wrote Golliver.
The Butler alum is one of the rare breeds of high-use, high-durability guards in the NBA, which has largely benefitted his team throughout the season.
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