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The Utah Jazz have been attempting to get over the hump in the Western Conference for the past few seasons. They are led by Donovan Mitchell who leads the team in scoring at 25.9 points per game. Behind their superstar, the Jazz have a well-run system that accounts for elite floor spacing and an array of three-point attempts. Utah is second in the NBA in three-point attempts at 40.3 attempts per game this season.
Utah relies on this production from beyond the arc from many of their guard and wing players, however, this has not translated to postseason success. The Jazz have made the postseason the past five years but failed to ever advance past the conference semifinals. While Donovan Mitchell has continued to develop his game and there are other positive areas of growth within the team, many have questioned if this style of play can equate to postseason success.
Jazz X-Factor
As the tempo of the postseason will slow the game down, it should make Utah realize that it isn't Donovan Mitchell or one of their shooters who may play the biggest role in the team's success. Rather reigning 6th man of the year and certified bucket-getter Jordan Clarkson should be given his dues as the X-Factor of the Utah Jazz.
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Basketball is a complex sport that people overcomplicate for a variety of reasons. At the end of the day, the simple goal is to put the ball in the hoop, and there are few players better at this than Jordan Clarkson.
The 29-year-old guard has found a home in Utah and redefined his career by embracing his sixth-man role. Clarkson is averaging 16 points per game this season which is the third-most on the Jazz. While they are loaded with impressive shooters, a large portion of the Jazz roster lacks effective shot creation and is much more comfortable scoring out of the catch-and-shoot. Jordan Clarkson is the sole difference in this category as he provides the second unit with a needed splash of creativity. Despite five guys playing more minutes per game than him, Clarkson has the second most shot attempts per game on the Jazz roster and can pour it in when he gets going.
There is a notable increase in defensive intensity in the postseason and the Jazz have struggled to adapt to this in recent years. The open three-pointers that they count on in the offense are not always there. In order to fix this, the Jazz must adapt to the postseason defense and allow their more dynamic players to be more creative. Donovan Mitchell has more than earned his free range in this regard but the defensive attention he attracts is game-changing. Allowing Jordan Clarkson to play more minutes alongside Mitchell will cause issues with opposing defenses and give a more modern feel to the Jazz offense.
While Jordan Clarkson can carry the team to a win with his shooting, he also can shoot a team out of one so Coach Snider must be sure not to let the leash get too long. It will be interesting to see what kind of adjustment the Jazz make for the postseason based on the struggles of previous years. If the team hopes to have success over the Mavs, a strong performance from Jordan Clarkson should be the first place the team looks.
