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NBA Power Rankings: Jazz Will Start Jumping Teams in The Standings Soon

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It’s all about the defense!

The Utah Jazz have 15 games left and sit on the outside looking in for a playoff spot in the west. However, with how they’ve been playing they could start to move up spots real quick, like 0-100 quick.

They sit 10th in the Western Conference standings, but their record is no indication of just how well they have been playing as of late. So where do they rank power ranking wise? Let’s see where each sports site has the Jazz ranked.

Starting with the NBA‘s official site the Jazz were their “Hero team of the week,” and with a ranking of No.6. The week included two road wins (by a total of 37 points) over teams – Indiana and New Orleans – that have otherwise been playing well of late.

“The Jazz have allowed just 92 points per 100 possessions and outscored their opponents by more than 22 points per 100 possessions with Defensive Player of The Year (DPOY) candidate Rudy Gobert on the floor as they’ve won six straight games, including three against top-10 offenses. The teams starting lineup has the league’s best plus-minus (plus-67) since the All-Star break.”

The Jazz had the highest jump in ESPN‘s rankings moving from No. 14 to No. 7. Since Jan. 24th the Jazz are 18-2. Not bad!

Everything Bleacher Report has seen from Utah over the past six weeks screams “playoff team” as no other team comes close to their defensive production during that span. We know that the Jazz are on the outside looking in, fortunately, the remaining schedule is easier than that of any team fighting for a West playoff spot. When someone slips, the Jazz are the favorite to capitalize. Utah received a ranking of No. 7.

CBS Sports thinks the Jazz are soaring and won’t be cooling off anytime soon. They sit at No. 5, which is their highest ranking to date this season. They’ve won six in a row and everybody above them in the standings is struggling to maintain the same pace.

USA Today ranks Utah at a lower ranking than I would have expected at No. 15, but I’m sure they’ll move them up higher a week from now. Since Rudy Gobert’s return, the Jazz are tied for the NBA’s second-best record (19-4), have the league’s top-ranked defense (97.6 points allowed per 100 possessions) and have beaten Toronto, Golden State, New Orleans (twice), San Antonio (twice), Portland and Indiana.

And finally, Sports Illustrated has Utah sitting at No. 7 on their chart.

Where does that leave their overall/average ranking? The average amounts to Utah being the No. 8 team in the league, but we know they’re even better than that.

The good news for Jazz fans, well, their next five games come against teams with losing records.

 

Also, congrats to the future Rookie of The Year, Donovan Mitchell for this accomplishment.

 

TUNE INTO THE NIGHT SHOW WITH KEV WEEKDAYS FROM 7 PM-MIDNIGHT.

 

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