Had the 2020-21 regular season consisted of the typical 82 games per team, chances are the Utah Jazz would have flirted with the 60-win mark. This mark would’ve marked the first time they have reached that total since their back-to-back 60-plus efforts in 1996-97 and 1997-98.
As it was, though, the last Jazz collection finished 52-20 across its 72-game slate. Note that such a winning percentage would have equated to 59.2 wins across 82 games.
Expect that to change this next go-round.
Yes, there is an ample number of straightforward reasons to believe the Jazz will vie for the regular-season crown once again. So let’s get started by laying out a sizeable chunk of those success indicators. The following are just 60 of the innumerable signs, appearing here in groups of 10 at a time.
Utah Jazz</a> would have flirted with the 60-win mark. This mark would’ve marked the first time they have reached that total since their back-to-back 60-plus efforts in 1996-97 and 1997-98.</p>
<p>As it was, though, the last Jazz collection finished 52-20 across its 72-game slate. Note that such a winning percentage would have equated to 59.2 wins across 82 games.</p>
<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong> <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/19/utah-jazz-3-crazy-lineups-stun-world/" rel="">3 crazy Utah lineups that could stun the world next season</a></p>
<p>Still, it was <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/UTA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">the seventh time</a> in the past 21 years that the franchise has put at least 50 dubs on the board. But Utah hasn’t eclipsed a 55 count in any regular season this century.</p>
<p>Expect that to change this next go-round.</p>
<p>Yes, there is an ample number of straightforward reasons to believe the Jazz will vie for the regular-season crown once again. So let’s get started by laying out a sizeable chunk of those success indicators. The following are just 60 of the innumerable signs, appearing here in groups of 10 at a time.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reasons 1-10 </a>
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<h2>The 60 reasons to expect 60 or more Utah Jazz victories: Nos. 1-10</h2>
<p><strong>1.</strong> The Utah Jazz should be confident as the reigning regular-season champs after going 52-20 in a shortened 2020-21 NBA regular season.</p>
<p><strong>2.</strong> All five starters are likely to be back in Salt Lake City for a shot at again capturing the No. 1 seed out of the Western Conference.</p>
<p><strong>3.</strong> The top two vote-getters in the Sixth Man of the Year race — Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles, respectively — ought to return as well.</p>
<p><b>4.</b> Pair Clarkson and Ingles with the anticipated Jazz starters, and that’s the seven leading scorers per game from the last group.</p>
<p><strong>5.</strong> Speaking further to the continuity, <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/snydequ01c.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Quin Snyder</a> is preparing for his eighth season as Jazz head coach, the last five of which included playoff berths.</p>
<p><strong>6.</strong> Snyder has also seen Utah’s winning percentage improve from one season to the next across his past three campaigns. Adding the average jump from this span to last season’s winning percentage, the Jazz would be on track for about 62 wins across the upcoming regular season.</p>
<p><strong>7.</strong> Sticking with the theme of percentages and remembering that most of the primary snipers are still in town, don’t forget that last season’s bunch led the league in 3-point makes per game (16.7) while finishing fourth with its 38.9 shooting percentage from downtown.</p>
<p><strong>8.</strong> The 2020-21 Jazzmen finished inside the top 10 in both 2-point and free throw percentages.</p>
<p><strong>9.</strong> Individually, at age 33, Ingles shot a career-high 45.1 percent from deep, the fifth-best clip in the NBA last season.</p>
<p><strong>10.</strong> Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson flirted with 90.0 percent from the charity stripe. And except for Gobert, each of this season’s primary returning weapons knocked down better than 83.0 percent of their free throws.</p>
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<h2>The 60 reasons to expect 60 or more Utah Jazz victories: Nos. 11-20</h2>
<p><strong>11.</strong> <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mitchdo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Donovan Mitchell</a> should now officially have his sights on an MVP — plain and simple.</p>
<p><strong>12.</strong> This will be the first season with Dwyane Wade as a minority owner of the Utah Jazz from start to finish. Just look at the positive effect that Wade’s regular presence seemed to have on Mitchell’s lights-out performances in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. His powerful sideline stares, post-game man hugs, and words of wisdom should only aid Mitchell in shining even brighter.</p>
<p><strong>13.</strong> On that same note, this will be the second season with Ryan Smith — Wade’s golfing buddy — as the franchise’s majority owner. The value in the 44-year-old’s youthful outlook and positive vibes behind the scenes is underrated.</p>
<p><strong>14.</strong> Three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert acts as a Turtle Wax paint protector by warding off playmakers of all shapes and sizes with his innate instincts, nimble feet, and condor wingspan.</p>
<p><strong>15.</strong> The Jazz seemed to have upgraded their backup center with the free-agency addition of Hassan Whiteside, who has been no stranger to leading the league in blocks and rebounds per game.</p>
<p><strong>16.</strong> Another free-agent pickup, Rudy Gay, has a multifaceted toolbox that should give Utah plenty of freedom in concocting various specialized lineups. Plus, the 35-year-old’s veteran presence will be helpful.</p>
<p><strong>17.</strong> With Gobert, Whiteside, and Gay on the roster, there’s every reason to assume Utah will again be among the elite rebounding squads after winding up with the NBA’s most boards per game (48.3) last season.</p>
<p><strong>18.</strong> That goes for blocks as well (eighth in the NBA with 5.2 per game in 2020-21).</p>
<p><strong>19.</strong> Additionally, by trading for Eric Paschall, the Jazz added bulk to the equation while reuniting Mitchell with his childhood friend.</p>
<p><strong>20.</strong> Including Paschall, Utah has nine players on tap who have averaged double-digit points in an NBA season.</p>
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<h2>The 60 reasons to expect 60 or more Utah Jazz victories: Nos. 21-30</h2>
<p><b>21.</b> Rudy Gobert has gradually enhanced his offensive repertoire in his eight NBA seasons, all with the Utah Jazz.</p>
<p><strong>22.</strong> Mike Conley is coming off his first All-Star campaign and entering his third season in Utah, suggesting his best days as a Jazzman may be just around the corner.</p>
<p><strong>23.</strong> Furthermore, Conley has made clear he’s now fully committed to the franchise for the long haul after accepting a multi-year free-agent deal that many NBA experts view as a friendly discount.</p>
<p><strong>24.</strong> Harking back to the Donovan Mitchell assessment, Utah’s starting backcourt should radiate as one of the most dangerous in the league.</p>
<p><strong>25.</strong> Off the bench, Jordan Clarkson will likely use the confidence boost from his Sixth Man of the Year trophy and the wisdom from his seven years in the league to improve his efficiency as a green-light perimeter scorer.</p>
<p><strong>26.</strong> Although Joe Ingles might see a reduced role, the Aussie’s career-high 12.1 points per game last season say his game may be on a late upswing in what will be his eighth year in Jazz Land.</p>
<p><strong>27.</strong> Transitioning here to a couple of returning starters who rarely draw headlines, let’s first talk about Royce O’Neale. The 6-foot-4 do-anything forward has been a full-time starter the past two seasons and has seen gains in most statistical categories from one year to the next across his four seasons in the league (all with the Jazz).</p>
<p><strong>28.</strong> Probable third-year Utah Jazz starter <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bogdabo02.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Bojan Bogdanovic</a> showed late last season that he could fill in as a top scorer in the absence of Mitchell, Conley, or both. He did so to the tune of 48 points during a May win over the Denver Nuggets.</p>
<p><strong>29.</strong> Now, it feels like a good time to bring up continuity. Oops, we’ve already included that in this list? Well, it deserves another mention.</p>
<p><strong>30.</strong> On the other hand, the arrival of some new young talent, in addition to a few free-agent veterans, sets the stage for some healthy competition in the playing-time department.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reasons 31-40 </a>
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<h2>The 60 reasons to expect 60 or more Utah Jazz victories: Nos. 31-40</h2>
<p><b>31.</b> The <em>Positive Residual</em> formula tags the recently released 2021-22 Utah Jazz schedule as <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/20/utah-jazz-receive-friendliest-schedule/">the friendliest in the league</a>.</p>
<p><strong>32.</strong> Perhaps adding to the ease of the slate ahead, foes may overlook the Jazz a bit in light of their early playoff exit last season as a No. 1 seed.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p><strong>33.</strong> That early playoff exit ought to fuel a season-long commitment to proving Utah is a legit contender.</p>
<p><strong>34.</strong> That early playoff exit also ought to allow the Jazz to understand their weaknesses and take the necessary steps to correct them (already evident in the franchise’s strategic offseason moves).</p>
<p><strong>35.</strong> At the moment, outside of maybe Mike Conley’s lingering hamstring issues, there are no known long-term injuries — knock on wood — plaguing any of the players.</p>
<p><strong>36.</strong> The franchise player, Donovan Mitchell, turned down an invite to play for Team USA in Tokyo, wisely giving his sprained ankle every opportunity to heal without any offseason hiccups.</p>
<p><strong>37.</strong> After watching Rudy Gobert give top-notch competition headaches in Olympic action this summer — on his way to taking home a silver medal with France — fans should expect to see an even more assertive version of the 7-footer next season.</p>
<p><strong>38.</strong> The same Olympic confidence boost should hold for Joe Ingles, an integral piece to an Australian squad that captured bronze.</p>
<p><strong>39.</strong> Plus, Miye Oni played a part in Nigeria knocking off Team USA during exhibition play leading up to the Olympics. While his team then went 0-3 across the Group Phase in Tokyo, the experience should serve Oni well. He’ll look to build on his occasional usage off the bench in close games for the Jazz last season.</p>
<p><strong>40.</strong> Bojan Bogdanovic must have been disappointed that he and his Croatian teammates came up a tad short of an invite to the Olympics. However, the ensuing rest could be a blessing in disguise, considering “Bogey” was the only Utah Jazz starter who played every game last season.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reasons 41-50 </a>
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<h2>The 60 reasons to expect 60 or more Utah Jazz victories: Nos. 41-50</h2>
<p><b>41.</b> Jared Butler was once a projected lottery pick. Yet due to concerns about his heart condition, Utah was able to pull off perhaps the steal of the 2021 NBA Draft by trading down to select him No. 40 overall. As the leading scorer from a Baylor team that won the national championship, chances are the combo guard will contribute at some point to the Utah Jazz’s success as a rookie.</p>
<p><strong>42.</strong> Another Baylor national champ, MaCio Teague, is also likely to be on the roster — even if only on a two-way contract — after the well-rounded wing’s encouraging Summer League performances.</p>
<p><strong>43.</strong> That makes three Baylor products, with the other being Royce O’Neale. One would think that having a trio of former Bears will add to the Utah Jazz chemistry.</p>
<p><strong>44.</strong> Trent Forrest is another former college star with the potential to make an impact next season. After all, as an undrafted rookie out of Florida State last season, the 6-foot-4 floor general came up clutch a couple of times for the Utah Jazz when Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley were out with injuries.</p>
<p><strong>45.</strong> <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/12/22621920/udoka-azubuike-quietly-working-to-prove-his-nba-worth-with-the-utah-jazz-second-year-center" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Udoka Azubuike</a> is foul-prone and probably lacks the stamina to play long stretches, but his prowess in Summer League signals a formidable third-string center nonetheless.</p>
<p><strong>46.</strong> Second-year forward Elijah Hughes has a lot of work to do before earning significant playing time in a Jazz jersey. Still, the 23-year-old’s creative iso moves might come in handy off the bench as early as next season.</p>
<p><strong>47.</strong> Power forward Jarrell Brantley also rarely saw the floor for Utah last season. Yet he also looks to be a promising long-term Jazz project who could surprise some folks in his third year as a pro.</p>
<p><strong>48.</strong> Overall, Butler, Teague, Forrest, Azubuike, Hughes, and Brantley comprise a nice mix of prospects who are out to prove they belong in this league.</p>
<p><strong>49.</strong> Besides providing safety options, the above assortment of youngsters should inspire Quin Snyder and his staff.</p>
<p><strong>50.</strong> In general, when factoring in Jordan Clarkson, Joe Ingles, Rudy Gay, Hassan Whiteside, and Eric Paschall as well, the reserves in Salt Lake City ought to form one of the NBA’s most desirable benches next season.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reasons 51-60 </a>
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<h2>The 60 reasons to expect 60 or more Utah Jazz victories: Nos. 51-60</h2>
<p><b>51.</b> Five Utah Jazz players are over 30 years old, giving the 2021-22 team plenty of wisdom.</p>
<p><strong>52.</strong> By the time the season tips off in October, five Jazz players will be between the ages of 25 and 30, thereby giving the 2021-22 team plenty of fellas in their primes.</p>
<p><strong>53.</strong> Depending on how the bottom of the roster materializes, more than a handful of Jazz players should be under the age of 25, thereby giving the 2021-22 team plenty of motivated youth.</p>
<p><strong>54.</strong> Overall, the roster includes an ideal blend of veterans, peak athletes, and up-and-comers.</p>
<p><strong>55.</strong> Just for the sake of throwing in another reminder here toward the end, Utah returns three All-Stars from last season in <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/24/60-simple-reasons-utah-jazz-win-60-games/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/conlemi01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Mike Conley</a>, Donovan Mitchell, and Rudy Gobert.</p>
<p><strong>56.</strong> Even so, all eyes are on a few so-called “superteams” — primarily those in Los Angeles and Brooklyn. That observation should only further motivate the stacked Utah Jazz batch.</p>
<p><strong>57.</strong> Moreover, with so many top stars joining forces, there is sure to be a relatively long list of cupcakes in the league, which may ease Utah’s route to 60 wins.</p>
<p><strong>58.</strong> Simply put, a common goal — to put the Jazz on the map as an undeniable perennial power — is clear as day in Salt Lake City these days.</p>
<p><strong>59.</strong> The recent NBA 2K22 snub, asserting that Utah isn’t even one of the 10 “Tier 1” teams, should help when it comes to bulletin-board material.</p>
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<p><strong>60.</strong> Finally, don’t discount that Utah has been to the playoffs in all but eight of the past 38 seasons. That level of consistency says the franchise is long overdue for a championship-level campaign, beginning with its first 60-win regular season this century.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">