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There is an interesting little nugget to the Utah Jazz's 2020-21 season that suggests they are ready for deep waters come playoff time.
The Jazz are 22-7 against current playoff teams, with a winning record over other Western Conference contenders like the Los Angeles Clippers (2-1), Los Angeles Lakers (1-0) and Portland Trail Blazers (1-0), among others.
Utah is also 2-0 against the Milwaukee Bucks on the year. The Phoenix Suns are the only playoff team with a winning record (1-0) over the Jazz.
The Utah Jazz are 22-7 against current Playoff teams.
3-0 vs Memphis
2-0 vs Dallas
1-0 vs Portland
1-0 vs Lakers
2-0 vs Charlotte
2-0 vs Boston
2-0 vs Atlanta
2-0 vs Milwaukee
1-1 vs Denver
2-1 vs Clippers
0-1 vs Phoenix
1-1 vs Miami
1-1 vs New York
1-1 vs Brooklyn
1-1 vs Philly— Hans Olsen (@975Hans) April 5, 2021
The Lakers win needs a bit of added context considering L.A. was without Anthony Davis in that matchup. Still, it's a pretty impressive track record that should eradicate any notion the Jazz are pretenders.
Utah holds a 3.5-game lead over the Suns for the top seed in the West. The Jazz rank first in the NBA in both net rating and offensive rating, ranking fourth in defensive rating.
Much of Utah's success stems from the ability to shoot the three-ball. The Jazz lead the league in both three-pointers made and three-point attempts, also ranking second in the NBA in three-point percentage at close to 40 percent.
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The backcourt of Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell has been incredibly productive, with both shooting over 40 percent from deep. Royce O'Neal has been the ideal stretch-4, with Joe Ingles playing something of a “point forward” role off the bench. Jordan Clarkson is averaging 17.3 points off the bench.
Utah is also the best rebounding team in basketball, with Rudy Gobert dominating the boards and challenging every shot in the paint. Derrick Favors provides valuable bench minutes in the frontcourt.
The Jazz have a diverse group of scorers and playmakers, with depth off the bench. The above nugget more than suggests they will be tough to beat come playoff time, as if their play had not already signaled as much.
