2017 Utah Jazz Mock Draft

On NBALord.com, I did a full mock draft for the 2017 NBA Draft. Below are my predictions for the Utah Jazz. If you want to read the entire mock draft, click here.

24. Utah Jazz-California sophomore power forward Ivan Rabb: I cover Cal for Rivals.com, so I’m very familiar with Ivan Rabb’s game. He can shoot from beyond the arc, he can score down on the block, and he rebounds very well.  At 6’10”, 220 pounds Rabb has good physical tools to work with and should be able to fill out in time. The Jazz are expected to part ways with Derrick Favors and I think Rabb has what it takes to be a nice replacement for him.

30. Utah Jazz-Florida State sophomore shooting guard Dwayne Bacon: Dwayne Bacon is a prototypical NBA wing. At 6’6”, 200 pounds he can shoot from NBA range, he can attack the rim, he can defend multiple positions, has great athleticism, etc. He’s a very safe pick at this point of the draft.

42. Utah Jazz-Oregon junior small forward Dillon Brooks: Like his former Oregon teammate Tyler Dorsey, Dillon Brooks has killer scoring instincts and has no problem taking the big shot. He’s another guy who I think is a first round level talent due to his mentality and ability to score. He’d be an absolute steal for the Jazz at #42.

55.  Utah Jazz-Notre Dame senior small forward V.J. Beachem: At 6’8”, 200 pounds, V.J. Beachem has good size for a small forward and is a capable shooter, averaging 14.5 points per game in his senior season on 36.1% shooting from three-point range and 83.6% shooting from the foul line. The Jazz could use another stretch-four type of guy.

Note: I want to give a shout out to NBADraft.net and DraftExpress.com for their excellent NBA Draft coverage. This mock draft would not have been possible without using them as a resource.

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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.

Note: This article also appears on NBALord.com. Click here to check it out. If you want to listen to the podcast that previews this series, click here. 

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Can the Utah Jazz advance without Rudy Gobert?

                                         (Credit: RantSports.com. Click here for source). 

The Utah Jazz escaped with a 97-95 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday to take a 1-0 series lead after Joe Johnson rattled home the game winning shot. Unfortunately for the Jazz, their star big man Rudy Gobert went out for the game with a bone bruise and hyperextended left knee, leaving him out for an indefinite period of time that likely lasts the duration of the series. Gobert, who averages 14.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game is the fiercest defensive force the Jazz have had in the paint since Mark Eaton, who averaged a whopping 3.5 blocks per game for his career.

The question that is on the minds of everyone is whether or not the Jazz can win this series without Rudy Gobert. The answer to that question is yes they can, but obviously without him it will be a lot tougher. Fortunately, the Jazz have some things in their favor.

#1. They got the road win they needed: In my series preview, I stated that the Jazz needed just one win in Los Angeles to win this series because of how good they are at home. With or without Rudy Gobert, the Jazz should be able to hold down the fort in Salt Lake City. So long as they can just win out at home, where they are 29-12, they'll be fine.

#2. All the pressure is on the Clippers: The Jazz are playing with house money. The very fact that they made the playoffs is enough of a reason to call this season a success. They can just go out and play their style of basketball and see what happens. If they win the series, they exceed expectations and if they lose, they're still ahead of schedule in their rebuild process.

#3. They have some front court depth: Rudy Gobert is clearly the best big man on this Jazz team, but it isn't like he's their only big man. Derrick Favors, Trey Lyles, Boris Diaw, Jeff Withey, and even Joel Bolomboy can come in and give the Jazz good minutes in the front court. The Jazz have other guys who they can turn to in the post if needed.

#4. Rudy Gobert isn't done for the season: If MRI results had come back showing that Rudy Gobert had damage to his MCL, LCL, or ACL, it would be tough psychologically for the Jazz to win this series. Knowing that he isn't done for the season and that he will return if they can just hang on for a little while without him has to give them tremendous peace of mind. There are good odds Gobert is back for the second round of the playoffs, which is when they'll absolutely need him. The Jazz just need to weather this storm as best they can, knowing that if they do so well enough, the storm will cease and they'll get Gobert back.

The bottom line is that while it is a tough break for the Jazz to be without Rudy Gobert for an indefinite period of time, there are a lot of reasons to think they can still win this series without him. They already have a road win in the bag, very little pressure, quality reserves, and the knowledge that Gobert isn't out forever. I picked the Jazz to win this series in six games and I still stand by that pick.

Note: This article also appears on NBALord.com. Click here to check it out. 

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