NBA: 3 dark horse teams that could make a deep playoff run

Utah Jazz (38-22, 4th in West) -currently on a two-game win streak

The reputation of Utah was that it’s a smaller market team that did not attract a lot of big-time free agents. It might still be partially true but Quin Snyder and the Jazz have built a strong team that has key star players and a lot of great role players as well. That’s what makes me believe they have what it takes to go far in the post-season.

On offense, the Jazz is loaded with scorers who are also not hesitant to dish out some assists as well. The three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell is scoring 25.9 points per game while also averaging 5.2 assists. He is one of the many leaders I feel that team has. Mitchell has all the talent an NBA player could want, but can he help lead a Jazz team back to the NBA Finals for the first time since the 1997-98 season?

Another leader on the Jazz is the three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. The big man from France has missed some time this year, but he is still having a career year in some stats. Gobert is averaging 14.8 rebounds (career-high), 70% field goal percentage (career-high), and 70% 2-point field goal percentage (career-high). He is a top-three center in the NBA year in and year out, and he provides so much on both offense but especially on defense.

Utah has 22 games left this season. Players I did not even mention like Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Jordan Clarkson, and so many others are all factors as to why the Jazz area top-four team in the West.