The Utah Jazz are playing exceptional team basketball

                                         (Getty Images) 

On Friday night, the Utah Jazz defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 96-91, advancing to the second round of the playoffs, where they will face the Houston Rockets on Sunday afternoon. Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell stole the show, scoring 38 points, 20 of which were scored in the 3rd quarter. With Ricky Rubio going out with a hamstring injury (possibly out for a few weeks) and Russell Westbrook in full attack mode, the Jazz needed a big game from Mitchell and boy did he deliver.
   
What made Mitchell's performance so special was the way he took over the game. He did it all, hitting deep threes, throwing down vicious dunks, and slicing through defenders to make ridiculous layups around the basket. The amount of English he put on some of those shots was tantamount to what you'd see in a game of billiards. He was having one of those nights where nearly anything he threw at the basket found a way to go in.

Yet as well as Mitchell played, the Jazz didn't win this game by his performance alone. After all, Russell Westbrook was the top performer of the night, finishing with 46 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. What got the Jazz past the Thunder both on Friday and in this series was their selflessness and commitment to team basketball. Everyone found a way to contribute, whether it was Joe Ingles knocking down clutch threes, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert controlling the paint, or Ricky Rubio setting up others for easy baskets. Even Alec Burks got in on the action, scoring 11 points on Friday in 17 minutes of action.

What allows the Jazz to play this type of team basketball is the system put in place by head coach Quin Snyder, which demands lots of ball movement, cutting, and stellar defense. The Jazz realize that when they play the way Snyder wants them to, that brings out the best in them both as a team and as individuals. It takes a certain type of player to buy into this philosophy and the Jazz front office has done a stellar job of bringing in guys who embrace it.

As for whether or not the Jazz can actually take out the Houston Rockets, I personally expect the Rockets to win only because they have more talent. James Harden will be the best player in the series and Chris Paul could be the second best player. That all said, if the Jazz play the way they did against the Thunder and continue to execute the way Quin Snyder wants them to, they could make this an interesting series. As good as the Rockets look, they did show moments of vulnerability against the Timberwolves. They will definitely need to play a lot better if they want to avoid a competitive and close series with the Jazz.

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Utah Jazz vs. Golden State Warriors series preview

The #1 seeded Golden State Warriors and the #5 seeded Utah Jazz will face off in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. Game 1 will be played tonight  (Tuesday) at 10:30 PM EST on TNT. The Warriors come into this series having swept the Portland Trail Blazers while the Jazz come in having survived the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games.

When looking at this series, what really stands out is the contrasting styles that both teams like to play. The Warriors, while very strong on defense, like to run up and down the floor and get easy baskets in transition. The Jazz in contrast like to slow it down and play more of a grind it out style that limits possessions and plays much more in the half court. Whichever team is able to control the pace more and make the game fit their style of play will have a huge advantage in this series.

It's no secret the Warriors are the heavy favorites. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant make for one of the most lethal scoring trios the NBA has ever seen and then when you add a multifaceted Swiss army knife like Draymond Green into the mix, you have yourselves a championship recipe. The bottom line is if the Warriors play up to their maximum potential, they will win this series. They are the better team and their 67-15 record reflects that.

That said, there are reasons to think the Jazz can make this series a lot more competitive than most people think. First, they have a huge advantage inside. Rudy Gobert is one of the top rim protectors in the NBA and Derrick Favors, while not having quite lived up to the hype, is still a load to handle down low. If the Jazz can protect the paint and not allow the Warriors to get easy baskets inside, they'll make things a lot tougher than the Warriors would like.

In addition to their stellar rim protection, the Jazz are a very good offensive team, ranking 12th in the league in points per possession. While they slow the game down and are 28th in points per game, their low scoring numbers aren't a good reflection of their overall abilities to get points. The Jazz are an efficient scoring team, they just slow the game down and have fewer possessions, which has been a key to their success.

What makes the Jazz efficient on offense is their combination of inside and outside scoring. George Hill, Rodney Hood, Joe Johnson, and Joe Ingles can all shoot from outside, while Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors know how to get baskets inside. As for their star Gordon Hayward, he can do both very well. He can spot up and knock down the open three as well as slash to the rim for the emphatic dunk. Hayward's ability to score at all levels of the floor make him one of the best small forwards in the NBA and a tough guy for defenses to stop.

A big wild card in this series is going to be coaching. Steve Kerr is not expected to be back for the rest of the playoffs, which puts Mike Brown at the helm of the Warriors. Last week, I addressed this topic in more detail, stating that I think the Warriors should be just fine without Kerr due to the quality system he has implemented. That said, Quin Snyder is a better coach than Mike Brown. Snyder has the Jazz playing very efficient basketball, implementing lots of motion and cuts, which frees up a lot of easy looks on offense. Defensively, the Jazz are as good as any team in the league. If Snyder is able to out-coach Brown, that could have a big effect on this series.

I think this series is going to be a lot closer than people think. While I do have the Warriors advancing, I think the series will go seven games. The Jazz have proven that they can win on the road. I wouldn't at all be shocked to see them get a game in Oakland. Likewise, the Warriors should be able to get a game in Salt Lake City. Both teams play in hostile environments, so I expect the home team to win most of the games in this series. I think it'll go seven and the Jazz, with their elite defense and efficient scoring, will give the more talented Warriors all that they can handle.

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Playoff Preview: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Utah Jazz

In the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, the #4 seeded Los Angeles Clippers (51-31) will take on the #5 seeded Utah Jazz (51-31). The Clippers won the regular season series 3-1. Game 1 will tip off on Saturday at 10:30 PM EST on ESPN.

Of all the first round playoff series', this one projects to be the closest. The records are identical, for one thing and both teams have dominant big men and guys who can score from the wing. This series really could go either way.

The matchup down in the paint should be particularly fun to watch. Clippers big man DeAndre Jordan (12.7 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks) and Utah Jazz big man Rudy Gobert (14.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks) are a throwback to a different era when there were more dominant big men. Watching them clash down low will be reminiscent of watching Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing face off in the paint. There are so few true big men making an impact in the NBA right now and to have two of them facing off in the same series is certain to be a real treat.

While it will be fun to watch Jordan and Gobert face off, I expect the two of them to cancel each other out. Neither one will sway this series in either direction. What will ultimately sway this series is coaching, the perimeter play, and which star player is able to deliver the goods in crunch time.

In regards to coaching, I think this is a fascinating matchup. Clippers head coach Doc Rivers has a ton of playoff experience while Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder is making his first trip to the playoffs. That said, I think Snyder has done a better job with his team and really has the Jazz playing good basketball. The Jazz are moving the ball well, they are getting each other involved, and are playing defense at an elite level.

 If the Jazz are going to win this series, Quin Snyder's stellar coaching will have to be a huge factor whereas for the Clippers, Doc Rivers needs to find a way to use his experience to his advantage. Doc Rivers knows how he'll handle close games in the playoffs because he's been there whereas for Quin Snyder he is yet to be in those kind of moments. It will certainly be interesting to see what decisions both coaches make down the stretch of close games. The decisions they make could ultimately decide this series.

In regards to perimeter play, the Clippers have Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford, and Austin Rivers while the Jazz have Gordon Hayward, George Hill, Rodney Hood, and Shelvin Mack. The battle in the backcourt will be crucial to this series. Both teams have guys who can shoot it from beyond the arc and penetrate the lane. Whichever group does a better job will give their team a definite edge.

In regards to the star play, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will be expected to deliver the goods for the Clippers while Gordon Hayward and George Hill will be expected to do the same for the Jazz. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin have more playoff experience than Gordon Hayward (first appearance), but George Hill has some playoff experience going back to his days with the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers. While there is more pressure on Gordon Hayward to have a big series, George Hill can help take a lot of that pressure away through his stellar play in the backcourt and also his calming influence. He's been there before and can help Gordon Hayward make the transition.

In terms of a prediction for this series, I have the Utah Jazz finding a way to win the series in six games. Salt Lake City is one of the toughest place to play in the NBA and I don't see the Clippers getting a win on the road in this series. The combination of altitude and rowdy fans is what makes Salt Lake City such a tough place to win. As for the Staples Center, that place isn't as tough of a place to get a road playoff win, especially when it's the Clippers who are playing. I have a feeling that the Jazz will steal a game in Los Angeles and hold serve at home.

In order for my prediction to come to fruition, Gordon Hayward will need to have a big series. He's an NBA All-Star and is the face of this Jazz team. If he has a big series and gets the help he needs from the rest of his teammates, I really like their chances. If on the other hand, Hayward shrinks under the playoff spotlight, the Clippers will be the team that comes out on top in this series. The Clippers are a very good team and we certainly can expect Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to step up. Gordon Hayward will need to do the same in order for his team to win.




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