The Utah Jazz have shocked many fans around the league this season, boasting an NBA-best 26-7 record and first-place standing in the West.
And their performance has taken many folks by surprise, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra saw it coming. In fact, according to him, the Jazz have been seen as among the NBA elite for years now.
Erik Spoelstra on the @UtahJazz.
"To the average fan, they're
wondering where did this team come from. But the people in the know, people in this league have have seen this team as one of the elite teams for at least the last three years.."
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) February 26, 2021
Currently, Utah is one of the few teams in the league that ranks near the top of the league in both offense and defense. Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and Mike Conley Jr. are all having the best seasons of their careers.
The question is, can they sustain this level of play through the postseason? Last year, we saw the Jazz struggle against the Nuggets, getting bounced in the very first round after taking an early 3-1 series lead.
With little experience and plenty of tough enemies, it’s understandable why some might not be sold on this team.
Nevertheless, they continue to impress — and should have the opportunity to prove the doubters wrong in just a few months.
