The Utah Jazz are among the best teams in the Western Conference, even amid a three-game losing streak.
The Jazz are one of the more well-balanced squads in the NBA, ranking 10th in offensive rating and 11th in defensive rating, according to Basketball-Reference.
But the Jazz still cling to the identity of being overlooked. It can be hard for a small-market team — even a storied franchise such as the Jazz — to generate buzz comparable to the teams in Los Angeles.
The lack of attention does not bother this Jazz team. Center Rudy Gobert said being the underdog is “who we are” during an interview with Shams Charania of Stadium. He also noted the Lakers and Clippers “deserve” the attention because they have been playing good basketball (answer toward the very end of this interview):
“I want to be Defensive Player of the Year again…I feel I’m as good as I’ve ever been.”
Jazz All-Star @rudygobert27 sits down on @Stadium: On leadership role with @spidadmitchell, his evolving offensive game, "underdog" mentality competing alongside LA teams. pic.twitter.com/DMnPTTcX3e
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 26, 2020
For his part, Gobert seems to be perennially overlooked at the center position.
Article Continues BelowThe Frenchman only just made his first All-Star team this season, though the Jazz big man has twice been named Defensive Player of the Year and has also made a pair of All-NBA teams.
Gobert is an absolute menace in the paint. The Jazz big man single-handedly disrupts the half-court offense because of his shot-blocking abilities and length. The 27-year-old is averaging “just” 1.9 blocks per game this year, but he has already racked up 3.6 Defensive Win Shares, per Basketball-Reference.
Not everyone is sleeping on Utah. Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal said on Tuesday night the Jazz pose the toughest challenge to the Lakers because of their ability to grind and stay in every game.
Still, with pundits and fans anticipating an all-Los Angeles Western Conference Finals, the Jazz are certainly among the teams flying under the radar.