After suffering a brutal defeat in the 2021 playoffs, the Utah Jazz entered this season with a huge chip on their shoulder. With practically no faith in their potential as a team, many fans had already written them off, calling them fraudulent contenders in a bitter Western Conference.
Still, the Jazz pressed on and stand today as one of the West’s best teams.
But that’s not to say they don’t have their own problems. After suffering an embarrassing loss to the Detroit Pistons (their third in a row), Donovan Mitchell called out his squad, demanding better from everyone.
We’re fooling ourselves saying we want to win a championship, having nights like tonight
Donovan Mitchell: We’re fooling ourselves saying we want to win a championship, having nights like tonight
— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) January 11, 2022
With Mitchell and defensive star Rudy Gobert, the Jazz will always pose a threat in the race for a title. Together, the two of them give Utah the firepower it needs to keep up with other Western rivals.
But doubt has crept in for the organization lately, especially following their defeat in the postseason. And now, with the team going through a rough patch, it’s safe to say that a lot of people still need convincing in their strength as a power.
Nevertheless, they still have some believes — like Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
“I think they’re overlooked by a lot of people, just because they haven’t broken through,” Kerr said of the Jazz. “Phoenix was overlooked last year. A lot of people didn’t buy Phoenix’s success, and they went to the Finals.
“I’m a huge believer in Utah, and their ability to get stops with (Rudy) Gobert protecting the paint. Then offensively, they execute like crazy. They shoot a lot of 3’s. They put you in a lot of difficult positions.”
With a losing streak in hand, Utah finds themselves scrambling for answers and not even Donovan Mitchell seems to have control of the situation.
Going forward, it will be interesting to see how the team regroups and responds to the latest series of events. No doubt, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert will be leading the charge in turning things around.
