Utah Jazz: Power Rankings Update
The Jazz went 2-1 in the last week, with great wins against the Philadelphia 76ers and LA Clippers. However, their win streak came to a close with a loss Friday night to the Clippers. As they Jazz look to bounce back to night with a win against the Charlotte Hornets, let's where they fall in the most recent NBA power rankings across the media landscape.
ESPN
ESPN is one of the few websites to keep the Jazz at #1 after their loss to the Clippers. The Jazz are followed by the two LA teams, with the Clippers, returning to greater health, edging out the Lakers who are in a bit of a recent slide. Meanwhile, the Nets come in at #4, in the midst of a nice west coast run despite playing mostly without Kevin Durant. Finally, the quietly surging Phoenix Suns round out the top 5.
The most noteworthy statistic pointed out by ESPN: The Jazz have played a league-low 20 clutch minutes this season.
Bleacher Report
Bleacher Report has the same top five as ESPN but has each team in a different spot. In descending order: Lakers at five, followed by the Clippers, Suns, Jazz, and Nets.
Bleacher Reports that while the Jazz are happy to have Mike Conley back after a hamstring injury, they are shooting just 36.1% from three in their last three games. While that is a dip from where they were previously, they played against two good defense teams in the Clippers and 76ers and still found a way to win two of the games.
The Athletic
The Athletic maintains the same top five as ESPN and BR, having the Nets surge five spots from their last week ranking up to #1. The Nets are followed by the Jazz, the two LA teams (Clippers then Lakers), and then the Suns. I think it's a fair ranking considering the Jazz lost to the Clippers Friday, then the Nets beat the Clippers Sunday night. The Athletic's Zach Harper points out how Mike Conley has made every Jazz player better this season when they share the court:
- Jazz with Mitchell and Conley: plus-16.8 points per 100 possessions
- Jazz with Mitchell and no Conley: plus-5.6 points per 100 possessions
- Jazz with Gobert and Conley: plus-14.8 points per 100 possessions
- Jazz with Gobert and no Conley: plus-11.2 points per 100 possessions
- Jazz with Bojan Bogdanovic and Conley: plus-17.5 points per 100 possessions
- Jazz with Bogdanovic and no Conley: plus-7.9 points per 100 possessions
- Jazz with Jordan Clarkson and Conley: plus-15.6 points per 100 possessions
- Jazz with Clarkson and no Conley: plus-4.2 points per 100 possessions
Considering such statistics, the Jazz should be thrilled how well they fared with him out of the line-up and be pumped to have him back as they approach the All-Star break with games remaining against the Hornets, Lakers, Heat, Magic, Pelicans & 76ers.
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