Where do the Utah Jazz really rank in the Western Conference?

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Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley (Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports)

4. Utah Jazz vs Memphis Grizzlies

Here’s where it gets a little bit spicy.

The Memphis Grizzlies are enjoying a storybook season. Nobody here is trying to take that away from them. Is it sustainable?

Ja Morant is fifth in the NBA in field goals made at the rim. That’s incredible, considering that the four players ahead of him are all at least 6’8. Is that sustainable, or will playoff defenses stimy a small guard’s relentless dunk attempts?

The Grizzlies have also leaned heavily into winning the battle of the boards to generate second chance opportunities in half court sets. It’s working. Will Steven Adams be able to consistently bully opposing centers in the postseason? Is that a strategy that’s particularly effective against certain teams?

It’s a little hard to invest much in an offense that revolves around a third-year player. That’s not a knock on Ja Morant: he’s going to be a star in this league for a long time. He’s an MVP candidate this season, and rightfully so.

We just prefer the Jazz’s infrastructure in the short term. They’re deeper and more reliant on veterans. The Grizzlies are second in the Conference at 45-22, and the Jazz sit fourth at 41-24. This is, admittedly, a hot take.

At the same time, the Jazz’s net rating of 6.4 is by far superior to Memphis’ 4.5. Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz have had a particularly challenging year in terms of injuries. Ja Morant did miss time this year, and the Grizzlies deserve credit for weathering that storm. They still haven’t had to deal with the same constant losses of multiple key players as the Jazz have.

When both teams are fully healthy, we suspect the Utah Jazz get the best of the Memphis Grizzlies in a playoff series.

Next: 3. Utah Jazz