The Utah Jazz is about to embark on their most important playoff run in recent history.
With 16 games remaining on their regular-season schedule, the Utah Jazz continues to be one of the biggest surprises of the 2020-21 NBA season. Even after their impressive performance in the NBA’s restart bubble, which included a first-round playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets, not many had the Jazz penciled in to finish with the best record in the league this season.
Nevertheless, with just a few weeks remaining until the playoffs begin, that’s exactly where the Jazz stand. However, on Friday evening, there was a concern that all that was being washed away before their very eyes.
Donovan Mitchell was helped to the locker room during the team’s victory over the Indiana Pacers. As the Jazz faithful collectively held their breaths, good news emerged a few minutes later.
MRI on right ankle sprain of Utah Jazz All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell revealed no structural damage, sources tell ESPN. He’s expected to miss several games before he’s cleared to return.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 17, 2021
Considering the circumstance, this was considered the best-case scenario for Mitchell and the Jazz. It’s not a high ankle sprain and there are no breaks. Mitchell will likely return in a week or two and the team could continue to build momentum heading into the postseason.
A postseason, with the Jazz heading in with the best record in basketball, that could end up being their biggest in recent history. Expectation, talent, and circumstance dictate that reasoning.
The Utah Jazz’s expectation
Even though the Jazz didn’t enter the season with much expectation, that all changes with how the team has performed in the regular season. Utah will likely enter the playoffs as the No. 1 overall seed in the NBA and will largely be expected to make the conference finals, at least.
If they don’t, many will view this season as somewhat of a disappointment.
Especially in a league where championship windows close in an instant. Who knows when the Jazz will be this hot heading into the postseason again. This is not something that is common for this franchise, and they need to take advantage of this opportunity.
In the Western Conference at the moment, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis banged up, there’s no overwhelming favorite heading into the playoffs. The stars could be aligning for a team such as the Jazz to take advantage.
The Utah Jazz’s talent
The Jazz is one of the deepest teams in the league. They have six players that are averaging double-figures in scoring, have a budding superstar in Donovan Mitchell, arguably the Defensive Player of the Year favorite in Rudy Gobert, and a strong Sixth Man of the Year candidate in Jordan Clarkson.
And we haven’t even mentioned Bojan Bogdanovic or Mike Conley. Utah is deep, loaded, and primed for a deep playoff run. This team is experienced and has one of the most underrated coaches in the league in Quin Snyder. Many will not view the Jazz as a legit favorite in the West because the last time this team was a legit title threat, Jerry Sloan was still on the sidelines.
The Jazz isn’t a lock to make a deep playoff run, but they have as good a shot as any other non-LA team has in the West. And a bit part of that is this team’s talent.
The Utah Jazz’s timing
As we’ve seen in this league before, championship windows can close in an instant. And there are times when teams have one year to make it happen and when they don’t, they fall back and never sniff that opportunity again for a very long time.
I can’t predict that this is the make-or-break year for the Jazz. After all, their core is still relatively young and still improving as individual players. Maybe this is just the beginning and the Jazz are about to embark as year-in and year-out contenders in the West for the next 3-5 years.
What I’m arguing is that the Jazz can’t take this upcoming playoff run for granted. It’s arguably their most important playoff run in recent history. And it’s just on the horizon.